670 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
lApkiL I, 1898, 
iufoiniation in regard to fruit-trees, camphor, 
&c. ; blit we refrain from extracts, since we 
expect to give the greater part of tlie entire Report 
as a Supplement (handy for reference) with our 
tomorrow’s issue. In conclusion it is interesting 
to. learn from Mr. Willis how usefully the 
Laboratory, attached to the Peradeniya Museum 
has been utilised during the past year, by no 
fewer than five scientific visitors ; — 
INDIAN TEA CROP. 
The latest circular to hand of Messrs. W 
Moran & Co., Calcutta, affords us interesting 
information concerning the Indian tea estimates 
and actual crops (as made up by the India Tea 
Association) for the past year. Here is the de- 
tailed table : — 
Original Esti- Revised Esti- 
(1) Mr. W. G. Freeman, of the Royal College of 
Science, London, from Jannnary 1st to March 19th; 
(2) Dr. A. J. Ewart, Deputy Professor of Botany at 
at Queen’s College, Birmingham, from April 6th to 
April 29th ; (3) Dr. 0. Penzig, Professor of Botany at 
the University, Genoa, from Apm 10th to April loth; 
(4) Dr. G. Clautriau, of Brussels University, from May 
26th to June 8th ; (5) Mr. H. H. W. Pearson, Assis- 
tant Curator of the Herbarium in the University of 
Cambridge, from July 19th to December 7th. Mr. Free- 
man was chiefly occupied with studies in the anatomy 
of plants. Dr. Ewart with bacteriology and observa- 
tions upon the effects on vegetation of tropical sun- 
light. Mr. Pearson made an extended study of the 
flora of the patanas. 
The receipts from sales rather fell off last year 
in consequence of a very proper withdrawal 
from the sale of pot plants for verandah purposes 
at less than cost price ; but the value of the 
Botanical Gardens and of the work of the 
Director and Staff is not for a moment to be 
considered in this connection ; since the indirect 
return for the total expenditure of R52,500 is 
most ample, varied and important, and we trust 
some day soon will be made even more so than 
at present, by permanent additions to the 
Scientific Staff of the Gardens. 

COFFEE IN BRAZIL. 
Mr. Scott Blacklaw sends us an extremely 
interesting letter on the present occasion — see 
page 677 — regarding the mode adopted in 
Brazil in growing, harvesting and curing our old 
staple “ coffee.” So little is seen of coffee locally, 
now-a-days that to many of our readers, all the in- 
formation will seem novel and the means of making 
a comparison with the usage in “ days of old ” in 
Ceylon, may be ■wanting. Such a picture as even 
one hundred acres of coffee in simultaneous 
blossom — the bushes white with jasmine-like 
flowers as if covered with newly fallen snow — 
or again a field laden with scarlet and purple 
cherries, is now unknown in our planting regions 
and the sound of the pulper is unheard in the 
land. Mr. Blacklaw brings back very vividly 
the time when coffee was king with us, by his 
detailed account of the process observed on the 
plantations of the Brazil and the information he 
affords as to the course of prices and exchange, 
the cost and working of colonist labour are very in- 
structive. It will be observed that Mr. Blacklaw 
is very confident as to the future of the indus- 
try in the South American Republic, even if the 
Ceylon system of harvesting and curing be not 
adopted. It will be interesting to watch how far 
the Managers for the Dumont Company are able 
to introduce improvements in this direction, and 
how much more than the average price they are, in 
consequence, able to secure for their foffee in the 
European or American markets. We ma,y be 
sure that if they score a special success, it will 
not be long before other proprietors follow their 
example and we may then find a keen demand for 
coffee preparing machinery set in, to the benefit 
of Ceylon manufacturers ! 
mate of Crop, mate of Crop. 
Assam 
63,359,989 
58,737,829 
Cachar 
21,540,153 
20,924.401 
Sylhet . . 
26,762,000 
25,470,920 
8,303,876 
Darjeeling .. 
7,644,250 
Terai 
3,734,000 
2,738,766 
Dooars 
24,209,720 
22,965,867 
Chittagong . . 
919,000 
925,4.58 
Chota-Nagpore 
320,000 
204.688 
Kangra 
Dehra Dun and Kumaon 
2,180,000 
1,760,000 
(Estimate). . 
Private and Native Gar- 
2,000,000 
2,000,000 
dens (Estimate). . 
4,000,000 
4,000,000 
156,669,112 
148,011,705 
1897. 
1896. 
Actual Out- 
Actual 
turn of Cron. 
Outturn. 
Assam . . 
58,360,029 
59,655,798 
Cachar . . . . 
20,720,053 
20,401,487 
Sylhet ., 
25,405,001 
25,099,486 
Darjeeling . , . . 
Terai 
7,755,947 
7,817,495 
3,283,654 
3,738,927 
Dooars . . 
23,960,237 
22,073,781 
Chittagong . . 
1,020,659 
1,030,125 
Chota-Nagpore 
146,828 
220,322 
Eangra 
Dehra Dun and Eumaon 
1,800,000, 
2,180,000 
(Estimate). 
Private and Native Gar- 
2,000,000 
2,000,000 
dens (Estimate).. 
4,000,000 
4,000,000 
148,252,408 
148,217,416 
It will be seen that the original estimate framed 
at the beginning of 1897 was out by over 8,400,000 
lb., although the revision that took place in July 
proved wonderfully near the actual result. The 
Indian tea crop of the past year was almost 
identical with that of 1896— only 35,000 lb. of 
increase ! Assam is responsible for more than 
5 million of the decrease on estimate ; Cachar 
and Sylhet for over 2 million more. 
A further table shows export and distribution 
of Indian tea from 1st April last year (the be- 
ginning of the Indian tea season) up to 15th 
Feb. instant. Here are the figures : — 
Total quantity of Tea passed through Calcutta 
from 1st April to 15th February. 
1897-98. 1896-97. 1895-96. 
Great Britain . . 
ForeignEurope., 
America 
Asia 
Austrg,lia 
132,155,252 131,412,381 120,223,505 
761,084 436,258 276,295 
2,015,133 1,926,909 1,080;234 
3,365,481 4,190,289 4,787,951 
6,634,662 6,863,192 6,581,3.56 
144,931,612 143,829,029 132,949,341 
The total increase on the previous season is only 
1 million lb., and the comparative increase in 
1897-8 over 1896-7 to Australasia is not quite 
800,000 lb., while it is very little above the 
shipments thither in 1895-6 ! Ceylon is doing a 
far better tea business with our Australian 
Colonies. The increase to America direct from 
India is also very gradual : let us liope 1898 may 
show up better. 
