March 2 , 1 S 91 .] 
TH.r- TROPiCAL AGRICULTURIST. 
667 
with those obtained in the most favoured parts of the 
island. The exporls for the year 1st January to 31st 
December 1890 were 45,799, 518|- lb. as sgaiust 
34,345j752g- lb for the year from 1st January to 31st 
December 1989. You are again indebted to the 
courtesy of the Piiacipal Oolleotor of Customs f r 
authoritathm data of the exports of tea from Ceyl.n, 
and your Committee has groat pleasure iu appending it. 
Coffee . — Daring the twelve months there has been 
a slight falling off in exports of coffee. For the last 
three years tlie returns are as under: — 
Exports from 1st Jan. to 31st Dec. .. 1888. ..cwt. 137,793 
Do 1889... „ 89,094 
Do 1890 90,099 
Cinchona — There has not hitherto been the falling 
off in the production of this drug to the extent 
that has been expected; large quantities are yearly 
harvested ; neither has there been any improvement 
in the prices realized which are still ruling at a figure 
at whic’h cinchona cannot be cultivated proflrably. 
Owing al .^0 to increased supplies from Java the Market 
tor Cinchona throughout the past year has remained 
in a depressed and unsatisfactory condition, the unit 
of Quinine ranging from 1§ t to 1 Jd. During 1890 largo 
areas of land have been cleared of this product more 
espacially iu the Uva Country, and tea planted in iis 
place. Little or noplaniiug of Cinchona has been done 
in Ceylon in recent years. It may thus be taken for 
granted that the cultivation in Oejleu is not extend- 
ing. Upon one point therefore no doubt need exist, 
the cinchona trees are being gradually eradic ited, where 
shaving and careful covering were performed formerly 
now the tree dunes out roots and stem. Harvesting 
bark iu this mauner accounts for the shipments being 
kept up to the still existing largo figures but soouer 
or later a rapidly falling export, will be shown in the 
meantime the stem aiui rools of an uprooted tree 
supplies iully four times the quantity of bark that 
could be obtained by merely spoke shaving a portion, 
and thus ebiffly, are the largo exports maintained. 
The exports forthoyear 1-t January to 31st Decern, 
her 1890. wore 8,779,140 lb against 9,455,041 lb in 1889, 
12,482,817 lb. iu 1838. Showing a falling of 5,896 5231b. 
in 1890 over the year 1886 when 14,075,003 lb. were 
shipped. 
Cacao . — The recurrence of droughts parlicularly in 
fho older p'auted districts has affected the out-turn of 
crop very considerably, and the export has not been so 
large as last year being cwt. 4,073 short of 1889. The 
younger districts though fairly realizing estimates have 
not made up for the deficiencies e sewhere. Helopoltis, 
Borer, ai d the other ))ssts continue to give trouble iu 
their season, but the gardens generally are looking well. 
There has beeu no great addition to the area cultivated 
but some pretty extensivo clesrings about Wattegama 
have beeu commenced. The thefts of this product 
have become very numerous aud serious, involving a 
great deal of trouble aud hardship upon mmagers as 
well as loss to proprietors. The receiver 3 of stolen 
produce hardly seems to hive the attention of the Police 
as much as they might. Prices have been satisfactory 
having rided favourably during the year, in the ch'sing 
months they were exceptionally high, Ceylon Cae.io 
s'ill mantainiug the premier place in the Home Market, 
ibe Exports for the year 1st January to 31--t December 
1990 were 15,942 cwt, as against 18,949 cwt. for Ihe 
year 1st .Tauuary to 31st December 1889. 
Cardixnioins — D> not generally, except i:i the dis- 
triot.s north i.f Kandy, receive the attention they 
did hut in those jiarts which appear specially suitsrl 
♦ o thcii' grciwlh the cullivatiou is continued success- 
fully aud is beuig e.xtended. Indeed, it may be 
safely said that three-fourths of the exp uts of this 
spice come from the disiricis l;ing to the north of 
Kandy. In the so called new districts and other 
parts to the south it is a rare thing to find 10 
acres of laiid now devoted to cardamoms, while in 
Mndamalniuuvvara and the Nitre Cave oxteneive clear- 
ing.s e.xists. It i.s hardly probable that cardamom 
cultivation will extend much further or, tliat the out- 
put frotn Coylon iu the futiiro will greatly inerea'e 
for the area of the land suited for their cultivation is 
not largo aud the rhisomes become exhausted usually 
after the 7th or 8 th year, in the some cases before. 
