Aug. 2, 1897.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
TRAVANCORE TEA SALES. 
Average 5|cl. May 28th. 
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Java Cinchona Shipments.— The exports of cin- 
chona-bark from Java during the month of May 
have again been moderate. A cable f/ 
Ainsteidam on June 1st gives them at 6‘)0,0Uu hair- 
kilos. The lollov-iug figures show the totals for 
the past five years up to the end of May :— 
^ 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 
Amst. Anist. Amst. Amst. Amst. 
lb, lb. lb. lb. lb. 
Month of 
May 714,000 900,000 
^3l‘ ^ ^,244,000 3,288,000 2,879,000 3,260,000 2,584,000 
— Chemist and Druggist. 
402,000 768,000 600,000 
I17 
V/HY SHOULD THE CEYLON GOVERN- 
MENT NOT EMPLOY AN AGRI- 
CULTURAL CHEMIST? 
“ In Barba lues and Demerara there is a Gov- 
ernment Chemist, why should not there be one 
in Ceylon?” — so writes a London Correspondent 
by a recent mail — and we can only echo the ques- 
tion, and ask -“'Why not indeed?” Barhadoes ha.s 
a population under 100,000 ; a general revenue 
of £165,090 or so, and an annual export trade 
under a iniilion sterling; Britisii Guiana has 
260,000 people ; £600,000 revenue ami about two 
million sterling of export trade ;—w!iile Ceylon 
with over 3 million people, and a revenue approacli- 
ing 1-^ million sterling, has an export trade of over 
4^- million pounds sterling. Surely then, we can 
afford a special Agricultural Chemist as well as 
the two minor West.ern Dependencies. It used 
to be said that the material jirogvess — indeed 
the civilization of a community could be 
gauged by its importation and consumption of 
“ »ulphuric acid ”! That had, of course, to do 
with a liigh state of cultivation of the land 
accompanied by such seientilic guidance and 
experiments as Me.s.srs Gilbert and Lawes had 
made familiar in England. In Ceylon, the time 
has fully come for agricultural experi- 
ments under the guidance ut .science. It will 
be remembered that Mr. Willis, in Ids Administra- 
tion Reiiort, the other day, specially hinted 
at desirable work which belongs to the De- 
partment of Agricultural Chemist. Now, His 
Excellency the Governor should know that there 
is a competent Chemist available in the island 
in Mr. M. Cochran— whose book (“Ceylon 
Manual of Chemical Analyses”) is a standard 
work for local and planting reference — and we 
do not fancy that Mr. Cochran’s duties in Co- 
loiiiho would iiinder Ids taking up work with 
Mr. Willi.s, or in connection with our Planting 
and Agricultural Industries. Tlie sooner he is 
appointed for such dutie.s, the better for the 
material interests of the Colony ; for there is 
no doubt that ex])eriment.s of great value to our 
planters, and agriculturists generally, could then 
at once be instituted. 
A CEYLON PLANTER’S VISIT TO 
SOUTH AFRICA : 
CKYLON TNA IN JOHANNESBURG AND ALL OVER 
THE COUNTRY. 
Reddersbiirgli, Orange Free State, 
May 16th, 1897. 
We had a charming voyage from Colombo to Dur- 
ban — no woriy with a crowd of passengers atid 
brass bands playing at meal and other times. The 
“ Clerkeragi ” is a strong, well-built boat, and 
Captain Roberts knows how to take care of Ids 
jiassengers, and landed myself and some others 
at Durban in 17 days in good condition. Durban 
was hot and a hit .steamy — 85° in the shade. 
I was rather glad to get aivay from tlie place, 
hut it took me the most pare of a week to see 
if any btisiness could be done. The Natal-grown 
tea haudi(taps Ceylon as tliore is 6d per lb. diity 
on impoited tea. They are all more or less in- 
terested ill Nalal-grown tea. it is the poore.st 
stuff I have ever tasted^ in my life. This Natal 
tea is advertised and pitsiied beyoiul anything you 
can imagine. This is such an enormous country that 
it co.sts !i lot of time and money to get about. I am 
in .splendid health, however, and I can move 
steadily along. Frotn Durban I went on to 
Pietermaritzburg, Ladysmith, Standerton, Hcidel- 
