34 the tropical 
MR. CHRISTISON ON CEYLON TEA 
ESTATES. 
VVe call special attention to the cautious but 
valuable deliverance of our visitor, Mr. Cliristi- 
son— experienced Darjiling planter as he is — as 
the result of his observations during the present 
trip in our tea districts. His remarks desei ve 
careful attention. On the whole we consider 
they will tell in favour of Ceylon plantations ; 
for the “ possible dangers ” have often been 
thought about locally, and the far more plentiful 
planting of tree belts and boundaries has had 
reference to blight as much as to fuel supplies. 
But more still should be done in this way. 
Then as regards “want of rest” to the tea 
tree in Ceylon, we go on our oldest fields and 
the annual favourable report still from Loole 
Condura estate after 28 years’ experience. The 
same may be said of Mariawatte with its speci- 
ally heavy cropping and yet which Mr. Christi- 
son no doubt found as flourishing in 1897 as in 
1883 . 
Mr. Christison is quite right about tea at 
high elevations in Ceylon. So far back as 1864, 
we were taken by a Haputale planter — long 
since dead — who had had six months in Assam 
before coming to Ceylon, to see the forest-clad 
valleys behind Baker’s Farm, as, in his opinion 
specially fit for the opening of Tea Gardens I 
But no one would authorise tea-planting in 
Ceylon for many yeai's after that and even in 
1878, first-class tea seed w’as unsaleable in 
Colombo and was talked of by a bigotted coffee 
planter as “ troublesome stuff” to be put in 
anywhere ! Mr. Christison must know how 
much more deeply rooted tea is than its 
surface-feeding predecessor, coffee. 
MR. CHRISTISON OF DARJEELING IN 
CEYLON- 
THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF 
CEYLON AS A TEA-GROWING COUNTRY. 
Mr. Christison, late of Darjeeling, has returned 
from his visit upcountry to the tea districts, his 
excursions having been to the following estates and 
districts : — Colombo to Kandy, visiting Hantam?, 
New Peradeniya, Udagama, Galaha, Haragama, 
and many other places ; thence to Gampola 
(which he visited in 1883) ; and on to Adam’s 
Peak Hotel. He saw Wanarajah, Kintyre, 
Laxapane, Avoca, Bogawantalawa, T.alawakelle, 
Diyagatna, Agrapatana, Great Western, Abbots- 
ford, Nuwara Eliya, Naseby, Scrubs, Udapus- 
sellawa ; and, on his return to Colombo, one or 
two lowcountry estates near Alutgama. Besides 
travelling by train he posted 196 miles, and in 
addition walked considerable distances. Our 
representative interviewed Mr. Clirlstison a few 
days ago at the Grand Oriental Hotel, and tlie 
following is that gentleman’s own account of the 
trip, though it is only fair to say that he would 
have preferred waiting before he gave his views 
so that he might have given fuller consideration 
to some of the points lie advanced : — 
GENERAL IMPRESSIONS. 
I am (said Mr. Christison) very sorry my tour 
in Ceylon has been sucli a hurried one, and I 
should very much like to have had three times 
the time at my disposal. 1 have, however, seen 
a great deal in the time and I think have arrived 
at fair conclusions if allow'ance is m ule for the 
shortness of my visits. Before I started I was told 
by Mr. John Ferguson I could see a great deal o 
AGRICULTURIST. [Dec. i, 1897. 
tea frorn the train. I have tried to see it by railw-av 
from Alutgama to Nanuoya and back and in going 
twice over these journeys liave looked well 
around me. I have posted 196 miles, and in 
many cases 1 have retraced my steps by other 
routes and gained other o|)portunities for observa- 
tion. 1 fiave in addition walked on the gardens 
tlieniselves, but not so much as I would liave done 
Had 1 been a younger nian, and further I have 
walked from time to time considerably amono-st 
the tea along the side of the roads. I have been 
connected with land all my life and with tea and 
tropical and more especially hill cultivation for 
tliirty-hve 5'ears. I am still diffident in express- 
ng my views, but I must say I felt immensely 
gratified by the hospitality shown me on all 
occasions, end the unfailing readiness to impait 
information on the part of all whom I have inet 
wherever I have been. 
FULFILMENT OF A FORECAST. 
The longer I live and the more experience I 
gain the more cautious do I become in express- 
ing dogmatic opinion on many points connected 
with tea. Instead, therefore, of stating my 
piesent impressions, gathered from 1113' rapid tour, 
1 would much jirefer merely to recall attention 
to two prophecies I ventured 14^ years ago. 
In 1883 when in Ceylon I expressed a deciiTed 
opinion to the late Mr. A. M. Ferguson — I was stand- 
ing at the time at a high elevation. I then said 
that my experience in Darjeeling in 1863 led me 
to eonsider from 3,000 to 4,000ft. the best ele- 
vation for tea. In 1883 I thought the best eleva- 
tion in Darjeeling was 4,0u0lt. to 5,0o0ft.. I then 
said to Mr. Ferguson that I was confidently of 
opinion there would be no fault to find with tea at 
6,O00ft. or over in Ceylon, considering the diflfer- 
"'hen compared with Darjeeling. 
If, I then said, ‘-you have the soil there, I 
believe it would be found a most advantageous 
elevation for tea, and that it will be the” best 
for flavour and in other respects.” That was com- 
mented on at the time, in May, 1883, 1 have no hesi- 
tation in repeating that. I remember in October or 
November of that year I was at a meeting of the 
Lebong Company : there was then considerable 
attention directed to Ceylon which was then 
beginning to attract notice as a tea-growin" 
country, and my shareholders exiiressed con” 
siderable anxiety as to Ceylon becoming a for- 
midable opponent to Darjeeling to its disad- 
vantage. They asked my opinion and on the 
spur of the moment I gave it and the reply was 
ADVERSELY CRITICISED IN CEYLON. 
I then replied that from the impression I had 
gathered the soil was not sufficiently good and 
1 had seen some instances of large estates be- 
tween Nuwara Eliya and Kandy, changed from 
coflee to tea, which would not, I thought, be 
remarkably successful. Considering everything 
I added Darjeeling had not much to fear froni 
Ceylon although they had been getting fancy 
prices (30s a pound) for their tea, and though 
their average was higher than ours. Still, I then 
said, when Ceylon got into full bearing and full 
crops their teas \vould not be found equal to 
the best Darjediug. Tea I tasted in Ceylon (ihouwli 
not a tea-taster) was not in flavour equal to teas 
1 had seen from Darjeeling, and tlig,r I believed 
Ceylon teas would ultimately find their level nearer 
that of Cacliar. 
THE PRE.SENT DAY. 
Those two prophecies (said Mr. Christison) I have 
no hesitation in now repeating. I have however 
been through many estates and I have a nmefi 
