{'eB.  J,  1897.] 
The  tropical  agriculturist. 
521 
THE  FUTURE  OF  TEA  IN  CEYLON: 
THE  MISCHIEF  ALREADY  DONE  BY  MIS- 
LEADING INDIAN  PROPRIETORS  AS  TO 
LOCAL  CAPABILITIES  ; 
A WORD  OP  WARNING  TO  INDIA  FOR  THE 
FUTURE. 
There  can  be  no  clonbt  that  the  chief  factor 
in  the  lowering  of  the  average  prices  in  Ceylon 
tea  for  the  i)ast  two  years  lias  been  the  great 
development  of  production  in  India  as  well  as 
the  increased  attention  given  to  preparation  by 
our  neighbours.  And  in  respect  of  the  future, 
there  is  no  element  so  full  of  risk  to  our  sta- 
ple as  the  continued  planting  of  more  and  yet 
more  land  out  of  tlie  immense  reserves  lit  tor 
tea,  both  in  Northern  and  Southern  India. 
What  may  be  done  by  producers  or  agents 
in  Java,  or  in  China  and  Japan  to  im- 
prove their  teas,  does  not  toucli  us  so  nearly  as 
the  prospect  of  our  Indian  neighbours  continu- 
ing in  the  course  which  lias  marked  their  labours 
in  the  past  tew  years.  Now,  one  of  their  chief 
encouragements  in  this  course  has  been  the  be- 
lief that  Ceylon  was  fast  reaching  the  limit,  of 
its  firoduction.  We  have  done  all  in  our  posver 
to  dissipate  this  unwarranted  belief — we  have 
again  and  again  shown  that  even  though  Crown 
land  sales  fell  off,  there  were  private  reserves 
bound  to  be  planted,  to  add  to  our  crops  and 
that  a steady  increase  year  by  year  from  Cey- 
lon as  from  India  must  be  faced.  With  singular 
perversity,  as  well  as  pertinacity,  has  our  position 
been  locally  assailed,  and  our  motives  questioned. 
We  were  denounced  for  prophesying  the  day  of 
a hundred  million  lb.  e.xport  from  Ceylon.  “Ex- 
aggerated estimates”  have  again  and  again  been 
made  the  text  of  attacks;  and  “ smooth  things” 
for  Indian  planters’  ears  have  been  far  too  much 
the  rule  in  some  business  and  planting  circles  as 
well  as  in  a contemporary’s  columns.  What  has 
been  the  consequence  ? Why,  of  course,  that 
the  utmost  encouragement  has  been  given  to 
Indian  Tea  Companies,  individual  proprietors  and 
pioneers,  to  clear  and  plant  large  areas  with  tea 
in  both"  Northern  and  youthern  India  of  recent 
years.  Had  the  truth  been  known  about 
Ceylon  and  its  prospects,  we  feel  certain  the 
process  of  clearing  new  areas  would  have  been 
a far  slower  and  more  judicious  one.  But  no — 
“ Ceylon  has  got  to  the  end  of  its  tether — 
has  used  up  all  its  land — has  almost  reached 
its  maximum  export” — seem  to  be  the  sul)- 
stance  of  the  consolation  which  some  in 
our  midst  would  still  send  to  India  1 And 
surely  we  have  a specimen  before  us  in  the 
following  editorial  deliverance  in  the  local 
“ Times’’  : — 
“ Other  things  being  equal,  Dimbula  has  nearly 
reached  the  limit  of  its  production.  And  tin 
same  remark  holds  good 
tricts,  such  as  those  we 
other  besides.  Extension 
to  the  low  country  and 
amount  is  not, 
creasing,  yearly.” 
