420 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
“ China which left on the 18th. Nov. He had 
been subjected to the interviewing process, in 
the course of which he expressed the opinion 
that his successor was mistaken in his view that 
the Government of India should impose an ex- 
port duty of 5 per cent., being convinced that 
if exchange dropped to a shilling the export duty 
would have to be considerably higher than 5 
per cent— ])iobably 10 or 15 per cent. The 
difference between the actual and artificial value 
of the rupee meant that the planter was then 
really paying an export duty of 52 or 
53 per cent. The Government must resume 
their council drawings to meet their obliga- 
tions and exchange must then fall. He did not 
think there was the slightest possibility of the 
mints in India being reopened wdthout agitation, 
bur, the West coast traders were against agita- 
tion as they were remitters and desired a liigh 
exchange, and they shipped a class of goods 
for which there was always a steady market 
which did not come into competition with other 
silver-using countries. 
Referring to tea cultivation he said it W’as 
extending very rapidly in Travancore and the 
Wynaad and he hoped it would continue as 
he was interested in the sale of tea seed. One 
of the advantages of buying tea from I'ravan- 
core instead of Calcutta was that they could 
get it at all times of the year and perfectly 
fresh. He had already sent to Ceylon through 
Mr. Cole, formerly of Ceylon, and now' in 
Permaad, a number of leaves, and had brought 
a great many himself picked at random. They 
measured from 10 to 12^ inches in length. The 
parent trees from which he got his seed were 
about .35 years old and there was not a hybrid 
plant within 20 miles of where they were 
planted. They were raised from w'ild seed from 
Assam. In the Wynaad he expected there 
would be a boom in tea in two or three years. 
As to labour supply he believed the' cry 
there -was one of “ wolf.” What however handi- 
capped thein in Southern india was the drought. 
As to Coorg they were beginning there this year. 
He added : — In Travancore my district, you must 
remember, is different from that Messrs. Finlay, 
Muir & Co. are working in. Our district was 
opened 40 years ago, and we are favourably off 
as regards roads and general conveniences, our 
produce being sent to Cochin, which is an ex- 
cellent port where we can get direct freight home 
once a month, and freight via Bombay home twice 
a month. Messrs. Finlay, Muir & Co.’s district 
is a new one. The land was originally entered 
by one or two men after it had been attempted 
by the North Travancore Land and Plantation 
Company, but these few men had not means 
enough, and were not numerous enough to com- 
bine, and thoroughly open the district, so that 
Messrs. Finlay, Muir & Co. ' had practically a 
new district to develop. But they are going 
ahead fast, and their coming has been the greatest 
possible boon to the district. The place is now 
practically all Finlay, Muir, as they bought out 
the private properties, with the exception of those 
in the lower part of the district— particularly 
Mr. Knight and Baron Kosenburg, who are largely 
interested in cinchona, though iii. Knisrht is going 
to open everything. 
Referring to the labour question he said : — 
“ Well our great trouble now is in recovering 
lost advances. There are a large number of frau- 
dulent contractors, and the matter became so 
.serious that we sent a special deputation to the 
Viceroy in 1895 and he granted a Commission 
[Dec. I, 1897. 
of Inquiry consisting of two Civilians and one 
planter to inquire into our grievance, and they 
wrote a very sti'ong report in our favour, which 
was considered this year by our Planters’ Asso- 
ciation, and had our very cordial approval, and 
it was sent to the Madras Government, and has 
been passed on to the Government of India, and 
we hope if Plague and Famine do not stop the 
way, the Government of India will legislate in 
this present session. What we principally hope 
for is to have registration of kanganies. A 
man would have to hold a certificate as a properly 
authorised kangany to collect labour, and the 
name of this employer would be endorsed on his 
certificate, and we liope and have asked that 
the rule may be made applicable to anyone. 
Registration of kanganies is the chief thing we 
have asked for, but there are other matters 
such as increased punishments for thefts of 
pnndial products and some minor changes. 
“Lastly,” said Mr. Acworth, “I should like to 
say a word about the healthiness of Travancore. 
There is a very mistaken hlea that Travancore is 
unhealthy. It has unfortunately arisen through 
superintendents having gone from Ceylon to the 
south and got into an unhealthy tract of country. 
I believe in the Venture group they had many 
Ceylon Superintendents, and that gave Travancore 
a bad name, for Venture is unhealihy, and I don’t 
think will ever improve. I know the country 
well. It is one of the richest pieces of land I 
know, and it is all magnificent tea, but it never 
can be otherwise than unhealthy. It is 800 ft. 
high— one of those steamy hot climates where 
fever is always remittent. Mr. Cole was very 
agreeably surprised at finding how healthy Per- 
maad was, and we have two or three Ceylon 
men in the hills — Mr. Bisset and young Knight 
and Mr. Wood, who keep their health splendidly 
while I have been there for 20 years, and I don’t 
think I am a bad specimen.” 
INDIAN TEA ASSOCIATION. 
INTERESTING PROCEEDINGS. 
We make a few extracts of special interest 
to Ceylon planters from the proceedings of the 
Meeting held in Calcutta, Oct I2th : — 
The Chairman announced that the contribution 
promised to the American Market Fund up to date 
amounted to R97.431. 
Recorded telegrams from branches in Assam, 
Cachar, Sylhet, Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling, with 
crop prospects at the end of September. 
The Secretary was instructed to telegraph to London, 
stating “ prospects show little or no improvement.” 
Recorded letter of 27th August, from the Secretary 
American Market Fund, enclosing copies of letters 
from Mr. Blechynden, dated 16th and 17th idem, 
with copies of his accounts for June and July, and 
pointing out that the injurious method of test- 
ing the purity or impurity of tea imported into 
America by means of a No. 16 sieve still prevails, 
and that Mr. Blechynden fears that in consequence 
English houses selling packet teas will be bound 
to do their packing in the States. Mr. Blechynden 
was taking active steps to have the new regulation 
altered, as a great injury was being done, as it was block- 
ing the finer grades of what was known as needle leaf. 
In his letter of 3rd September, Mr. Blechynden 
stated that he h> d just learned that the Japan 
people had made final arrangements in regard to 
the work they were going to do in America and he 
understood that they had entered into a contract to 
spend at the rate of $60,000 each year in magazine 
and newspaper advertisements for seven years, and 
they had reserved $10,000 for other purposes. He also 
understood that they had some hope of being able to 
secure a further grant from their Government after 
January next for additional work. 