The pn sent figures ot export may however be main- 
tained for Some years to come. The exports for the 
year 1st Jan. to 31st Dec. 1890 were 395,576| lb., 
against 406,1683 lb. for the year 1st Jan. to 31st 
Dec. 1889. 
Tobacco . — The cultivation of this product continues 
to be persevered with. The season has been a most 
unfavourable one owing to the almost unprecedented 
drought iu all the Tobacco districts. There is no 
doubt that Oeyiou can grow leaf of good quality and 
give a largo yield per acre, but as was the case with our 
teas at first it will taka a little lime to find a demand, 
aud the prices so far have not beeu remunerative owing 
no doubt partly to defective curing as well as to mar- 
ket prejudice, reports on the Tobacco justifying higher 
price.sthau have bteu obtained. 
Minor Peoddcts Ceffow has been partially 
successful aud its cultivation is still being carried on 
both by Europeans and natives. In othc-r parts of the 
hill country get orally however the climate has proved 
too moist and insects too troublesome to secure any 
sulticient measure of success. 
Croton Seed continues neglected, prices having 
fallen fo persistently' low. 
Annuto has beeu largely grown, and exported 
as pa-te and seed. The market is being overdone 
and good prices are not now obtainable. 
Temper is being largely planted. It seems a pro- 
mising article, but so far actual returns have not met 
expectations. 
L'UBEiis. — The true plant yielding this valuable berry 
liBs still to be introduced into Ceylon, all previous 
introductions having turned out factitious. 
Arecanuts have cropjaed well aud yielded good 
price 1 1899 oeiug “a lucky year amongst natives; 
the demand was good. 
Kapok receives growing attention in the lower 
districts, but it is doubtful if it would pay as a syste- 
matic cultivation. 
The Labour Laws. — Iu the last Annual lleport the 
Committee s iw occasion to congratulate the Associa. 
t;on ; because efforts which had been extended over 
nearly two years were thought to have terminated in 
a legislative measure honorable to employers and em- 
ployed ; and although the law unanimously agreed 
upon in Council was felt to be in certain points de- 
fective aud incomplete, it was regarded as the best 
and mo t e.xpedieut of possible alternative amendments, 
and not incoDSistent with tbe.past traditions and usage 
wiiich controlled the rLdatiouship of the contracting 
parties. Though it was mentioned iu last year’s lie- 
port tliat Iloyal fanotiou had not then been proclaimed 
to the Ordiuanos No. 13 of 1839 which had been un- 
animously passed in October aud had indeed become 
an operative Law under which oases were decided in 
the Cour's, it was a start ling reverse to learn on 16th 
April, shortly after Ci^uccil re assembled, that a des- 
patch daled 29tn January 1890 had been received 
nearly two months previously, not only witholdiug 
Iloyal sanction, but requirmg the Governor, if neces- 
sary by the vote of the official majority, aud whether 
the otfieial opinions concurred or not, to pass another 
Ordinance amending No. 13 of 1889 as to its principle. 
Tbe amending Ordinance No. 7 of 1890 embodying 
the new principle of terminating the contract by (fflux 
of time, iusteail of by the amount of work done end 
wages earned, was passed on 21st May 1890, was al- 
lowed by Ihe Secretary of S'ate on 27th June 1S90, 
and was on 15 h August 1890 proclaimed aud made 
operative. A meeting of the Association was held iu 
Kandy on 18tli April, when the resolution expressing 
emphatic remonstrance, as reporliel iu the annual 
proceeding-', was passed ; aud protests with explana- 
lions were prepared by the Chairman and tbe Planters’ 
Represenlative to bo forwarded to the Secretary ot 
State, copies of whicli aro published, as it was felt 
that tbe true eonditioiis could not have beeu fully 
made known to him. The Ceylon Association in London 
with several others there iiiterested in Ceylon, were 
prepared to render such assi.sl.ance us seemed practic- 
able by means of deputations, &o. At tho Committee 
stage of the amending Ordinance the Planting llepre- 
