MaV 2, I898.J 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
7S; 
condenser were coated with camphor, and small 
lumps were floating in the water which distilled over. 
All the camphor was collected carefully and dried 
between bibulous paper (to absoib most of the 
adhering oil). It then weighed 55 grains, which is 
eguivalent to 12 ounces to the ewt. or 15 lb. to the ton. 
I think the results very encouraging, as the 
leaves and yonng parts of the camphor tree con- 
tain but a very small proportion of camphor com- 
pared with the trunk-wood. Indeed I believe 
that in Formosa and other camphor - producing 
countries it is customary to altogether discard 
the branches and leaves and use the mainwood only. 
I should think that planters who have young 
camphor trees coming on here in Ueyloji, would hud 
it well worth their while to utilise their primings-— 
especially if firewood is available and cheap, as this 
latter item would be practically the only expense, 
beyond the small amount of labour required and the 
initial expense of a still; which latter could be 
easily extemporised out of almost any kind of large 
iron vessel to which heat could be applied. 
As the camphor tree is a long while coming to 
maturity, considerations of this kind ought to be borne 
in mind. 
I have pleasure in enclosing a small sample of 
the camphor obtained. As you will see it has a rather 
dirty appearance due to unavoidable impurity and the 
sample smells of camphor oil, but these are easily got 
rid of in the process of refinement. I also enclose 
a small sample of the same camphor partly puri- 
fied by sublimation. 
You are, of course, very welcome to make what 
use you like of this account of these small expeii- 
ments, whether by publication or otherwise. No 
doubt it would be encouraging to those who have 
gone to the expense of planting up camphor trees 
to know that there is camphor in our' locally g'rown 
trees. I have heard of one or two misgivings as 
to whether the soil and climate here would favour 
•he formation of camphor in the tree. 
The trees are cut out recklessly in Formosa and 
other countries, while the consumption of the article 
increases yearly. Enormous quantities being used in 
the manufacture of “ celluloid ” and other goods of 
this kind.— I am, yours faithfully, (signed) 
S. A. OWEN. 
THE POSITION OF TEA : THE NEED FOR 
NEW PRODUCTS. 
Sir, — Now that many of us have conquered our 
ohaiacteristic false modesty and have openly ex- 
pressed the opinion that tea cultivation is and 
I’d’ some time has been on many estates an 
unprofitable occupation, it seems not unnatural 
to enquire what we propo.se to .substitute for 
it in tlie event, by no means improbable, of no 
relief being afforded to producers in the matter 
of exchange. 
Already we hear the more enlightened of our 
coolies, anxiously enquiring wliat their future 
prospects are wlien tea is no longer cultivated, 
and though they look at tlie great silver ques- 
tion from a different standpoint, who can 
say that the problem i.s not already of suflicient 
importance to demand immediate and earnest 
enquiry? Although we may consider tlie Ex- 
eh tnge Question as the rock which most seriously 
endanger the future of the Tea Industry, as 
well as nil others, it is not the only danger to 
he faced. Leaving out of con.sidcration the great 
risks of o\er-i>roduction witli so inucli young tea 
soon coming into heraing and the failure to 
secure new markets, with the competition of 
scientific manufacture in China, Java and Japan, 
we have to reckon on the gradually lessened 
yield from our older tea fields which the spread 
of insect-pests is certain to bring about. Eflbrts 
have been made in despatclies and in public 
speeches to promulgate the idea that the 
industry is absolutely safe from any danger 
of this kind, hut it is time that the bubble 
was pricked and the true state of affairs generally 
admitted. 
AVhat about the ravages of Helopeltis in the 
lower district, tlie frequent appearance of red 
spider in many otliers and the prevalence .'<f 
scale insects in nearly all ? Does the wholesale 
burning of tea-prunings 011 many estates on which 
firewood is by no means plentiful mean nothing ? 
Is it not a fact that tea is apparcvthj being 
killed out on some estate.s by a boring beetle 
closely allied to the species which h.as for 
some years been attacking tlie most wealdy 
cacao trees in every district ? W e are reap- 
ing the benefits again, as with coffee, of 
our indiscriminate mono-cultivation, and the only 
remedy lies, as before, in the cultivation of 
Ne%u Products and their substitution for all in- 
ferior tea. 
Rut what are we to grow ? Shall we go on 
drittiiig as before until one or more of us hit 
upon some profitable substitute and then all 
follow like a flock of .sheep ? 
Again and again you have urged the culti- 
vation of Fibre-yielding Plants, hut the only 
result has been the spasmodic planting of a few 
roots of rhea : the Ceylon planter is sitting on 
the fence ivaiting for his brotliers in India and 
the Straits to show him that rhea fibre will 
pay I Our indigenous fibres have been wholly 
neglected and nothing has been done with 
Sisal, with Phormiam tenax or other plants 
beyond experiments which have shown clearly 
that they can be grown as profitably in Ceylon 
as in any other country. 
Other industries have been urged in your 
columns, one at least for the past fifteen years 
and latterly camplior, hut this should have been 
taken np some years ago as it takes so long 
before it brings in any substantial return. 
In the lower districts tea can be planted up 
with Para Rubber and Coconuts, — a good deal 
has already been done in this direction — , hut 
at higher elevations what are we to sub.sti- 
tute where tea is likely to he no longer 
profitable ? 
We hav'e become so imbued with the idea 
that any cultivated product in Ceylon must be 
a permanent one that it will be a difficult 
matter to hit upon any that will fulfil this 
requirement, and in this, paradoxical tliougli it 
seems, lies our liope of salvation. We want an 
annual product, or, it possible, a variety of 
such, in order to avoid the evils attendant on 
mono-cultivation, and tlie Planters’ Association 
might at; this junclure invite Essays on the 
subject and so make an effort to save the 
Colony from a recurrence of the troubles which 
followed on the failure of coffee and cinchona. 
— Yours faithfully, SPERO MELIOEA. 
THE TEA PLANITNU INDUSTRY: 
REnUCTION OF EXI’ENDITORE ; 
LONDON A.N’D COLO.MBO CII.AKGES MU.ST COME 
DOWN. 
London, Ainil 8 . 
De.VR Sir, — Those in England iuteresfed mi the 
Ceylon tea industry read with great iioeiesf 
the articles published in the Ceylon papers on 
the iieces.sity tor a reduction oi working expe: - 
ses to meet the altered conditions of theiiulusuy, 
and it is gratifying to see that Agents and 
others are equal to the occasion and liave already 
taken steps for retrenchuieut. 
