448 
the  tropical 
AGRICULTURIST. 
I Jan.  I,  i8q6. 
ihe  pliiiiters  havo  in  the  Tamils  from  the  Hotith 
Coast  of  India,  who  immignite  to  the  island  hy 
thoasands,  au  excellent  supply  of  laboiu-.  Tlaif  number 
IS  estimated  at  150,000  on  the  tea  jdantatioiis  alone. 
"Ihe  Planters  of  tea  in  Ceylon  believe  that  tlieir  ])ro- 
duct,  stronger  but  very  much  more  ]mre  and  loss 
adulterated  than  China  tea,  is  beginning  to  1)0  more 
and  more  appreciated  not  only  in  England,  but  in  all 
the  English  Colonies.  Regarded  from  this  point  of  view 
the  proximity  to  the  Australian  market  will  be  without 
doubt  more  and  more  profitable  to  them. 
They  avoid  devoting  themselves  exclusively  to  tea 
and  reserve  a certain  place  for  coffee,  cacao,  cinchona 
— Ac.  This  tends  to  reduce  the  risks  a little. 
I hasten  to  return  to  the  history  of  Mr. 
C.  He  is  a fine  example  of  what  can 
be  accomplished  on  the  initiative  of  individual 
energy  and  it  is  because  of  that  reason  that  I pre- 
sent myself  to  cite  it. 
Thirteen  or  fourteen  years  ago  he  joined  with  some 
friends  and  they  subscribed  a capital  of  about 
i-30,000  (750,000  fr).  They  bought  from  the 
Government  of  India  some  thousands  of  acres  in  a 
district  situated  on  the  North  frontier  near  to  one 
of  the  Independent  States — between  the  Peninsula  and 
Thibet. 
This  district  which  is  about  000  square  miles, 
was  thirteen  years  ago,  an  immense  forest 
without  a single  tenant,  habited  by  the  elephant,  the 
tiger  etc.,  and  where  300  or  400  savages  vegetated. 
They  have  cleared  it  at  their  own  ex])enso.  They 
have  now  a tea  plantation  of  about  2,000  acres 
where  they  employ  more  than  2,000  workers,  men, 
women  and  children,  under  the  direction  of  four 
Europeans.  I will  not  state  the  figure  of  interest 
which  the  undertaking  brings  to  Uiem.  But  one 
will  have  an  idea  if  one  reflects  that  generally, 
in  “the  case  of  a good  yield,”  they  counton  a net 
profit  of  from  £10  to  i'15  per  acre,  that  is 
to  say  at  least  about  600  to  1,000  fr.  per  hectare. 
This  district  has  actually  a population  of  about  half 
a million  souls.  This  population  has  come  liberally 
from  the  one  and  peopled  districts  of  Bengal.  The 
planters  have  alw  .ys  paid  the  passage  of  the  workers 
that  they  engage,  the  others  come  at  their  own 
charge.  Very  many  of  these  first  have  saved 
enough  at  the  end  of  three  or  four  years  to  buy  lands 
from  Government  and  to  become  small  proprietors. 
The  cultivation  of  rice,  millet,  and  coffee  is  multi- 
plying. AU  this  population  has  naturally  brought 
111  its  train  representatives  of  all  the  trades  necessary 
for  the  life  of  the  community.  In  short  a veritable 
little  State  is  created  in  the  space  of  a few  years, 
thanks  to  the  intelligence,  to  the  en'.crprising  spirit 
and  to  the  capiital  of  several  men. 
All  this  is  done  without  the  least  inlei  fcrciice  of 
Government.  ^Vh(m  it  was  decided  to  make  roads  and 
a railway  in  the  new  territory  opened  to  civilisation 
Mr.  C and  his  friends  decided  for  the  first  timo 
to  make  an  appeal  to  its  aid.  Tiicy  asked  Govera- 
■ ment  to  aid  them  in  the  construction,  or  at  least,  to 
guarantee  a minimum  dividend  for  the  railway.  For 
different  reasons  the  Indian  Government  has  refused 
this  collaboration  even  under  the  latter  form. 
Our  four  planters  have  taken  their  part  in  the  en- 
terprise. They  have  constructed  themselves  56  miles 
(60  kilometres)  of  railway  at  their  own  expense. 
Today  it  returns  to  them  5 to  0 per  cent  ancl  they 
are  going  to  extend  it. 
But  this  abstention  of  the  Government  has  had 
a happy  counter  effect  and  it  is  perhaps  the 
most  astonishing  part  of  my  authentic  narra- 
tive, upon  v/hich  wo  w'ould  do  well  to  carefully 
meditate.  For  instead  of  multiplying  ofticials  tho 
Viceroy  “ in  his  Council,”  following  tho  legal 
formula,  has  given  a sort  of  delegation 
of  the  principal  administrative  and  judicial  offices 
to  certain  planters  designated  by  him. 
Government  have  found  profit  in  this  affair.  Hero 
is  a country  which,  in  its  primitive  state  cost  dear 
enough.  It  was  necessary  to  keep  in  it  a Ifosident 
with  bis  assistants  over  and  above  a stallof  forest  kee])- 
ers.  And  now,  thanks  to  the  sale  and  the  leasingof  lands 
to  the  taxes  which  begin  to  come  in,  this  district, 
is  supporting  itself  without  costing  a cent. 