Can  anything  be  more 
effect  on  Indian  proprietors 
encouragement  for  them  to 
which  already 
to 
Let  it  be 
certain  of 
of  several  other  dis 
have  named  and  manj 
now  is  nearly  conlinei 
Uva,  and  the  tota 
we  think,  increasing,  but  de 
mischievous 
and  planters 
pursue  the 
as  a merchant  said  today- 
full  of  Indian  teas 
available  reserves 
nearly  aU  plantei 
London  at  this  time  being 
granted  that  the 
our  districts  are 
in  il 
? Wha 
corns 
-has  loi 
what  about  manuring  ? Not  one  word  of  reference 
does  our  contemporary  make  to  a departure 
which  is  now  every  year  more  followed  in  Ceylon  and 
which,  of  itself,  with  the  results  before  us,  ought  to 
render  Indian  Tea  Company  Directors  and  other 
planters  of  tea,  more  and  more  careful  how 
they  rush  on  large  new  clearings  without 
any  proper  consideration  of  how  the  over- 
production already  threatened,  is  to  be  cleared 
off.  The  response  already  made  to  our  “ Manur- 
ing” circular  shows  that  the  majority  of  planters 
clearly  recognise  the  importance  of  making  their 
Indian  brethren  acquainted  with  what  is  being,  and 
can  be  done  in  Ceylon.  Only  one  of  our  corre- 
spondents thinks  it  better  not  to  stir  this 
subject  of  manuring,  lest  it  should  become  more 
general.  As  well  may  the  ostrich  hide  its  head 
in  the  sands  in  view  of  its  pursuer  ! The  Ceylon 
tea  country  is  far  too  compact,  too  well  opened 
by  roads  and  railways,  far  too  admirably  served  by 
Visiting  Inspectors  and  shrewd  business  agents, 
to  find  any  prolitable  departure  neglected  in  any 
district  or  among  an  appreciable  group  of  estates. 
Some  planters  may  wisely  decide  that  the 
time  for  i/ic/n  to  manure  has  not  yet  come. 
But  let  Indian  tea  men  understand  that,  taking 
our  tea  country  as  a whole,  the  time  for 
careful  judicious  experiments  with  fertilisers  has 
almost,  if  not  fully,  come — and  let  them  more- 
over beware  of  the  result.  For,  we  aver,  without 
fear  of  contradiction,  that  the  capitalist  who, 
at  this  time  of  day,  whether  in  India  or 
Ceylon,  goes  clearing  and  planting  any  large 
area  with  tea  is  im]rerilling  his  owm  as  well  as 
his  neighbours’  investments.  If  the  market  as 
well  as  planting  statistics  are  carefully  studied, 
w'e  think  it  will  be  found  that  the  time  for 
large  additions  to  tire  cultivated  area  is  not  the 
present  year.  We  may  except  tea  grown  at 
such  a high  elevation  as  to  compete  with 
Darjiling’s  or  our  finest  Ceylon’s.  For  such  the 
market  may  not  be  overdone ; and  the  same 
argument  leads  to  the  counsel  that  Ceylon 
planters  generally  w'ould  do  well  to  pluck  and 
make  finer  teas  in  view  of  possibly  approaching 
contingencies.  But  our  chief  object  in  Avriting 
today  is  to  warn  our  neighbours  over  the  way 
that  Ceylon  is  by  no  means  played  out,  that 
the  maximum  of  our  exports  has  not  been 
reached,  and  that  they  will  do  wisely  not  only 
to  pluck  finely,  but  to  restrict  new  clearings} 
and  above  all  to  unite  as  one  man  with  theit 
Ceylon  brethren  to  advertise  their  teas  and  win 
over  nciv  markets  in  America  and  Europe. 
— ♦ 
A JAPANESE  TEA  VISITOR. 
We  have  now  in  the  island  a Japanese  gentle- 
man, Dr.  K.  Obayaslii,  who  has  come  chielly 
on  a “Tea  Mission.”  He  has  letters  of  intro- 
duction t(j  several  iiilluential  residents,  and 
notably  one  to  II.  E.  the  Oovernor  from  the 
British  Legation  in  Japan.  He  is  very  interested 
in  our  Tea  Industry,  wants  to  know  ail  about  it* 
spends  a few  weeks  in  the  island  and  left  for 
Kandy  toilay.  He  is  acquainted  Avith  our 
Tropical  Agriculturist  ; and  is  studying  all  the 
available  liierature  bearing  on  our  planting  and 
.agricultur.al  | iro( I ue ts. 
Cea'i.on  Tou.acco. — According  to  the  season 
reports  for  December  in  t\\Q  Gazette,  a large  ex- 
tent of  tobacco  land  at  Nilaveli  in  the  Trincomalee 
^ifjtriet  has  been  abandoned. 
