546 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST, 
[Feb.  I,  1896, 
poi’ienccs  after  having  travelled  in  South  America 
over  nearly  2,000  miles  in  whieh  wild  cacao  trees  and 
plantations  abounded.  Of  course  I refer  to  those 
river-side  localities  as  being  specially  adapted  for  the 
growth  of  the  large-growing  prolific  variety,  which 
I may  add  possesses  several  most  valuable  and  im- 
])ortant  characteristics  for  cultivation  to  which  I 
have  not  as  yet  made  any  allusion.  Some  of  your 
readers  may  not  he  aw.ire  that  cacao  planting  in 
South  America  is  not  ahvays  as  it  might  be  a plea- 
surable and  ])rofitable  occupation.  I have  seen  the 
leader  of  a <imn-iHa  going  with  a number  of  men 
to  the  hacienda  of  a plantation  and  carrying  away 
all  the  cacao  found  therein  without,  of  course,  paying 
anything  for  it.  This  sort  of  thing  is  spoken  of  as 
“ taking  donations  for  the  causa  of  liberty.”  Yet  in 
spite  of  such  disasters  I have  never  yet  seen  a 
cacao  plantation  forsaken.  On  one  occasion  in  Colom- 
bia after  a protracted  revolution  I went  from  the 
head  of  the  Alagdaleiia  Valley  down  to  the  sea  a 
distance  of  over  700  miles  with  cacao  plantations 
some  large  and  some  small  on  each  side  of  the  river 
all  the  wOjV.  I took  special  notice  that  while  1 saw 
many  plantations  of  coffee  and  other  cultivated  pro- 
ducts “run  to  bush”  or  deserted  I did  not  find  a 
single  cacao  plantation  abandoned.  Finally  1 may 
add  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  address  the  re- 
marks herein  contained  regarding  the  large  prolific 
cacao  tree  to  Cculon  Observer,'  the  first  journal,  if 
I mistake  not,  to  have  taken  up  the  cultivation  of 
the  commercial  products  of  the  tropics.  In  thus  ad- 
vocating an  extension  of  cacao  cultivation,  tea  plan- 
ters need  not  be  alarmed  that  such  a course  would 
affect  the  tea  industry.  On  the  contrary  the  con- 
sumption of  tea  is  i/ouikj  ; and  in  many  of  the  towns 
and  cities  of  South  America  there  is  a wide  field, 
only  at  present  it  is  difficult  on  account  of  custom  and 
other  duties  to  recommend  a iiopular  system  of 
figcncies  for  the  introduction  of  Indian  and  Ceylon 
trrrs. — I am.  sir,  yours  most  obediently, 
EOIIERT  CROSS. 
llUr.EER  (’n/nVATION  IN  CEYLON. 
2 i'owis  Place,  (jucen  Sq.,  W.  C.,  London,  19 
Doc.  1S%. 
Dnvi!  Sin, — Some  vears  back  I obtained  a copj' 
of  your  book  on  Rubber  (2nd  edition),  but  I see 
very  little  now  about  Sinhalese  Rubber  in  the  trade 
papers.  I am  very  much  interested  in  the  subject 
and  liave  been  asked  by  a Foreign  Government  to 
advise  on  acclimatisation  of  rubber  trees.  Would  it 
be  troubling  you  too  much  to  ask  you  to  send  me 
a postcard  with  half-a-dozen  words  to  say  whether  it 
has  succeeded  in  Ceylon,  or  how  much  you  exported 
last  year  and  the  price?  Did  you  get  any  prn/italde 
lielp  from  Kew  ? Apologising  for  troubling  you,  I 
be“  to  remain,  yours  faithfully, 
" C.  PUHCFLL  TAYLOR,  D.Sc. 
[Wc  have  thought  it  best  fo  give  tlie  above 
letter  publicity  in  our  columns.  Rubber  has,  so 
far,  not  been  the  success  that  it  might  and 
ou'dit  to  he  in  Ceylon.  Tlie  causes  of  this  are 
various  ; hut  the  chief  one  is  the  unwillingness 
or  inability  of  our  iilanters  to  wait  lor  the  slow 
return  of  their  money  which  rubber  gives.  'I'lie 
subject  is  dealt  with  in  liie  Planting  Review 
prefixed  to  our  new  Handbook.  The  export  of 
rubber  from  Ceylon  in  1894  was  of  the  value  of 
114,440.— El).  T.A.] 
'i'RAVANCORE  AND  THE  AMERICAN 
'i'EA  FUND. 
Rraemore  Estate,  Dec.  ‘ill,  189.5. 
I)K.\n  Sn:,  I beg  lo  (uiclose  the  snh.scription 
list  for  American  'IVa  Fund  fimm  this A.ssociation 
and  would  fVd  obliged  if  yon  would  kindly  bnd 
room  for  it  in  your  paper.  — ^ onrs  faithfully, 
R,  ROSS,  Hon.  Secretary, 
'I’ravancore  Planters’  Association. 
TltAVANCOnR  planters’  ASSOCIATION 
TIONS  TO  AMERICAN 
SURSCRIP- 
Estate.s. 
