8io 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[May I, iC9t- 
nuou8 sheet of splendid lea, Dewiilakande estate 
Vfith its fine factory standing prominently to the front. 
At Ruwanwellarcsthouse, where I gpeuttho night, I met 
Mr. A. E. Scovell of Strathellie, and together we 
travelled throughthc Ruwanwella group of tstai.e.s,which 
in time should prove the mi st valuable iu the district, 
as the soil is exceptionally good here, and the cleavings 
are mostly planted up with indigenous and first-class 
hybrid oats. The new road to Veyangoda, which 
■when finished will be os fine a cart-road as any up- 
country district can boast of, is making good headway 
now, passes through most ot the best estates at this 
end, and the fields of tea are a sight worth seeing. 
Travelling along this road one remembers Mr. Inglis’s 
song of “ Tons and Tons, and Tons of Tea,” and cer- 
tainly the words are true. After leaving theRuwanwella 
end we drove along to Lavant estate, Yatiyantola, 
there to be gladly welcomed and hospitably received by 
its ever popular proprietor Mr. P. J. Wright, whom I 
was glad to see looking the picture of health aud spirits, 
his appearance speaking volumes for the climate of 
this end of the Kelani Valley. After spending the 
evening with him and going round his valuable property 
the next moraiug our party' broke up, Mr. Scovell 
proceeding up the Gap to Strathellie, while I retraced 
my steps to Veyangoda, reaching the station to catch 
the evening down train to Oolombo, which, owing to the 
Sinhalese holiday, was crowded to overflowing and 
consequently half an liour late. My trip was a most 
enjoyable one, meeting old triends aud finding every- 
thing prosperous and flourishing, and I hope that the 
Kelani Valley and its “ good men and true ” will con- 
tinue to keep to the front, ’‘until the day alter to- 
morrow.” M. B. 
ADULTERATION OF BONE DUST. 
Kandy, April 15lh. 
Sib, — I beg to enclose copy of a letter from 
Mr. John Hughes consulting chemiet to the Asso- 
ciation inviting attention to a new form of adulter- 
ating bone dust that has come under his notice, 
together with the sample referred to. — I am, sir, yours 
faithfully, A.. PHILIP, Secretary. 
New Adueteeation oe Bone Dust. 
London, E. C., Feb. 27th, 
A. Philip, Esq., Planters’ Association, Kandy. 
Dear Sir. — As consulting chemist to your Association 
1 should like to direct the attention of year mem- 
bers to a new form of adulterating bone dust which 
has recently come before my notice. As readers of 
the Tropical Agriculturist are aware Indian bones are 
now being imported into this country iu enormous 
quantities for the purpose of being used as manure. 
One firm alone having delivered 40,000 tons during the 
past year. Samples of thess shipments come before 
me regularly for analysis ; and while most of them 
are of good quality as regards phosphates aud 
nitrogen there are several instances of admixture of 
sand to the extent of 10 to 15 per cent, 
This adulteration however can usually be detected 
by the dirty appear.mce of the sample, so that its 
limits of practice are clearly defined, but the enclosed 
specimen is of quite a different character, and 
although having the clean appearance of genuine 
bone dust it nevertheless contains 10 p.er cent of 
adulteriition iu Iho form of crystaline carbonate of 
lime the profcnce of which can only be detected 
by chemical examination, or mlorosoopicnl inspec- 
tion. Good bone dust should give no appreciable 
elferveHCoiico with dilute muriatic (liydrochloric) acid, 
and should present a uniform appearanoe under tlie 
microscope. 
On the other hind if you add acid to the enclosed 
specimen you will notice a marked amount of elforves- 
oeuoo as the ro.iult of the d<'coinposition of the car- 
bonate of lime ; while under the microscope thocrysta- 
lino appearance of the calcium salt stands out iu 
marked ooulrast to tho organic structure of the parti- 
ol«s oI bone. 
This specimen contained only 47j per cent of phos- 
phate of lime and 4-06 per cent of ammonia as against 
53 per cent phosphates aud 4'60 ammonia present in 
1st class Indian bone meal. 
I trust this information respecting this new form 
of adulteration as well as the easy means of delecdug 
it may bo made public for the protection of planters 
in your island and India against this new fraud of the 
natives. Shippers of bone dust to this country will do 
well to take note of it also, and thus spare much dis- 
appointment lo their representatives on this side who 
have to make a substantial allowance on all such adul- 
terated deliveries. — Yours faithfully, 
JOHN HUGHES. 
TEA TRADE WITH FRANCE. 
Kandy, April 15th. 
Sia, — I bfg to enclose copy of a letter from the 
Secretary to the Ceylon Association iu London, trans- 
mitting copy of Report, &c., to the Trade and Treaties 
Uommittee of the Board of Trade by the Indian Tea 
Districts Association and the Oeylon Association in 
London with reference to the Tea Trade with France. — 
I am. Sir, Yours faithfully, A. PHILIP, Secretary. 
4, Mincing Lane. London, March 13th. 
The Secretary, Planters’ Association, Kandy. 
Dear Sir, — 1 enclose copy of a r, port made last 
December, af the request of the Trade and Treaties 
Oommitteo of the Board of Trade, jointly by the 
Indian Tea Districts and our own Association. 
On Saturday last at the request of the same 
Committee a deputation from the two Associations went 
to the Board of Trade and had half an hour’s con- 
versation on the subject of the report. 
The Indian Association was represented by their 
President, General Hopkinsou, Mr. Tye (Secretary) 
and Messrs. Benj. White, Slanton and Seton. On 
behalf of our Association the members present were 
Mr. Whittall, Messrs. Dickson, Rutherford, Shand 
and myself. 
'The Committee were' fully represented and asked 
many questions as to trade in Prance both in tea 
acd coifee. 
Mr. Mundella, who presided, expressed hi.s admira- 
tion of the progress made by India aud Ceylon iu 
the production of tea and while pointing out that 
France was not at present proposing to make auy 
change in the tea duty s.aid that if anything could be 
done that seemed likely to help on the sale of tea in 
France it should not be overlooked. He did not, how- 
ever, see at present how any action could be effectively 
taken. 
I enclose a copy of the first report of the Com- 
mittee which has lately been issued. — I am, yours 
faithfully, — W h. Maetin Leake, Secretary. 
Joint Report lo the Trade and Treaties Committee of 
tho Board of Trade by the Indian Tea District Associa- 
tion and the Oeylon Association i?i London, 
1. 'The importance of the Tea industry to Great 
Britain has increased considerably during recent years. 
Tea culture is uow carried on so extensively in India 
and Ceylon that the welfare of this industry is a matter 
of national importance. Last season’s Tea crop from 
these two places consisted of over 140,000,000 lb. valued 
iu bond in Mincing Lane at £6,125,000. The present 
season’s crop is expected to exceed this quantity by 
fully 10,000,0001b. 
2. Owing to the rapidity with which Tea produc- 
tion has Leon extended in India and Ceylon during 
recent years, it has become of paramount importance 
to the welfare of the industry that new outlets should 
bo discovered aud existing foreign markets encouraged. 
3. The consumption of Tea in France is extremely 
small and has varied very little during some years 
past, viz;. 1884, kilo?: 530,664; 1885, kilos : 479,679; 1886, 
kilos : 562,676; 1887, kilos : 557,162 ; 1888, kilos ; 616,834 ; 
18t9, kilos : 540,619. 
4. Tho present high duty of 208 francs par 100 
kilos we believe to be prejudicial to the increase of Tea 
consumption iu France. 
