July  j,  1895. 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
29 
Snniatva,  Ceylon  and  other  East  Indian  eonntrios, 
wliich  at  one  time  furnished  the  world's  supply. 
The  decline  in  these  countries  being  attributed  to 
the  leaf  and  bug  disease  and  other  causes,  but  which 
is  in  reality  due  to  oreriroi  i.  ed  and  u'orti.-uul  soil.' 
Again  are  the  italics  ours.  A statement  like 
this,  containing  just  sutlicient  truth  to  give 
colour  to  it,  is  calculated  to  do  harm.  And 
the  worst  of  it  is,  there  is  in  publication  no 
hand-book,  so  fa,r  as  w’e  are  aware,  of  the  coffee  districts 
of  the  East-Indies  which  contains  the  true  version. 
We  have  before  now  urged  on  planters  the  advisability 
of  advertising  their  districts  in  other  countries.  At 
])resent  they  are  hardly  known  outside  a very  small 
circle  in  Mincing  I.ane.  We  do  not  recommend  put- 
ting forth  ffaming  pamphlets  full  of  flimffanis  about 
the  wonderful  attractions  of  coffee  cultivation  in 
Indian  jungles;  but  the  product  is  still  a fair  invest- 
ment, and,  keeping  well  within  the  horders  of  truth 
the  jilanter's  life  in  Southern  India  has  many  at- 
tractions to  offer.  We  should  heartily  welcome  the 
ajipearance  of  a carefully  com|)iled  ‘‘  Hand-book  of 
Coffee  Planting  in  Southern  India”  which  would 
convey  to  English  readers  a true  account  of  the  dis- 
tricts, the  life  and  the  prospects. — J/.  Mail. 
TEA  PHOSPECTS. 
When  one  considers  the  very  laige  e.xtensions  that 
are  being  opened  out  in  the  tea  districts,  the  ques- 
tion of  future  mark-ets  is  one  that  must  force  itself 
on  our  ijiimediate  attention.  That  the  yearly  out- 
turn will  steadily  increase,  there  can  be  little  doubt, 
the  problem  is  where  to  place  it.  A proprietor  who 
has  been  recently  through  the  districts  has  written 
a few  notes  on  this  subject  to  a local  daily  contem- 
porary and  has  made  one  or  two  suggestions  with 
which  we  entirely  agree.  He  writes: — “With  the 
eTionnous  e.xtensions  being  proceeded  wdth  in  the 
Dooars  and  Sylhet  in  the  shape  of  new  gardens, 
and  the  large  additions  that  are  being  made  to  old 
and  new  estates  in  Assam,  it  is  difficult  to  gras)' 
what  our  output  will  be  in  the  year  litOl,  but  I pre- 
dict that  it  will  not  fall  much  under  186,000,000  lb. 
that  almost  all  the  well-known  seed  gardens 
have  sold  their  full  crop  for  18;)5-18‘,)(i  and  some,  for 
1.807  goes  to  prove  the  large  forward  policy  in 
extensions.  From  now  our  annual  output  will 
advance  by  leaps  and  bounds  and  the  crucial 
test  will  soon  be  ajjparent.  Can  we  place  it 
and  at  the  same  time  maintain  remunei’ative  prices  ? 
I am  writing  this  in  no  pessimistic  spirit  as  I am  a 
staunch  believer  in  tea,  but  unless  we,  as  a body, 
bestir  ourselves  and  give  stronger  financial  aid  to  the 
Association  to  enable  it  to  extend  its  wings  and  that 
as  rapidly  as  possil)le,  wo  shall  assuredly  live  to 
regret  our  inaction  and  indifference  in  this  important 
matter.  In  fact  we  are  at  present  ridiny  for  a I'a/l 
and  will  come  the  inevitable  cropper  sooner  or  later 
unless  we  can  manage  that  our  coming  large  in cre.-rse 
in  outturn  be  diverted  into  fresh  channels  tor  con- 
sumption.” 
This  states  the  present  position  in  a nut-shell.  India 
must  find  new  markets  and  that  speedily.  We  are 
doing  well  in  America  and  the  success  of  our 
experiment  in  that  direction  should  encourage  us 
to  turn  to  llussia  with  a practical  scheme  for 
introducing  and  pushing  Indian  tea  in  that 
country.  Russia’s  demand  is  enormous  and  with 
all  the  favourable  conditions  now  existing  the  pre.sent, 
as  our  contemporary’s  correspondeiit  justly  remarks 
is  the  most  opportune  time  for  beginning  operations. 
The  writer  continues  ; — “ I do  not  think  there  is 
much  or  anything  to  be  gained  by  sending  home 
fancy  samples  of  teas  to  be  bottled  and  looked  upon 
by  visitors  as  curious  compounds,  utterly  unlike  the 
leaf  as  sold  for  drinking  purposes.  Liberal  contribu- 
tions in  money  or  good  drinking  tea  would  be  much 
moi'e  to  the  point.  I may  be  ps  rdoned  for  saying 
so,  but  I consider  the  present  contribution  of  gardens 
towards  the  funds  of  the  Indian  Tea  Association  are 
totally  inadequate  for  the  purpose  of  pushing  the 
sale  of  Indian  xea  in  other  countries.  The  present 
suhscription  to  thij  T(>a  Association  is  1 anna  per 
acre,  which  I would  suggested  heing  raised  to  1 
annas  and  retained  in  force  as  long  as  deemed  need- 
ful. This  would  give  about  one  lakh  of  rupees  per 
annum,  which  amount  judiciously  spent  would  dd 
much  to  gain  the  desired  object. 
