Oct.  I,  1896.]  THR  TROPICAL 
Cor.rcspcndon  oe. 
To  the  Editor. 
CITRONELLA  CULTIVATION  IN  THE 
SOUTHERN  PROVINCE. 
Dear  S[R, — Your  correspondent’s  note  in  regard 
to  tlie  above  in  a recent  issue  is  misleading  in  that 
he  quoted  only  a portion  of  Mr.  Elliott’s  report 
— giving  the  extent  in  the  Galle  district  at  about 
I, '702  acres —and  omitted  the  important  fact  that 
in  the  Matara  district  Mr.  Elliott  states  the  ex- 
tent is  no  less  than  17,352  acres,  and  that  citro- 
nella  boiling  apparatus  have  increased  in  number 
from  290  in  1886  to  476  in  1896.  The  latter  too 
are  many  of  them  of  much  better  make  and 
larger  size  than  in  1886,  I understand,  and  able 
therefore  to  turn  out  a much  larger  quantity. 
It  may  interest  your  readers  moreover  to  learn 
that  the  grass  now  so  extensively  cultivated  is 
somewhat  ditlerent  from  that  originally  used. 
The  leaf  is  much  narrower  and  the  general  ap- 
pearance very  like  the  mana  grass  found  on 
patauas  upcountry.  It  is  said  this  variety  is 
much  more  hardy  and  requires  less  care  than 
the  old-fashioned  citronella  grass.  The  latter  is 
still  cultivated  by  Messrs.  Winter  &,  Son  at 
Batldegama,  and  is  said  to  yield  a superior  oil 
and  one  wbich  commands  a higher  price. 
Tiie  cultivation  as  carried  out  by  natives  en- 
tails very  little  outlay,  unless  there  is  competi- 
tion for  the  land,  which  is  frequently  the  case, 
but  R52  an  acre  is  freely  given  if  necessary. 
The  cost  of  manufacture  is  also  small  ; the  used 
grass  being  dried  and  utilised  as  fuel  and  the 
ashes  applied  again  to  the  soil.  Very  large  sums 
of  money  have  been  realized  during  the  recent 
boom  in  prices  by  producers,  and  tbough  the 
)irice  has  since  fallen,  the  production  has  by  no 
means  ceased,  nor  will  it  prove  unremunerative 
. as  long  as  it  biings  50  cents  a bottle.  —Yours 
faithfully,  S.  MELLS, 
THE  LIMITS  OF  SMALL  BREAKS  OF 
CEYLON  TEA. 
Kandy,  2lst  Aug.  1896 
Sir, — At  the  request  of  the  Committtee  I 
enclose  for  [lubhcation  copy  of  correspondence 
between  tbe  Ceylon  Association  in  London  and 
the  Tea  Brokers’  Association  of  London  on  the 
subject  of  the  increase  of  the  limits  of  “ small 
breaks  ’ of  Ceylon  toa  at  public  sale  in  London. 
— 1 am,  sir,  yours  f.aithfully,  A.  PHILIP, 
Secretary  to  the  Planters’  Association  of  Ceylon. 
(Cof.y.) 
Mincing  Lane,  London,  E.C.,  3rd  July  1896. 
A.  Philip,  Esq.,  Secretary,  Planters’  Association. 
Kandy,  Ceylon. 
Dear  Sir, — I have  the  pleasure  to  enclose  copy  of 
correspondence  with  the  Tea  Brokers’  Association 
of  London  on  the  subject  of  the  increase  of  the 
limits  of  “ small  breaks  ” of  Ceylon  tea  at  public 
sale  in  London. 
As  the  proposed  increase  may  take  effect  from 
1st  October  next,  the  correspondence  should  be 
published  without  delay  for  the  information  of 
Ceylon  shippers. — I am,  &c., 
(Signed)  Wm.  Martin  Leake. 
{Copy.) 
The  Tea  Brokers’  Association  of  London,  Dunoter 
House,  Mincing  Lane,  E.C.,  26th  June,  18^6. 
34 
AGRICULTURIST.  269 
W.  Martin  Leake,  Esq.,  Secretary,  the  Ceylon 
Association  in  London. 
