June i, 1S91.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
873 
vpliioh I have practised here, are slightly different. 
For estate planting I have seconded your suggestion to 
place two seedlings in a pit, and subsequently inarch 
them when large enough ; but with the object of mak- 
ing the plants portable, the stocks which I have used 
have been in pots. In fact, I have undertaken to sup- 
ply a planter in Ooorg with a numher of grafts, and 
this was the readiest way of doing it. The pot plant is 
conveniently placed under the gronnd shrub, inarched 
in the usual way and eventually removed to another 
site. When the monsoon bursts, I intend to plant out 
the different grafts, a few of each, and cultivate them 
systematically under irrigation and shade. 
Yours very truly, 
— Madras Tunes. J. Oameeon. 
TO THE EDITOE OF THE “MADE-AS TIMES.” 
Sir, — I have been much interested in your article 
on grafting Arabian coffee on to Liberian coffee, as 
an antidote for Leaf Disease. 
The difficulty cf raising s' rung healthy coffee plants 
for extension or supplies, has been one of the main 
difficulties the planter has h.id to coiitond with in 
late years, and leally seemed to threaten the existence 
of the industry. So violent has been the attack of 
Leaf Disease on even young uur.series, that the idea 
is current that the disease is now inheient in the 
coffee seed. 
A very interesting experiment is being carried out 
by Mr. Thomas Murray, of the Gleuva Estate, who 
having read of the sucee.=sfnl treatment for smnt in 
wheat, by the parboiling of the seed to be sown, 
thought that a similar treatment cf coffee seed might 
have (ho same effect. The object of goaking the seed 
in hot water, was to destroy the iuugns spores that 
might be deposited in the intereBtices of the bean, 
vvilhout destroying the vitality of the seed. The results 
of Mr. Murray’s experimental nursery will be of great 
value to planters. I trust he will eventually make 
them public. So far the plants are growing 
well and seem freer of disease than plants 
adjoining, not treated in the same way. If 
wo can get plants that will produce Arabian 
coffee, I have no doubt that the produce will ha 
more valuable than Liberiau coffee. The cultivation of 
Liberian is now extending rapidly ; aod the price at 
t're present time is only some 20 per cent, less than 
Arabian ; but this is probably due to the very small 
supplies of coffee now obtaiiablo, and when stocks 
again begin to incixase buyers will, as ci old, make 
great distinctions in quality ; and tiio comparative 
value of better and poorer grades of coffee will pro- 
bably recur, The cost cf cleaning and preparing Libe- 
rian ciffee is also very much greater than Arabian. I 
think all planters should try this grafting experimenl- 
on a fairly practical scale. The result of isolated 
cases will not be accepted; while, if it is going to 
succeed, it is well that every one should practice the 
operation of grafting betimes, so th it he may not be be- 
hindhand in the supply of plants. The cost of grafted 
plauis m.ay seem very great as compared with ordinary 
nursery plants. The plants themselves, as two will be 
required for each pit, will be double old rates : while it 
will take some mo tor a good nursc.ry cooly to manage 
even ten grafts in a day. But, oven if the cost of 
these grafted plants comes to ItlOO per acre, the 
extra outlay will be well recouped if healthy plants are 
secured. I would recommend that the coolies srefirst 
taught to cut, notch, iin l tit together branches of jungle 
trees of same size until they get prolicient ; the soft 
inner bark of many of the , trees, will form agood 
bass for bin ling tbs grafted trees together. It the 
air is kept; out with good bass. I do not think any 
clayiiig- will be necessary. J. W. Minchin. 
-bid. 
« 
A UxXlVEltSAL TI'IA CO. 
By the “ Teutonic ” just arrived from New' York 
there has come to Loudon Mr. Elwood May, the 
President of the American Ceylon ITautera’ 'I'ca 
Company, yhortly before leaving the States, Mr. 
May wrote to the Ceylon Agsooialion in London 
stating bis intention of visiting England and pla- 
cing before the A saooiation his views aa to the 
most profitable course to be pursued with reference 
to the future disposition of your teas. That letter 
has been shown to me, and I gather from it that 
what Mr. May desires to establish is the favourite 
Yankee method of ” cornering.” My own judgment 
upon his proposals to that effect is that they are 
of a wholly impracticable character. His ideas are 
quite of the modern American type, but the 
expreesion of them would Cf-rtainly indicate 
that Mr. May is wholly unacquainted with the 
past history of the Ceylon tea trade, or of the 
firm footing obtained by the numerous distributors 
already working in the United Kingdom and else- 
where. 
It is apparent to me that, if that gentleman 
had been acquainted with the facts as to that 
history and as to the present position, he would 
never have ventured upon the propositions set forth 
in his letter to the Ceylon Association. On re- 
ceipt of this it was forwarded for the perusal 
of one of the most prominent gentlemen con- 
nected with the Ceylon planting enterprise. 
He returned it to Mr. Leake with the single word 
of comment of “ moonshine,” and that definition 
appears to me acourately to express what will be 
the general opinion as to what Mr. May has 
proposed. His letter opens in a very “high-falutin” 
style, and enters upon discussion of the large 
prices which cornering operations have obtained 
for a variety of products. More especial mention 
is made of the sugar grown in Cuba. Briefly stated, 
Mr. May suggests the formation of a Universal 
Tea Company having its headquarters in Colombo 
itself ; that every Ceylon planter should dispose 
of his teas to this Company alone and that these 
should receive distribution throughout the world 
with the Company guarantee of purity. 
Now it was something of this character that 
was proposed and discussed when first your teas 
began to make a name. The idea had at that 
time much to recommend it. It was at all events 
at .such a date feasible. But even then difficulties 
were apparent which prevented the idea from being 
acted upon. It argues, we think, a very limited 
acquaintance on the part of Mr. May with all 
that has occurred sines such an idea was broached 
that he should, at this comparatively lata 
period in the history of Ceylon tea, deem such a 
scheme to be possessed of the least practicability. 
Mr. Mitchell, of Messrs, Barley, Butler & Co., 
which firm is the London Agents of the American 
Tea Company, was prepared to receive Mr. May 
on bis arrival in London. We have not heard 
w'hat opinion that gentleman has expressed upon 
the letter of the New York president, but we can 
hardly think he will hold any other but that 
which is gacerally entertained and has been above 
sketched out. 
The simple fact that Mr, May depreoites and 
wants to abolish open competition in Ceylon tea 
indicates that he is preparing to “tilt at wind- 
mills.” He will Fcareely have been in London a 
single week before he will bo convinced of the 
hopelessness of “ cornering” the trade in Ceylon 
tea. Ha will find hundreds of established agencies 
all working iaclependently of each other, and all 
on the principle of the widest and freest competi- 
tion, which ic would be hopeless for any Syudijate, 
however gigautio, to uproot. It is to be feurc-d that 
Mr. May will suffer severely in his amour pro- 
pre when the fallaciousness of the proposals 
of his letter is exposed to him ; nor can it 
ba anticipated that a gentleman who h,.s shown 
such a great degree of iinaequaiutauoo with the 
course of the Ceylon tea trade in England can. 