Pooimiudi  Estate 
Hraeuiore  ,, 
liivercauld  ,, 
Iloiiaccoi'd  Croiii) 
Merchistoii  Estate 
Seenikali  ,, 
District. 
Pooimiudi 
Ashaniboo 
Hillside  ,, 
Oreat  Valley  E.st.  ,, 
'J'lie  Home  Estate  ,, 
Belfoid  ,,  ,, 
Kinmylies  ,,  ,, 
MakeiidraglieiTy  Est.  ,, 
Miloiiie  Estate  ,, 
Balamore  ,,  ,, 
Sea  Eield  ,,  ,, 
Corrimoiiey  ,,  ,, 
(ileiiuiore  ,,  ,, 
Achencoil  ,,  Slieiicottah 
ICockwood  ,,  ,, 
A’enture  ,,  ,, 
Donation  from  North  Travancoi 
Society  per  II.  M.  Knight 
TEA  FUND, 
1895. 
Agent  or 
Manager. 
R. 
A 
P. 
J.  8.  Valentine 
134 
13 
0 
74 
3 
0 
59 
1 
0 
183 
2 
0 
W.  Marsliall  6-> 
Cameron  Cliisholm 
15 
G 
& Co. 
39 
9 
0 
34 
14 
0 
19 
5 
0 
»»  • 
3(i 
G 
0 
40 
2 
G 
39 
4 
0 
48 
c 
0 
.1.  Fraser 
1C 
0 
0 
42  13 
0 
(19 
5 
0 
C4 
2 
G 
68 
0 
G 
K.  M.  Ewart 
50 
4 
0 
R.  T.  Miller 
95 
4 
C 
II.  M.  Knight 
194 
4 
G 
i-e  L.  P.  and  A. 
100 
0 
0 
Total 
1,472  10 
G 
lony.  Secretary, 
T.  P.  A. 
Central  Travancore  Planters’  Association, 
Peermaad,  via  Periacolam,  Jan.  Gth. 
Dear  Sir, — Enclosed  I beg  to  hand  yon  tJie 
list  of  snbscri])tions  from  this  Association  to  the 
Indian-Anierican  Tea  Fund,  and  shall  feel  much 
obliged  if  yon  will  imblish  the  same  in  y'onr 
newspaper.  It  is  satisfactory  to  note,  that 
ever_y  estate  in  the  district  has  jiaid  its  full 
(inot'a  to  the  h’und,  and  that  almost  every 
superintendent  lias  gi\-on  a donation. — A ours 
faithfully,  GRANVILLE  L.  ACWORTH, 
Ilony.  Secretary. 
R.  a.  R.  a. 
Arnakal  (SO  15  Woolbeding  40  10 
Ashley  30  0 supeuixtedknts. 
Bon  Ami  195  5 A R Cox  25  0 
Carady  Goody  43  2 R W Com  tiiey  25  0 
Chenkara  Group  218  10  .1  Finch  25  0 
Fail-field  (17  4 II  Ij  Holder  25  0 
GleuVeary  91  0 R L Imray  25  0 
Mary  Ainic  195  5 Dr.  Little  25  0 
Mount  51  0 A E Veale  25  0 
Oopoocolam  102  3 
Penchiu'Bt  9(1  5 Total  Rl,503  7 
Stag  Brook  Group  136  12 
THE  COLOMBO  TEA  MARKET. 
Central  I’rovince,  .Lan  9t.li 
Dear  Sir,  — I consider  the  Colombo  lea  market 
at  tills  time  to  he  a veritable  treasure  trove 
lo  the  fortunate  buyers.  London  average  is  re- 
jiorted  to  he  tlie  same  by  wire-  9d.  — wdth  good 
denmnd,  and  yet  yon  liml  the  following  averages 
for  estates  in  the  follow’ing  districts : — Atjros, 
(’oluml)o  average  ale.  equal  to  a 
Gross  London  av. 
of  9d 
Maskeliya 
- 42  e. 
tlo 
74d 
Nuwara  Eliya  - 
- 50  c. 
(lo 
8.td 
Rakwana 
- 3(i  c. 
do 
did 
Kclani  Valley 
■ 38  c. 
do 
f'gd 
Some  of  your  broker 
friends 
may  tliruw 
light 
on  tills  rot  in  the  Colombo  market.  — A’ours  truly, 
TEA  EAILMER.’ 
WANTED:  A AVEEl)  DESTROA  ER. 
Colombo,  Jan.  IHth,  189(1. 
De.aR  Sir, — Can  any  of  yanir  readers  advise 
me  as  to  how  weeds,  grass  Ac.  can  he  di‘- 
strojn'd  on  an  unused  barhecue  inColumho?  'I'lic 
roots  are  well  down  between  the  hrick-q  ami 
it  is  quite  im|H)ssihle  to  get  properly  at  them 
to  ilig  them  out.  Is  tlierc  any  preparation  or 
solution  that  would  reach  tlie  roots  ami  kill 
them  oll’V  I should  he  grateful  for  any  infor- 
mation.— Amours  faithfully, 