“Ceylon,  in  conjunction  with  that  coming  country; 
Travancore,  will  easily  manage  to  fill  the  ga))  caused 
by  decreasing  imports  from  China,  which  leaves  us  no 
safety  valve  in  tliat  direction.  So  let  us  bestir  our- 
selves and  not  be  caught  napping  when  the  pinch 
comes.  The  charge  1 have  suggested  would  be  but 
a small  item  in  the  annual  expenditure,  and  in  my 
humble  o])inion  no  sounder,  more  necessary,  or  legiti- 
mate one  could  be  levied.” 
This  suggestion  of  the  enhanced  subscription  and 
the  despatch  of  a Commissioner  to  Russia  are  worth v 
of  careful  consideration  and  we  earnestly  hoped  thev 
will  commend  themselves  to  tlioso  in  whose  interest's 
they  are  made. — Indian  I'h'.nter.d  t/a'X'tte.  May  11. 
^ _ 
IM.AN'I’ElhS  ,\XJ)  L.MlOn;  SI  IM'EV 
IX  ( EVI.OX. 
A very  trenciiant.  inaetieal  and  altogether 
important  delixeraiiee  from  an  ini)iartial,  and 
yet  experienced  ])oint  of  \iew,  'vill  he  found 
on  page  41,  by  an  esteemeil  corrcs])»ndent. 
It  is  almost  as  good  as  a snmming-ui)  of  a great 
deal  of  the  discuission  (liat  has  taken  ))lace,  and 
we  commend  its  .several  statements,  criticisms 
and  ])ro]iosals  to  the  careful  consideration  of  the 
community  concerned.  Is  there  any  denial  of 
the  fa.ct  that  the  ciy  of  “shortness  of  coolies’’ 
between  March  and  dune,  is  succeeded  by  a 
sui’iilus  of  1 ihonr  and  short  lime  work  from 
.Inly  onwards’'  If  not,  it  is  not  right  to  say 
that  the  sni»ply  of  coolies  is  permanently  defi- 
cient, and  one  question  to  he  asked  is,'  could 
the  time  for  visiting  the  Coast  not  he  altered 
from  the  busy,  to  the  .slack,  months?  This  may 
he  impossible  at  |ire.sent,  seeing  tlie  wet  weather 
for  travelling  before  the  coolies  in  July-Angnst ; 
hut  if  there  were  f/ovoq///  raihrmj  rovi)inniirrtfio}i, 
would  the  weather  m.ake  so  much  difference? 
In  any  ca.se,  we  think  the  time  has  come  to 
call  on  Hie  I’lanters'  As.soci.ation  to  ajipoint  a 
small,  but  efficient,  Snh-Committee,  to  take 
into  consideration  all  th.at  has  appeared  in  the 
local  Fre.ss  since  IsD  J.annaiy  la.st  in  connection 
w'ith  the  subject  as  well  as  'the  Ke])orts  and  in- 
forihation  already  in  the  .Association’s  archives, 
and  to  an.aly.se  and  report  on  the  s.ame  w’ith 
reference  (I)  to  the  actn.al  pl.anting  requirements 
tor  coolies  now  and  in  the  next  five  y'ears,  in 
the  busy  .anil  shack  periods  of  rhe  ye,ar  • (2)  lunv 
best  to  reinforce  the  siqqily  in  the  former,  taking 
.Mr.  Young’s  suggestion  for  a Ihrongh  Railway 
as  s.aving  t ime  .and  bringing  more  cnolies,  sjiecially 
into  consideration  ; (ff)  how  better  to  distribute  th'e 
snjqdy  as  well  .as  re-arr.ange  the  ^york  reijnired  ; 
and  (4)  to  draw  up  regnl.ations  for  general 
gnid.ance  .as  to  the  local  engagement  .and  discli.arge 
of  coolies  by  all  |)lanting  enqdoyers. — Wh.at  trails- 
|)ired  .at  the  Dimhnl.a  .and  Alaskeliya  Associa- 
tions will  .all  be  nsetnl  to  the  Sub-Committee  if 
duly  nomiii.ated. 
COKKI'K  IN  H.vputai.f.— AVcjj  le.arn  that  the 
))ros)>ects  of  good  Autumn  .and  S))ring  coffee  crojis 
in  this  favoured  district  .are  exceedingly  good. 
'Two  of  the  est.ates  s]»eci.ally  noted  for  their  coffee  are 
(ionaniotava  and  Roeham|)ton.  and  in  connection 
with  the  latter  it  may  be  rem.arked  that  a con- 
temjior.ary  w.as  iinite  wrong  the  other  d.ay,  in 
mixing  up  the  projirietor  (iMr.  Ceorge  Somes) With 
the  recent_  London  failure.  This  gentleman  has 
no  res])onsibility  whatever  for  the  merc.antile  house 
which  bore  his  n.ame.. 
