May I, 1 S 91 .] 
THT TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
773 
CEYLON UPCOUXTEY PLAXTIXG EEPOET. 
CEYLON PEODOCTS IN THE MAEKETS OF THE WOELD — 
JAVA VERSUS CEYLON KAPOK IN AUSTRALIA — CEYLON 
METHOD OF PACKING AND FREIGHTS— HAILWAY KECEIPTS 
FOR TEA BOXES— A SHORT SINHALESE HARVEST — COFFEE 
CROPS — FLUSH OF TEA— COOLIES. 
April 2nd. 
It is not often that a Ceylon product has to 
take a second place in the markets of the world. 
We are so much accustomed to a front seat: that we 
have begun to look upon it as a right, and if not 
awarded, inquire the reason why. It is our pride, 
more than cur pocket that is cflended when even 
one of our minor products rune with the neck, instead 
of leading as we hold that all Ceylon , things 
should do. 
One of those minor products which does no credit 
to the name of Ceylon is Kipok — the tree cotton, 
It grows well enough, and ought to do well enough, 
but in the Australian markets it is a drug and 
cannot get a buyer, if kapok from Java can be had 
at the time. Now the Java kapok is, I understand, 
exactly the same as our own, and the reason why it 
is readily bought up, at from 8 d to 9d a lb,, while 
Ceylon kapok is hard to move even when t liered at 5d 
to 6 d is simply a matter of preparation. Java kapok 
reaches the Australian markets packed in mat 
bags, thoroughly teased out, and freo from seeds, 
wherias the OcyL n article has been subjected to 
hydraulic pressure, has been very imperfectly 
cleaned — not only seeds but even the core re- 
maining, and the cotton often in little lumps. 
There is no doubt that by the Ceylon method, 
of having the cotton heavily pressed, there will be 
a considerable saving in freight, but upholsterers 
and especially mattress-makers dislike it. It 
breaks the spring of the cotton fibre, and a mattress 
made of the Ceylon kapok is heavy and solid, 
whereas a Java kapok one is light and elastic. A 
gentleman who has just come up from the Aus- 
tralian Colonies, and to whom 1 am indebted for 
the above information, was most emphatic on 
the positive dislike which existed among buyers 
of kapok, to any of it coming from Ceylon. It 
was simply because freight from Java was not 
always to be got, and as a consequence the market 
was sometimes wholly devoid of the Java article 
that the kapok of Ceylon got an innings at 
all. Now this is not a hard matter to remedy. 
To have the kapok wholly freo from seeds, or any 
other impurity, well teased, and looser packed 
is all that is wanted. What is not wanted is 
what goes down at present, an imperfectly cleaned 
and slovenly prepared product, and which is 
rendered less valuable still, in that it arrives 
pretty nearly as hard as a concrete block and 
bound with hoop iron. 
As I said at the beginning, Ceylon takes un- 
kindly to a back seat in any matter, and as re- 
gards kapok— for which there is a good demand 
in Australia — there is no earthly reason why growtrs 
of it here should not get the top price going. The 
difference in Ireight would be very much more than 
met by getting the advance in price, and then the 
oomfoit of having an article tliat would sell. 
The Ceylon Uoverument Hallway is about as 
irresponsible as it can possibly make itself, and 
its ngulations and by-:aws are tlie astonishment 
and envy of iho managers of homo lines. But the tide 
still lU' s in the direction of even greater security 
and if a motto wero wanted for that branch. of the 
Government, the historic one of ‘‘ I ‘11 make siocnr” 
might well be adopted. Bailway receipts arc seldom 
clean, and if you are dispatching tea, let your 
boxes be what they may, theie is some remark 
about thorn, testifying to the argus-cyed vigilance 
of our oanying Company. Wo are now pretty well 
accustomed to the “ore plank loose” or “some 
nails coming out,” or other matter of this kind 
and the whole thing ending in nothing. It always 
reminds me of a rriate’s receipt I once saw. Bar 
iron was being shipped, but while the number of 
bars were right enough, there was the saving 
clause of “ very iiisty ” written across the document ! 
The other day I got a receipt back from the 
railway; there were no planks loose this time nor 
nails coming out, but, two of the tea chests were 
“ stained with cow dung ’’? Was there ever such 
perfection as that? This official deserves and I 
trust will be promoted. Just contrast his precision, 
wi h the loose way things are often done on board 
ship. Three elephants were once shipped at Calcutta, 
or at least were supposed to be shipped. All the 
receipt that could be got out of the ship however 
was for two, with tho clause “ one in dispute,” 
added. I never heard if the other elephant was found. 
The binhalese harvest just being reaped, is I 
hear, a short one m some districts- as much as a 
third behind last season it is said. If the villagers 
have not a sufficient rice harvest, if they but come 
to the tea estates, and work steadily, they will earn 
a harvest of rupees instead. What tea flushes we 
have been having, and how pushed all have been to 
keep up with them! A wonderful season certainly. 
Coffee, too, in many places is looking very well; 
I was hunting the other day for a specimen of 
leaf-disease and could not find one. There is a 
fine crop, too, set and a promise of more. But 
there is the experience of the past of what a fair 
deceiver coffee is, and while it is legitimate enough 
to chromcle the present prosperous appearance of 
things, and rejoice therein, still there is so much 
between this and the harvest. 
The unusual push on estates at this season has 
made the value of Eamasami rise again, and the 
recommendation of the Planter-’ Association in the 
matter of advances is pretty much disregarded. 
Those who have fairly and honourably tried to act 
on the suggestion have found their labour force 
falling off and have had to do the next best thing, 
join in the scramble. 
This is very much to be regretted, but it was 
not wholly unforeseen. Every year makes the need 
of coolies more and more evident, and yet it is 
wonderful how we manage to scrape through. The 
Tamil nation met our wants when there was the 
big run on coffee, although there was many a 
fearful Jeremiah with his roll of the coming woe, 
who foresaw nothing but disaster, and I have no 
doubt that history will repeat itself, and with our 
increasing outturn of tea there will come an increas- 
ing intlnx of Tamil labourers to meet our wants. 
Any how it would make one uncomfortable to 
behevo otherwise. PErERCORN. 

A SUBSTITUTE FOR COAL : THE I’lEST 
LIQUID-FUEL EXPEESS LOG MO- 
TIVE IN THE ’WOULD. 
[Wo are indebted to a correspondent who writes ; 
— “I send you copy of the BaiUj Graphic with the ac- 
count of a run on a Liquitl Fuci Express Train. 
As the matter bears on estate firing, I thought you 
would like to see a.ame.” — We give nearly all the 
report as of special interest to planters atid others 
who may bo longing for an economical fuel. — En. 
-T. A] 
A BUN ON A LIQUID FUEL EXPEESS. 
(by our special COWMIiSIONER.) 
It was the box-seat that did it. Had we some- 
thing coi responding to the box-seat on our fast 
engines, where for an extra fee, one could face the 
wind and tho rain, the sunshine and the mist, 