Oji  the  other  hand,  the  planters  arc  satisfied  that 
a popriiation,  nmnaced  by  famine  in  these  districts  in 
their  original  state,  have  found  hero  remunerative 
work  which  has  been  a benefit  to  everybody. 
I'LAN'ITNG  AND  PRODUCE. 
Coi'KUE  Giiowi.vo  A’r  Ilovin. — The  depressed  state  of 
agricnlture  at  home  leads  to  various  speculative  sug- 
gesiions  as  to  the  possibility  of  growing  plants 
hithcito  associated  with  tropical  climates.  One  day 
tobacco  is  talked  of,  another  day  it  is  coffee.  Satur- 
day’s nieeliiig  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  of  Lon- 
don foreshadowed  the  cultivation  of  the  latter  tree. 
In  the  greenhouses  are  a number  of  coffee  trees 
w'hich  have  this  season  been  remarkably  fruitful. 
Mr.  Sowerby,  the  secretary,  liad  gathered  some  of 
the  beans,  which  he  had  carefully  roasted,  ground, 
and  decocted  into  coffee.  This  brew  was  submitted 
for  the  opinion  of  certain  of  the  members  known  to 
be  connoisseurs  of  the  beverage,  and  their  opinions 
agreed  that  it  was  excellent  in  eveiy  respect. 
Mktal  Tka  Cjiests. — Opinions  arc  divided  in  the 
trade  about  metal  chests  for  tea,  but  on  the  wliolo 
there  is  no  prejudice  against  their  use  which  may 
not  ho  overcome,  although  tho  trade  insist  that  lead 
lining  must  be  xiscd.  At  a receut  meeting  of  Cardiff 
grocers  tho  following  letter  on  the  subject  was  read 
from  Mr.  Randell,  of  tlie  firm  of  Messrs.  Randell 
and  Sons,  merchants,  of  Llanelly  : “ I have  recently 
received  a consignment  of  Indian  tea,  packed  in  100 
chests,  direct  from  India,  the  same  being  of  tinplate 
instead  of  w^ood,  and  lead  lined,  and  I see  in  them 
verj'  many  advantages  over  the  old  mode  of  packing  tea. 
As  the  use  of  tinplates  is  a very  important  question 
now  for  South  Wales  and  Monmouthshire,  1 venture 
f^o  ask  you  to  bring  the  matter  forward  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  Exchange,  with  a request  that  the  mem- 
bers will  bo  good  enough  to  co-operate  in  any 
movement  which  may  be  started  in  South  Wales  to 
induce  tea  brokers,  merchants,  and  planters  to  use 
tin  plates  for  the  imrposes  of  tea  packing,  especially 
when  it  clearly  shows  several  advantages  over  the 
wood  chests  now'  in  use.  What  is  wanted  is  Uio  co- 
operation of  tho  grocers  and  tea  dealers  of  South 
Wales  and  Monmouthshire  to  give  it  effect.”  'I'his 
gave  rise  to  a general  argument  upon  the  subject 
of  tea  packing.  One  speaker  said  “tinplates  would 
not  be  iit  all  suitable  for  packing  tea.  Could  they 
be  prepared  in  the  right  way  no  doubt  it  would 
be  a good  tiling,  but  ordinary  would  not 
do.  It  would  have  to  be  lined  with  lead.”  ThoChair- 
man:  “Or  washed  with  lead.”  The  first  speaker; 
“ Yes,  some  other  mode  of  packing  is  certaiidy  desirable; 
,at  present  tho  Indiiui  teas  are  disgracefully  parked.  It 
would  be  a great  boon  to  the  retail  trade  if  toil  were 
sold  ill  uiiiform  pa.ckages  of  .O'l,  (>o,  80,  orldOlb.  If 
the  tinplates  were  lined  with  lead  and  hermetically 
sealed  the  filing  coiiM  bo  done,  but,  of  course,  tho 
retail  grocers  would  have  to  be  provided  with  appli- 
ances for  opening  tho  chests.”  The  chairman  said 
“ they  were  all  agreed,  lie  took  it,  that  the  | resent 
system  of  packing  tea  was  unsatisfactory  to  the  re- 
tailer, hut  what  could  they  do  in  tile  matter?”  Fl- 
timatcly  a resolution  expressing  their  approval  of 
Mr.  Randcll’s  idea  and  suggesting  that  he  should 
bring  the  matter  before  the  Grocers'  Federation  was 
carried. — II.  arid  C.  il/mV. 
NEW  TEA  MACHINERY  FOR  CEYLON. 
Me.ssis.  David.soii,  tlie  well-known  makers  of 
■ tea  machinery,  will  .shortly  introduce  into  tho 
Island  several  iicwtyiiesof  maeliinery  used  in  tho 
jirciiaral  ion  of  tea.  'I’lie  machinery  we  understand, 
will  include  an  antomatie  tea-dryer  of  a new 
invention.  This  machine  is  designed  on  the 
endless  wchli  i»rinciple  and  is  lifted  with  an 
improved  make  of  cast  iron  stove.  A new  witli- 
eiing  machine  and  a Davidson  steam  engine  for 
use  ill  lea  factories,  bolh  of  new  design,  w ill  also 
be  placed  on  the  market,  wo  understand,  early 
next  year. 
