February 2, 1891.I 
THE TROPICAL At5R1t5tJLTUm ST- 
573 
$oiiii6sponcl^nr:5^» 
' » — 
To the Editor. 
SULPHATE OP COPPEK WITH LIME 
FOR COFFEE LEAF-DISEASE. 
Bonn, Deo, 13tb, 1890. 
Dear Sib,— Herewith I beg to inform you that I sent 
on 27th Sept. 1 kg. sulphate of copper (Kupfervitriol) 
to my Tientsin estate in Bogawantalawa to try 
it against leaf-disease, and I send today 1 kg, more 
for further trial. For the last two years there has 
been a similar leaf -disease in the vines here, and 
the sulphate of copper (Kupfervitriol) proves a good 
remedy against it. I saw last September one part 
of vines sprinkled with this remedy and next to 
it one part without. On the first part the leaves 
were of a fine green colour and the vines healthy; 
on the other part the leaves were mostly yellow 
and drooping and the grapes tasted not so good as 
on the sprinkled part. The vine-owners in most 
places are now forced by the magistrate to use this 
remedy. 
The composition of the remedy is : 
1 kilogram dry sulphate of copper (Kupfervitriol) 
1 do do fresh lime (Kalk) 
100 liters water. 
The 1 kg. sulphate of copper is to be dissolved alone 
in about 10 liters water. 
,, 1 ,, fresh lime is also dissolved alone in water, 
and then these two solutions poured together and 
the required water up to the 109 liters is poured in. 
The lime must be fresh, without sand. The sul- 
phate of copper must be completely decomposed ; 
otherwise the leaves will suffer. The complete 
decompos.lion is obtained, if the composition 
has subsided and litmus paper sprinkled with 
the composition is not coloured red, otherwise 
the composition must get more lime-water. 
The trees must be sprinkled during dry weather, 
but not if the young shoots or blossom are coming 
out. In rainy weather the composition is washed 
off and must be renewed. 
The sprinkling can be made twice or three times 
in the year : the trees will not suffer, and it is 
good that the falling leaves be dug in. Sound 
trees will not suffer by this sprinkling : sound vines 
here are sprinkled with this remedy to preserve 
them against infection. 
Mr. Bremer on my Tientsin estate in Bogawan- 
talawa can give more particulars, and as soon as 
I have notice from him that the remedy is successful 
I shall send to Tientsin a sprinkling-squirt to 
operate on the bark, by which one man can sprinkle 
in one day about Ij acre i\ilh 400 liters of the 
composition. 
This remedy should be tried by all planters who 
have leaf disease in coffee, and I believe it will be 
of interest for the Ceylon planters if you notice 
this in your paper. — Yours truly, H. SIXTUS. 
[We should be glad to hear from Mr, Bremer 
the results of actual experiment with this somewhat 
potent application if it is not properly reduced by 
water. We believe it to be quite possible that it 
may thoroughly clear the bushes to which it is 
applied of the fungus, just as a mixture of sulphur 
and lime did. But we fear that in the one case 
as in the other, the result will be only temporary, 
and that while the spores exist in unlimited numbers, 
they will again attack the fresh leafage, the my- 
celium feeding on the life-blood of the plants 
elaborated in the leaf cells. The only real hope 
for the revival of coSee in Ceylon, we fear, is the 
gradual wearing out and final disappearance of 
the pest. Of that “consummation so devoutly to 
be wished,” we fear there is as yet no decisive 
sign?— Ed. T. X.] 
TEA PACKING IN PATENT PAPER LINING! 
London, Deo. 19th, 
Dear Sir, — You will probably be interested to 
hear the result of the sale of the consignment of 
Elkadua tea sent home packed in the new patent 
paper lining. 
The break in question consisted of 32 chests, 16 
of which, were packed in the new lining and 16 
in the ordinary lead. They were put up at public 
auction last Tuesday, and both commanded identi- 
cally the same bid. You will see by the brokers' 
circulars that the paper is very favourably 
reported upon. On arrival of the tea I went 
to Arthur Street Warehouse and had the 
packages opened before me, and in no case 
was there one single tear or damage of any 
kind. The superintendent appeared much pleased 
at the facilities for bulking and sampling purposes 
afforded by this mw style of packing as compared 
with leed ; for whereas with mis latter cuttii g is 
necessary the paper is so fastened at tb.e top and 
bottom of the chest the ' the insertion of a man’s 
finger is sll that is required to undo it without 
any tearing ivhatever. 
As you may remember I tried a small break in 
201b boxes some months ago which was put up at 
public auction with precisely similar results as 
the present lot ; but before bringing the matter 
definitely before the public I was anxious to seo 
how the paper would succeed in the larger packages. 
This has now been done, and as already shown I think 
the result must be considered so far as one can see 
an entire success. It now remains for planters 
generally to take the matter up. They will naturally 
ask what they are to gain by the innovation. 
My answer is simple. To pack a 100 lb. chest 
with the ordinary lead lining costs say R2 or at 
the moderate rate of exchange of Is 6d 3s Od, 
whilehis cost of liningthe samesizeohest with 
the patent paper would be f.o.b. London nett Is 4Jd 
or a saving on each chest of Is T^d 
exclusive of saving in freight &o. Surely this is 
good enough for most planters : it is for me. 
Prejudice ever has been and ever will be rife, when 
suggestions are made to leave the beaten track, 
and often prejudice proves itself in the right, and 
in the present instance I confess I have not been 
without many a question as to ultimate success — 
not so much as doubting the paper itself, but as 
to how the trade would take it. In talking to an 
influential grocer with a large business one day 
on this point, his reply was ” If the tea is all 
right sir, we don’t look much to the packing,” 
and so I say while prejudice may be to some 
extent wholesome, it may at the same time perhaps 
be carried too far. In conclusion I can only say, 
that in bringing this new packing before the 
planters and merchants in Ceylon, I am calling 
their attention to an article which I have thoroughly 
tested myself and which I think they will find, if 
they try, that it will achieve the point arrived 
at, which is to reduce materially the price of one 
of the most expensive items in the oost of our 
tea, and that this will be done thoroughly, con- 
sistent with maintaining the quality of the tea 
itself. 
Mr. Ambrose of Elkadua will 1 feel sure be 
pleased to afi'ord any information as to packing 
&o., and consignments of the paper can be made 
