TKE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
1 70 
[Sept, i, 1897 . 
TEA-UKOWINCi IN JAPAN : 
MK. BALLARDIE’S VISIT. 
Seeing Ids whole absence bas only been a 
little over three months, and that he visited Hong- 
kong and Canton on the way going, end Shanghai 
on his way back, Mr. Ballavdie had only a few 
weeks to give to Japan. The favourite route 
was followed, calling at Nagasaki, passing 
through the Inland Sea to Kobe, thence round 
to Yokohama and from there into the interior, 
visiting most of the places of note and attain- 
ing at one place an elevation of 5,000 feet above 
sea-level. All was very enjoyable notwithstand- 
ing occasional uncertain weather. 
At Ugi, Mr. Ballardie was in the centre of 
the tea-growing districts ; but unfortunately it 
was the season for pruning— done by women 
and youngsteis after a very rough fashion with big 
knives, just as if hacking into a hedgerow— and 
very little plucking was seen. What he saw, how- 
ever, was exceedingly coarse, and the cultivation 
is chiefly in garden style, though there are 
some considerable areas, kept in good order 
One peculiarity was the artilicial shade provided 
for the tea in pandals — shelter from frost is 
winter and spring perhaps, but also to induce 
tender buds. i\.t Kobe, Mr. Ballardie was in a 
“ Hong” employing some 500 coolies preparing 
tea, — withering in the sun, then firing, artificial 
facing and packing. Everything is very jnimi- 
tive and nn il the Japanese learn to pluck 
more carefully and to use machinery, they 
cannot do much. Mr. Ballardie is surprisep 
more do not visit Ja]ian ; and yet a round 
dozen from Ceylon met in a local hotel one 
day including Mess)s. Anstruther, Hadow, Major 
anil Mrs. Lowry. He also saw Capt. and Mrs. 
Bay ley in i)assing through. 
NEW AREAS OF CULTIVATION IN 
N. C. PROVINCE. 
Of the 775 acres of land sold during the year about 
50!l were opened. The sum total of the sales 
amounted to R13,348. No large blocks of land were 
sold : nearly all were small lots below village tanks, 
and realized an average of R17'21 per acre. This is 
satisfactory, for what I wish to encourage is the pur- 
chase by villagers of lands below their village tanks. 
In most cases the villagers have as much land as they 
can cultivate ; as the restorations of tanks progress the 
sales of lands should also increase. _ What is chiefly 
wanted now is irrore population and more enterprise, 
and though some of my predecessors objected to the 
low-country Sinhalese coming amongst Kandyan 
villagers, there can be no doubt that there is more 
go in the low-country man, and that his enterprise 
stirs up his more apathetic Kandyan brother, and 
that he really does good. There seems a greater 
inclination now to grow coconuts, and I hope soon 
to be able to dispose of some high lands for coconut 
cultivation to some enterprising low-ceuntrynren. 
—Mr. Byrde’s Administration Report for 1896. 
THE 
hurley-burley wind at the 
KNUCKLES ! 
{From a Planter.) 
If in some places there be a question as to 
the want of energy in the pre.sent S.-W. 
monsoon, it is not at the Knuckles that they tlisi>ute 
it There, at present, there is wind enough for 
ariv half-dozen ordinary districts in Ceylon, 
with a margin over to restore the lost charac- 
ter of any suspected monsoon to regulation vigour. 
The configuration of land vvith its deep and long 
vallevs, up which it can rage, allows of more 
than justice to its excessive boisterousness, When 
the wind is in a playful mood you have to 
furl your umbrella and put the strap of your 
hat under your chin ; but when it waken.s to 
real earne^it, you have got to stop and hold on, 
if you chance to be on a ridge. Coolies have 
been blown over lately when plucking ; one 
factory had over sixty panes of glasses blown 
in, in a squall ; bungalow windows have been 
banged open which had been thought to be 
securely fastened but the crowning feat 
of the ’’oaring element has been causing a flush 
to disappear, and making the S. D. to look 
foolish, wandering about looking for it ! When 
he reported to his chief that there was no need 
for pluckers that day, as the flush bad been 
blown, he expected to be denie<l belief ; but 
the P. D. had experience of what a raging ele- 
ment the wind was in those parts, when it got 
anything like “ a fair field and no favour” and 
knew besides that “ truth was often stranger 
than fiction.” Galvanized sheets flying about 
in the squally days ol the S.-W., are common 
enough, and the visifor from more sheltered 
districts has disturbed nii’hts, as the wind 
rages , around, and threatens to pull everything 
down. Alt the same, it is fine healthy bracing 
weather, and the tea is looking fit for anything, 
waiting only for a chance. 
If. 
THE AMSTERDAM CINCHONA-MARKET. 
Our Amsterdam correspondent vrrites, under date 
of June 23: — “Today the quantity of cinchona-bark 
put up for auction on July 15 has been made known. 
It amounts to 2.58 bales, 53 cases of Government 
bark, and 4,770 bales, 524 cases of private bark; 
total, 5,028 bales, 577 oases, which is a fairly large 
quantity. Besides this quantity the stock in first 
hands only consists of 1,301 cases Government bark 
and 2.38 cases private bark, which is the smallest wo 
have known for years There are rumours that the 
export from Java for June will be large. These are 
based upon the aijplications made for space in the 
steamers at the beginning of the month. A few 
parcels of Druyyists’ quill have been sold privately 
since the auctions at somewhat advanced prices. The 
buyers for Manu/acturinif bat k, however, are very re- 
served, and no business has been reported.” — Chemist 
and Drugyist, June 26. 
^ 
FORESTLAND FOR SALE ON THE 
ANAMALAI HILLS, COIMBATORE. 
WHY SHOULD I’LAXTERS GO TO SUMATRA, JAVA, 
OR EVEN THE STRAITS? 
We direct attention to an advertisement 
from the British Collector of Coimbatore 
elsewhere. Eighty square miles of hillcountry 
in the Ananialais are declared to be available 
for the selection of suitable forestland by 
planters of tea, coffee, &c. We give the 
follo’vving information from Balfour’s “ Cyclo- 
pa'dia,” new edition : — 
Animally, literally Elephant hills, a mountain range 
in the collectorate of Coimbatore, in the southern 
part of the Peninsula of India, and in the Travan- 
core dominions, extending from lat. 10° 13' 45” to 
10 ° 31' 30” N. long. 76° 52' 30” to 77° 23' E., with 
peaks up to 8850 feet high. There are small scat- 
tered colonies of the Kader, the Malai Arasar, Pul, 
yar, and the Maravar races. The Kader are open 
independent, straightforward men, simple, and obey- 
ing their Mopeus or chiefs implict'y. They are of 
small stature, strong built, active, with woolly hair, 
and something of the African features, and file their 
front teeth to a point. The women wear enormous 
circles of pith in the lobes of their years, which they 
distend down to their shoulders, A blstok mvnkey 
