Oct. I, 189).] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
271 
“ Bear ” and “ rigging ” ; but let us consider facts 
and figures which cannot deceive. The average in 
the auction here of the 28th ultimo was 39 cents. The 
Coloinho auctions have the smallest proportion of Hill 
Tea and the laigest proportion of L/owcountry. 
London has the largest proportion of Hill Tea and the 
smallest proportion of L jwcountry. Nevertheless those 
London pillars of the trade Messrs. Gow, Wilson, & 
Stanton cable the average as 7gd per lb. in London 
notwithstanding that London is ui>. I calculate 
that this average means 39 cents to the Planter — 
at present exchange, if his business is managed 
well ; so that Colombo at .39 cents and London 
at 39 cents are apparently on a level. 
Only London is selling a larger bulk of fine tea 
in this average, and Colombo a larger bulk of common. 
Now let us look at further facts: 
The following Ceylon teas were sold in London 
auction of 27th July, by Messrs. Geo. White 
& Co. 
Was sold in Last price in 
London. Colombo 
pence ; 
Murraywaithe bro. pek. 
Naseby do 9| 
Glasgow bro. or. pek. 91 
By Messrs, W. H. Thompson 
was cents : 
48 or 9Jd 
90 or l/3i 
73 or 1/1 
& Co. 
Dealla bro. pek. 6| . . 46 or 8§ 
Pedro bro. or. pek. lOJ . . 88 or 1/3| 
Heihersettbro. or.pek. 8J ... 64 or 11| 
By Messrs. Gow, Wilson & Stanton. 
Minna bro. or. pek. 7| . . 44 or 8J 
Depedene bro. pek. 6 . . 41 or 8 
Murraywaithe pekoe 5 . . 31 or 6J 
Geragama pek. sou. 4| . . 26 or 5J 
Marguerita do 5J . . 37 or 7 j: 
This looks as if Ceylon had gone up, and that 
London will have to climb very much to reach 
her giddy height ; in fact you must quote 
“ London advanced Jd, London advanced Id. 
London advanced 6d,” etc., before she becomes 
equally exalted ; your “ London Firm ” or 
“ rather firmer ” or “ better demand ” won’t 
do at all. But apart from this let “ The Hills” 
consider a man here with orders for say America ; well 
he buys a tea suitable at 50 cents and makes the 
following calculation ; 50 cts at Is. 4d.JEx=8d.l2 
Freight to America 20s.i=per ton = ■25 
Commission and Shipping say = '63 
Costs in America 9d. 00 
Now suppose half the same tea is shipped to London 
and the same order is in that market — well the Lon- 
don dealer calculates he has to lay down at 9d. 
he deducts Jd. for freight and Jd. for commission and 
charges, together ^d, per lb. and buys in auction 
at 8id. This 8^d. is sent to planter minus IJd. (the 
freight, handling, dock, auction, brokers’ an ! mer- 
chants’ charges are not to be avoided when selii.ig in 
that market) result to planter 7Jd. nel is at la 4Jd. 
Ex. 44| cents about, against 50 cents realised here 
and yet the tea is laid down as cheaply in America. 
It is thus, air, that Colombo, supplying Australia, 
Russia and America can give the best prices ; 
it is more than this, because in its limited supplied 
market when an order comes a man who wants to 
buy any quantity of a special grade is forced to pay 
big prices or leave the grade alone ; whereas in London 
with its 50,000 to 80,000 packages, of tea a week a 
buyer can pick up when and how he likes. 
Because London is reported slightly firmer one 
must not abuse this small but pushing place if it 
holds its breath at its boldness in pushing prices 
so high ; and is slightly alarmed at the news of heavy 
failures among its own tea buyers. — I am, sir, with 
much respect, your obedient servant 
ETRANGER. 
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, 
CEYLON : -CIRCULARS. 
Sept. 6. 
Dear Sir, — Enclosed are copies of first 2 
R.B.G. circulars which will be regularly sent to 
you. Please note terms on which we supply to 
general public — postage charged to save waste of 
labour in sending to those wlto don’t really want 
them.— Your.s faithfully, 
JOHN C. WILLIS, Director R.B.G. 
INTRODUCTORY. 
It is intended to publish at irregular intervals, pro- 
bably on the average every six or eight weeks, a 
series of small Circulars dealing with agricultural, 
horticultural, and botanical topics, with special refer- 
ence to the w’ork carried on in the Royal Botanio 
Gardens. Each Circular will, as a rule, deal with 
one subject only, and in as clear and simple a way 
as possible. Sinhalese and Tamil translations will 
also be published when required. To residents in 
Ceylon thc-e Circulars will be distributed by post at 
a charge sufficient to cover the cost of postage and 
addressing. On receipt of a postal order for 50 cents 
the first eighteeu Circulars will be sent as they appear, 
and so on at the rate of 36 for each rupee received 
in advance. Not more than one copy will be supplied 
free ; second copies will be charged at “extra-colonial” 
rate. Single copies may be had free on personal 
application at any of the Gardens. Persons not re- 
gularly residing in Ceylon will be supplied 
post free with the Circulars at the rate 
of six for each rupee received. Single copies 
may be obtained at the Gardens on payment 
of 15 cents. The Circulars may also be obtained from 
Messrs. Dulau & Co., 37, Soho square, London, W. 
In issuing these Circulars it is not intended in any 
way to compete with the various Journals that deal 
with such subjects, but to aid and extend the useful- 
ness of the Botanio Gardens, and that especially in 
two ways, A considerable amount of experimental 
work in agriculture, horticulture, botany, &c., is carried 
on in the Gardens. The results of such work are 
often of considerable interest and importance, but 
when published in European Scientific Journals 
are practically inaccessible to the Ceylon public, 
except by meagre references in ihe annual report of this 
Department. In future such results will be published, at 
least in abstract, in these Circulars. Further, the officers 
of the Department carry on a very large correspon- 
dence with planters and others in Ceylon, India, 
and elsewhere, much of which is mere repetition ; 
e.r/., many scores of letters have been received this 
year asking for information about methods of plant- 
ing rubber, rhea, &c. By the preparation of Circulars 
dealing with such questions much time and labour 
will be saved, and at the same time much more 
detailed instructions can be given than by letter. 
The publication of these Circulars forms part of a 
general scheme (see Ooveriiment Gazette No. 5,481 of 
June 11, 1897) for the cromotion of the usefulness of 
this Department. The full benefit which such an in- 
stitution is capable of rendering to those engaged in 
agricultural, horticultural, and botanical pursuits in 
the Colony can only be attained by co-operation bet- 
ween it and those for whom it caters. It is proposed 
that, in addition to publishing these bulletins, the 
staff of the Department should give occasional lectures 
in Colombo, Kandy, or elsewhere upon important 
subjects of agricultural interest, such as diseases of 
plants, new cultivations, Ac. ; also occasional practi- 
cal demonstrations at the various Gardens. Tours 
for the study of the botany and agriculture of the 
various districts of the Island will be regularly 
made by the staff of the Department, and reports 
made to Government (and also published in tnese 
Circulars as far as desirable). On the other hand, 
the staff of the Department cannot without help 
find out everything relating to agriculture in the 
Colony, and the request is most earnestly made that 
Officials of all grades, planters, and others will assist tbjs 
34 
