April i, 1891.] 
THf TROPICAL AGRI0ULTURJ3T, 
727 
March 18. 
Speaking with the reserve begotten of experience, 
it looks as if the rain burst of March had about 
EXHAUSTED ITS MOISTURE STORES. 
Yesterday was a genial day, with a few rolls of 
thunder and a shower in the afternoon which deposi- 
ted 34 cents of rain; The evening was beautiful, 
with veils of white mist floating across the faces of 
the mountains. A golden sunset was succeeded by 
silvery moonlight, incessant lightning flashes making 
themselves visible in the south west horizon. This 
morning is calm and sunny, although masses of 
mist rest on the brow of Totapola and other 
mountains which separate us from Uva. The 
thermometer stands at 65°. 
SALE OE ESTATE PEOPERTY. 
Mr. Withers has sold Adelaide estate, Lower 
Dikoya, to Mr. H. L. Forbes for the Soottish-Ceylon 
Tea Oo. It is certainly a bargain for the Company 
as adjoining one of their outlying properties, Benachie, 
for whioh it affords waterpower, Adelaide has 168 
aores fine tea all but 60 acres in bearing with 47 
acres in forest and not less than 25 available ehena. 
The price paid is only E30,000. The secret of 
such properties being sold at moderate rates is no 
doubt found in the fact that a tea plantation with 
fully equipped factory requires to be of a much 
larger acreage than the average coffee estate, to 
ensure economical, profitable work. We are pleased 
to see the process going on whioh will bring not 
less than 400 to 500 acres of tea in bearing to each 
factory. 

TEA IN THE GALLE DISTRICT. 
What tea can do in the lowoountry is evidenced 
by the prices obtained yesterday by Messrs. Forbes 
& Walker for “ Freds Ruhe ” whioh is only about 
130 feet above sea-level, close to Galle, owned by 
Mr. Wm. Abeyesundra of the P. & 0. Co. The 
prices were as follows ; — 
1,110 lb. B. B. 60 cts. 885 lb. Broken Tea 37 ota. 
2,500 lb. Pekoe 46 „ 165 lb. Dust 31 „ 
2,601 lb. P. S. 40 „ 62 lb. Red Leaf 32 „ 
These rates compare favorably with many of 
those realized for tea from the high districts, and 
seeing that the cost of laying it down in Colombo 
is under 30 cents per lb. there is an excellent 
margin for profit. “ Freds Euhe ” estate com- 
prises about 270 aores, of which 210 are in full 
bearing, the output being manipulated by a Brown’s 
Desiccator and Blaekstone Roller propelled by 
steam power. The results obtained from this estate 
should be welcome to the shareholders of the Tal- 
gaswela Tea Company and other low country con- 
cerns, whioh are now coming into bearing. Who 
dare despise the lowoountry after this ? 
♦ 
THE MARKETS FOR TEA— AND 
PROSPECTS. 
(By one interested as a yroicer.) 
The latest London statistics and reports show that 
Chinese low priced teas aro still urgently wanted by 
the trade (not necessarily by the consumers). In the 
late spurt Chinese congou rose rapidly until about 
80 per cent from lowest point was reached. This is 
unfortunate and augurs not well for India and Ceylon 
in the near future. This great rise took place too 
when exchange dropped to its lowest. No doubt some 
large orders went out to China for “ more” for mixing 
purposes. 
America unfortunately appears to bo chockfull of 
tea just now, and prices there ai'e said to bo lowci- 
than in London, 70,000 half-chests said to be kept 
back by American buyers at Amoy, for they fear to 
ship and depress still further prices iu America! 
Australia is said to ha threatened to he almost 
surfeited by shipments from India, and prices there 
are soon, it is stated, likely to be lower than in 
London. 
So Russia at present seems to be the great 
point to make for Ceylon, but their stewing pro- 
cess in place of 5 minutes’ infusion, and only one brew 
does not augur well for a Russian demand for strong 
teas from India and Ceylon. Still the Russians must 
be converted at any cost — Ceylon cannot do without 
some very large market in addition to the United 
Kingdom. 
If in the present season Ceylon ships 55 millions 
and India 115 millions — not at all unlikely — to the 
United Kingdom, and China shipments begin to sw- ll 
out again under the impulse lately given, who shall 
prophesy as to what prices may be a year hence ! 
China is still the unknown quantity, aui uutil fairly 
ousted from the United King om (to begin with) must 
always remain a disturbing factor so long, of 
course, as thousands of unblnshiug blenders continue 
to flourish. 
— — ^ 
VALUE OF VEGETABLES AS MEDICINE. 
There can be no doubt that many of the ailments we 
suffej" from are the result of abstinence irom vegetable 
diet, or a too grear. indulgence in animal food. Custom 
has made the potato an essential at the dinner table, 
bub rarely'- do other vegetables find their waj' th- ro. 
The fodowing notes as to the us' s of vegetables are from 
the Ciili/ornia Farmer and Dealer -. — 
Spinach has a direct upon the kidneys. 
The common dandelion, used as greens, is excellent 
for the same trouble. 
Asparagus purges the blood. 
Celery acts admirably upon the nervous system, and is 
a cure for rheumatism and neuralgia. 
Beets and turnips are excelh nt appetisers. 
Lettuce and cucumbers are cooling iu their effect upon 
the system. 
Onions, garlic, leeks, olives and shalots, all of which 
are similar, possess medical virtues of a marked character 
stimulating the circulatory system and the consiquent 
increase of the saliva and the gastric juice promoting 
digestion. 
Red onions are an excellent diuretic, and the white 
ones are recommended to be eaten raw as a remedy 
for insomnia. They are — tonic and nutritious. 
A soup made from onions is regarded by the French 
as an excellent restorative in debility of the digestivo 
organs. — Mildura Cultivator. 
^ 
GARDENING: OUR REVIEWER. 
Fieminger’s Manual of Gardening, for Bengal 
and Upper India,* has recently seen its fourth edition 
and is this time very carefully and ably revised, corrected 
and amplified by H. St. John Jackson, late editor of 
the Indian Ayriculturist , and for several years 
Superintendent of the Public Gardens at Jeypore, 
This is a most useful and valuable book, supplying all 
the information that an amateur horticulturist can wish 
for, and thus it certainly fulfils the intention of its author. 
The botanical names are also correct. The notes on the 
cultivation of each genera are really first-class, and it 
would be hard to improve them, and cultivators will be 
sure of success if they faithfully carry cut these 
iu.struotions. There is something said about nearly 
everything that is a. all likely to do in the East, 
and the book is so well arranged that any information 
one may want is very easy to find. 
Pirmiuger’s book is an tld favorite with Indian 
residents ; the plan of the book in this new issue is 
somewhat altered and improved. It is divided into 
four parts, viz., (1) the operations of gardening; (2) 
the vegetable garden ; (3) the fruit garden ; and pi) 
the flower garden. An appendix has been added 
* Thacker, gpinls & Oo., Caloutta, 1880, 
