6oo 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
fMARCH I, 1898. 
system, with profit to the grower and the buyer 
in Ceylon. In .spite of the scarcity, 25,000, bag.s 
of rice have already been booked over the rail 
during the past two months under the new rate, 
by cultivators and dealers, — this information we 
got from the Railway authorities. We went 
over, I may say, at a bad time ; we ought to 
have waiteil awhile till the March crop is coming 
in. Then there may b: a larger lot sent in 
this way. Even now, more might have been 
done had it not been that the dealers now had 
only small bags mostly in stock, which diil not 
allow of their getting the full advantage of the 
concession. The ordinary bag in use at present 
appears to be one of 25 markals, whereas the 
rate calculateil by the S- I. Railway i.s for a 
bag of 27 markals. Rice, 1 m.ay add, is carried on 
the S. T. Railway at a rate that works out at about 
ONE TENTH OF THE CEYLON R.VILW.VY R.VTE 
“ Coolies also travel on the line cheaper than 
they do here— they pay only a cent a mile— in fact, 
the Ceylon Government Railway has many tips to 
learn from the South Indian Railway. All their 
shunting is done far (xuicker and far quieter than it 
is here, and their general management is better — 
yet there are no European guards, no European 
Station Masters, no Europeans on the line at all ; 
but every man seems to put his .shoulder to the 
wheel to get a train out of a station quickly, and, 
though we travelled over some thousand miles of 
the railway, and stopped I don’t know how many 
times, on no occasion was the train five minutes 
late on schedule time in getting to a station— in 
fact I might say two minutes. And this is .a single 
line and metre-gauge! We had nine days’ inces- 
sant travelling on the line, and never knew a train 
two minutes late.” 
The report of the party will be laid before the 
C. P. Association at its meeting in February. 
RUSSIA AND CE'iLON TEA. 
Mr. J. Findlay, who arrived here, a few days ago 
from China, has come with the objeat of arranging 
for the establishment of an agency here for export- 
ing Ceylon tea to Russia. Ha is a representative of 
Messrs. Molbhanoff Peachatnof and Company, the 
largest firm of tea-buyers for Russia in the North of 
China, and proposes to open the branch here on 
the 1st of March, the tea-rooms and offices being 
on the same premises as Messrs. Boi.s Brothers in 
Queen Street. The agency will— the “ Independent” 
Bjtya — be managed by a Russian gentleman at pre- 
sent in China, while a tea-taster will be got out from 
the firm of Messrs. Travers & Son in London. 
THE TASTE IN liUSSIA. 
Ceylon tea is increasing in popularity in Russia, 
and is gaining more favour with the Russians. But 
this, of course, ii due not so much to any parti- 
cular liking ths Russians have for Ceylon tea, as on 
account of its strength and usefulness for mixing 
with China tea. The taste in Russia has of late 
considerably changed, and whereas formerly they 
preferred light-flavoured teas, they now want teas 
with more strength. 
THE USE OF MACHINERY IN CHINA. 
A new company is in process of fo:mation in 
Kankow under the auspices of the Imperial Mari- 
times Customs, to make teas with a certain quantity 
of machinery in the Ceylon style. In the attempt 
proves successful, as we have no doubt it will, it 
will lead to the introduction of m ichinery generally 
in China. 
Mr. Findlay does not appear to he a believer 
in the Sirocco, lie thinks tlie Ciiin.im sy.steiii of 
filing is infinitely ^neferable, 
CEYLON ANn CHINA TEAS 
The luipopnlarity of China tea in some quarters 
is cliierty owing to the tact that the tea is maun- 
factnred by liaml, whereas if machinery were 
iiseil a greater degree of cleanliness could be at- 
taiiieil. In this particular Ceylon tea has a grand 
advantage. But although so niucli has been said 
about the uncleanliness of China tea there are 
some people wlm are inclined to the belief that 
the ideal of such uncleanliness is purely a myth. 
If that is really so, the question will he merely 
one of taste. Mr. Findlay i.s umler the impre.ssion 
that the secret of the stiengtli of Ceylon tea as 
compared with China lies in tlie withering 
and fermentation. He is a strong belief in that 
if the Chinese do ever adopt Ceylon methods, 
tliey can make teas that will have all the 
strength of Ceylon teas, and yet retain all the 
softness peculiar to tlieir own teas. But when 
the Cliinese will do that is quite another thing ! 
RUS.SIAN HOU.SES IN CEYLON. 
Ic is prohahle that two more Russian houses 
will be estahlislied in Ceylon in the course of the 
present year. Mr. Findlay has a peculiar liking 
for Cliina tea, but it is not a matter for surprise. 
He bas been associated witli the tea indnstry in 
China for the jiast 26 years, and bis taste for tea 
must naturally have been trained towards China. 
PLUMBAGO IN MADAM'ALATENNA. 
We learn that Captain Leonard I'regay lias 
opened up some very fine shows of plumbago on 
Monerakaiide estate, wliicb the proprietor (Mr. 
Totteiiliam) liopes to turn to account in ilue 
course. The deposit appears to be extensive, and 
of the best quality for the most part. 
CACAO DISEASE INVESTIGATIONS. 
{From Proceedings of the Ceylon Planters' 
Association, held 31st January, 1S98.) 
The ne.xt business was to receive an interim 
report of the Sub-Committee on cacao disease 
investigation, and the report which was read by 
the Secretary was as follows ; “The Sub-Com- 
mittee having con.sidered the annexed correspond- 
ence in reference to the appointment of Mr. J. 
B. Carnithers, F.L..S., as Cryptogamist to investi- 
gate the cause of the di.sease under wliieli the 
cacao trees are suffering in Ceylon herein report 
progress, and recommend that all cacao proprie- 
tors — whether Companys or individiils— be invited 
to contribute to a guarantee fund for the pur- 
pose of defraying the exeiises of the Cryptogamist. 
The total sum required to be guaranteed may be 
placed at R7,200, and it is hoped that the sum 
will be at once subscribed. Your thanks are due 
to Mr. Wm. Martin Leake, Secretary, Ceylon 
Association in London for assistance, on the sug- 
gestion and representation of Mr. L. H. B. 
Dickenson for the assistance in the initial steps, 
and who ultimately succeeded in finding a gentle- 
man of Mr. Cairn th ir.s’ qualilication. Your 
tliaiiks are also due to the proprietors of Waria- 
pola and Suduganga, for their enterprise and 
pub ie spirit in ■ at once securing Mr. Carru- 
tliers’ services. The circular letter appended to 
this report addressed to all cacao growers ex- 
plains in some detail the manner in which it is 
proposed to make Mr. Cairuchers’ services, and 
the resiilt.s of his investigation available so as to 
he generally useful. Your acknowledgments are 
further due to His Excellency -the Governor fqr 
