May 2, 1898.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
77 $ 
INDIAN TEA ASSOCIATION. 
Abstract of proceedings of a meeting of ibe 
general Coinmiltee lield on 14tli Marcli, 1898 
Tliere were | resent : — Messrs. O. G. Amlerson, 
Cliairman ; A. F. Bruce, M. R. Quin, T. Traill 
and W. Warington. 
Ill his letter of 18th February, the London 
Secretary drew attention to a press telegram which 
stated that the “ Planters’ Association of Southern 
India have aihlriissed a strong protest to the 
Government concerning exchange, and deman l- 
ing the re-opening of the mints, urging that in- 
creased trade would outweigh the Government 
loss,” and lie asked for the views of the Asso- 
ciation on the subject. After discussion, the 
Secretary was instructed to inform Mr. Tye that 
the general Committee entirely agreed with the 
arguments put forth by the Southern Indian Plan- 
ters’ Association, and they would be prepared to 
take the matter up. 
Letters of 28tli January, and 4th, 11th and 
18th February, from the Secretary, London Com- 
mittee, in connection with the Amerrican Market 
Fund, with their various enclosures, came up for 
I'eference and record. The Committee read Mr. 
Blechynden’s report with much satisfaction, and 
the .Secretary was instructed to reprint and 
circulate copies to all members. In his letter of 
14th February, the London Secretary stated that, 
after due consideration of Mr. Blechynden’s ad- 
vices, the London Committee, were of opinion 
that the Association should continue its work in 
America for another year. 
The general Committee expressed their concur- 
rence with this view, and instructed the Secre- 
tary to ask tor contributions from mem- 
bers for 1898, on the previous basis . — Indian 
Planters' Gazette, April 9. 
COCONUT PLANTING IN MARITIME 
N -W. PROVINCE. 
Marawila, April 21, 
The date of the burst of the monsoon is a 
vexed subject of annual recurrence. Each station 
has a different date for the occurrence. We 
have every indication of the S.W. monsoon, in 
breezes from the sea, its roar, which is heard 
for a good distance inland and heavy rain-clouds 
rising from the sea in the mornings. Occa- 
sionally, too, we hear the low rumblings of 
thunder from the South-West. 
The period of drought we passed through was 
an exceirtionally mild one. We had no rain for 
exactly one month, but coconut trees did not 
show the slightest signs of distress The fact is, 
our dist'ict is flat and low-lying and the level 
of the water did not recede beyond the reach 
of the roots of the coconut tree. 
An exuberance of pasturage is not acharacteristic 
of districts abounding in sandy soil. Cattle feed 
mainly on the roots of grasses and their food supply 
was by no means lessened by the drought and their 
condition was all that could be desired. Sheep, 
and well-nourished cattle everywhere was the rule 
and not the exception. 
Those who practise the mulching of the soil 
round coconut trees after digging in manure and 
promoting a loose, porous tilth round them, 
must find great encouragement from the article, 
which appears in the last number of the “ Agri- 
cultural Magazine,” on Fruit Culture. 
The usual way of applying manure is in shallow 
trenches round the tree and covering them up. 
I usually dig the manure in round the tree as 
this tends to mix the manure with the soil and 
95 
also prevents the caking of the soil. To further 
keep free and jiorous the soil, urned up, I mulch 
round the tree with coconut branches cut up 
.and weeds when available. This helps trees to 
nass unscathed during a period of drought. The 
turning uj> of the soil rounil trees in .annu.ally 
widening circles is especially useful on hard, 
heavy soils. From an icsthetic jioint of view, 
an estate finite clean and trim and without 
a branch to be seen on the ground is very 
nice and gives its suirerintendent quite a repu- 
tation as fi good planter. I [uefer to .subordinate 
testhelics to utility. Study the habits of the 
coconut tree with some care. You will find that 
in shedding its fronds, t!ie butt-ends are genfe- 
rally farthest away from thetiunk. A neglected 
tree will in time have iiuite a litter or mufeh 
of fronds. Natu'.e thus provides for the require- 
ments of the tree. Man must follow the teachings 
of nature. 
MACHINE MADE TEA IN CHINA. 
The North China Dail;/ News says th.rt very great 
interest will be taken in the molest prospectus of 
the Liaiu Hu Tea Impiovement Company. The leaf 
grown in Cliina is still che best in the world, all 
the plants that produce decent tea in India and 
Ceylon having been introduced there from China ; 
the trouble is in the mode of preparation. 'J'hree or 
four men have been wo king for some years to get 
the Chi' ete to adopt the modern system of mauti- 
fiicturing tea. The manufacture has been adopted 
successfully on a small scale at Foochow, and ex- 
periment made at Weiicho.v last 3'ear with very in- 
ferior leaf opened the eyes of the Chinese as to how 
by the use of machinery they may regain the market 
tliey have lost. Now the teamen' of Hmkow and 
high officials of tiie great b’ack tea producing pro- 
vinces, Hupeh and Hunan, have been inteiested in 
the matter, seeing that a recovery of the English 
maiket means wealth to themselves, as well as to 
the growers and the foreign merchants who hdndle 
the picked product. A company, modest enough in 
its inception, has been formed at Hankow with a 
caphcl of Tls. bOjObO and Shanghai is appealed to 
for its co-operation. It cannot be doubted that in 
this small beginning we liave the germ of a revolu- 
tion in the preparation of tea in China, and a re- 
siirreetion of the trade between Hankow and London, 
which is dead if not actually buried. 
Coconut Puanting in Tiii!: Straits ; News 
OF Mr. Donald Mackay.— Tim following in- 
Lere.sting exlrtict from Ilie letter of Mr. Mackay 
to a friend has been placed at our .service 
My departure has to be again postponed, 
and I don’t think it is any use my thinking 
of leaving Ferak before the 7th prox. for Ceylon. 
I have good hope I shall be able to leave Penaijg 
on 'hat date. The Observer, I see, has written 
nrticle on the fall in coconuts, his text being Horre- 
kelle results for 1897. You cannot from one estate 
reason out for all, and I much doubt if the reasoning 
is applicable in Ceylon; I know it is not in the 
Straits, for the price of coconuts was never so high 
nor the demand so great for both the inland and 
e.xport trade: — 
Penang export price for 1 uts $28i per 1,000 ; 
Local sales, homo consumption $30 per 1,000; 
Seed nuts, selected $40 per 1,000; 
and difficult to get at that. There ir a great luah into 
coconut planting no one is putting; in any more Liberian. 
We shall have about 30,000 coconuts in the ground 
by the end of this j'ear. We have begun ploughing 
— Me.=srs. Uavies & Co.’s plough not strong enough. 
Have written to Mr. Lewis Brown for one of tha 
Horrekelly Swedish ploughs." 
With such pric.-'s as Mr. Mack.ay names, it may pay 
some day to ship coconuts-from Colombo to Penang ? 