Dear  Sir, — I am  instructed  by  my  Committee  to 
forward  to  you  the  enclosed  copy  of  letter  addressed 
to  it  by  buyers  of  Ceylon  Tea,  and  to  inform  you 
that  at  a meeting  held  today  it  was  unanimously 
resolved  to  recommend  the  increase  of  the  size  of 
“ small  breaks  ” to  18 chests,  21  half-chests  and  10  boxes 
to  take  effect  from  1st  October  next. 
My  Committee  considers  that  the  large  increase  in 
the  import  of  Ceylon  tea  fully  justifies  the  pro- 
posed alteration  which,  in  all  probability,  would  be 
attended  by  the  attainment  of  better  prices  in 
consequence  of  a longer  time  being  available  for 
valuation. 
I am  also  to  ask  the  special  attention  of  your 
Association  to  the  paragraph  relating  to  the  sale  of 
duplicate  invoices  on  tbe  same  day  which,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Committee,  it  is  very  desirable  to 
avoid. — I am,  &c.,  (Signed)  W.  C.  Price,  Secretary. 
{Copy.) 
Ceylon  Association  in  London, 
4,  Mincing  Lane,  2nd  July  1896. 
\V.  G.  Price,  Esq.,  Secretary,  Tea  Brokers’  Asso 
ciation  of  London. 
Dear  Sir,— I have  laid  your  letter  of  26th  ult, 
before  my  Committeee.  The  recommendation  for  the 
increase  of  the  limits  of  ‘‘small  breaks”  of  Ceylon 
teas  to  18  chests,  24  half  chests  and  40  boxes  is  ap- 
E roved  provided  that  satisfactory  arrangements  can 
e made  for  the  “ small  break  ” sales  at  some  time 
other  than  immediately  after  the  “ large  break  ” 
sales. — I am,  &c., 
(Signed)  Wm.  Martin  Leake,  Secretary. 
{Copy  referred  to.) 
12th  .Tune  1896, 
To  the  Tea  Brokers’  Association. 
Gentlemen, — We  the  undersigned,  buyers  on  the 
Ceylon  tea  market,  beg  to  call  the  attention  of  your 
Committee  to  the  urgent  necessity  of  taking  steps 
to  increase  the  size  of  the  small  breaks  for  public 
sale  to  at  least  the  same  limit  as  now  prevails  in 
Indian  tea  on  the  following  grounds. 
1.  The  increasing  difficulty,  if  not  impossibility,  of 
accurately  valuing  so  many  samples  for  one  day’s  sale. 
2.  The  saving  of  time  to  be  effected  in  the  auction 
room,  which  would  be  invaluable  to  all  concerned, 
and  would  admit  of  buyers  being  able  to  have  their 
purchases  sampled  and  sent  out  on  the  same  evening. 
3.  The  extra  expense  and  labour  involved  in 
sampling  so  many  small  lots  after  purchase,  and  in 
furnishing  samples  of  them  all  to  our  agents. 
We  desire  also  to  take  this  opportunity  of  expres- 
sing onr  opinion  that  the  number  of  grades  into 
which  Ceylon  tea  is  sorted  might  advantageously 
be  curtailed,  more  especially  as  regards  the  pro- 
duce of  the  smaller  gardens.  We  also  think  that 
the  smaller  gardens  might  be  advised  not  to  des- 
patch their  produce  more  frequently  than  once  a 
fortnight,  instead  of  weekly,  and  we  also  depre- 
cate the  practice  adopted  by  some,  even  of  the 
larger  gardens,  of  offering  duplicate  invoices  on  the 
same  day. 
(Signed  by)  Peak  Bros.  & Winch,  Ltd.,  Appleton 
Machin  & Co.,  Joseph  Tetley  & Co.,  I.  J.  Batten  & 
Co.,  and  38  other  firms. 
RAPE  SEED. 
Sept,  4. 
Dear  Sir, — Can  you  or  any  of  your  corre* 
spondents  give  me  any  information  about  rape 
seed  and  the  production  of  rape-seed  cake  for 
manuring  purposes?  Would  rape  flourish  at  a 
high  elevation,  hosv  long  does  it  take  to  crop, 
and  where  can  the  seed  be  procured  from  ? — 
Yours  faithfully,  PACHCHEI, 
