June i, 1898.] 
TH3 TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
807 
SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE AND THE 
PLANTING INDUSTRY. 
Tlie three long letters dealing clriefly with 
tills topic which we publish elsewhere may be re- 
garded as “dry and uninteresting ” by the majority 
of our readers. But to all the intelligent men 
concerned about the future welfare of our tea 
culture and the prosperity of the Colony — the 
two largely stand or fall together — we commend 
their careful perusal and thoughtfol consideration 
under present circumstances. To the young or 
rising planter who wishes to master his pro- 
fession, and to do the very best he can for his 
employers and the plantation entrusted to his 
care, such reading is of vast importance. Every 
day more and more clearly shows that there is 
a vast deal yet to to be gained by accLuiring 
knowledge from scientific and practical men, by 
personal observation, and above all by actual ex- 
periments, in regard to the tea plant in different 
soils, and not less as to the best mode of pluck- 
ing and the details of manufacture. The third is 
not touched on today; the second is, to some extent 
treateu by “ T. K.” who is an upountry planter ; 
while the first occupies the attention of alj 
three writers, and it is something to bring to_ 
gether, such diverse experience.s and opinions in the 
way we flo today. Recurring to field-work, we have 
had many opinions ex;)rcssed, similar to those of 
“T. K.’", as to the great value of tlie services 
of young “ sinna dnrais” (of the right stamp willi 
full interest in their work) in the close super- 
vision of fiolri-work, but especially of “pluck- 
ing.” Conductors or kanganie.s who can be 
trusted to do as well, are very few and far 
between ; and the higher salary is easily saved 
by the better results from the work of approved 
field assistants of the type described. 
Now, to turn to the topic more immediately 
under discussion, our correspondent “B” opens 
with an assertion which was long ago in West- 
ern countries accepted as a truism when put into 
a briefer, pithier shape; — “the civilization of a 
country may bo gauged by its consumption of 
sulphuric acid.” There can be no doubt that 
we are face to face with an era of 
“.scientific agriculture,” that the planter who 
is to succeed and prosper, must study the 
subject theoretically and practically and seek the 
aid of the Agricultural Chemist as well as of the 
reliable importer and manufacturer of Manures. 
We cordially endorse the opinions of our corre.s- 
jrondents that greater facilities are required, 
and we go further in saying that it is a 
disgrace in a purely Agricultural Colony 
like Ceylon, that the Government had not 
long ago— quite thirty years back — appointed an 
Agricultural Analyst. The value of the accumu- 
lation of analyses coupled with corresponding ex- 
periments in official Gardens or on Agricultural 
School plots that would now be available, may be 
judged from rvhat Mr. Cochran has p\iblished 
even as a private individual in his “ Ceylon 
Manual of Analyses,” and from his useful writings 
for the benefit of planters and others, not the 
least being his contribution elsewhere today. 
What is required is that such work should be 
rendered continuous and systematized, but this 
is impo.ssible for any private individual; while 
the Ceylon authorities— unlike those of Java, 
where even the Service Cadets have to pass an 
examination in Agricultural knowledge— neglect 
to do justice cither to their native or European 
agriculturists, by establishing an Agricultural 
Department and School with a staff of scientists 
(many of them already available) after the pattern 
set in the Buitenzorg institution, which has done 
sued) immense service for the Planting and Agricul- 
ture of Netherlands India. 
To consider more particularly, the teaching of 
our letters, very striking surely is the statement 
repeated by Mr. Cochran that 50 lb, of nitrogen 
given in a,n available form is of more moment 
to a growing crop than are 17,030 lb. of organic 
nitrogen lying inert in each acre of land. Surely 
the planter who reads this needs no further evi- 
dence of the importance of “ scientific aori- 
culture”; and yet one of the means of rendering 
that which is inert, active and beneficial, requires 
no aid from the scientist or any .scientific pi-epa- 
ration. \Ve refer to the digging and loosening 
the aerating — -of the soil about the tea plarits. 
Not nearly enough in this direction is attempted 
in Ceylon, and although the benefit is only tern* 
porary, if supplemented by what the Agricultural 
Chemist, after _ analy.sis, infoi-ms him is most 
wanted to utilize the latent resources of his soil, 
the planter may_ feel a.s.sured he is doing justice 
to his fields and should reap success. Based on 
the_ work of analyst and the rules of scientific 
agriculture are the manures prepared and 
supplied, cither as principals and at^ents 
oy Messis, Whittall tSc Co., F^reudenberg 
& Co., Baker & Hall, Eastern Produce and 
Estates Co., Colombo Commercial Co., and Mr. 
Baur, among other Colombo Firms, going bj» the 
advertisements before us. The planters have 
therefore, no want of choice in obtaining what 
they lequiie ; and of course not a few having 
already demonstrated to their own satis* 
-faction, perhaps long ago, the value o^ 
certain manures obtained from their A"ents> 
prefer to go on with the same. But even” such 
conservatives should reflect that a small experi- 
ment on an acre or two, costs very little, and 
that the result may be, both econom’y ip 
first outlay and improved crops. In any 
case, let the “ practical man ” who per- 
haps, scorns to be indebted to new-fangled 
notions at his time of life, just read ”the 
closing illustration with which Mr, Cochran winds 
up^ hi.s lettei, and then ask himself, for the pro- 
prieto)’ of the estate in question, whether thb 
f.acts related were not worth learning at the hands 
of the Analytical Chemist. 
** ■■ ' 
PRICES IN COLOMBO AND LONDON 
COMPARED. 
Some people may have thought that wc rather 
exaggerated things when we stated the other day 
that Colombo prices for tea were Md hirrher than 
London prices. " 
In order to guage the difference in value bet- 
ween the Colombo and London Markets, we haye 
taken out from the London catalogues of March 
15th the sale prices of a few m,.rks, and the 
fo lowing IS our comparison of these with teas 
sold xn Colombo on the 20th ultimo. In offerin-’ 
tins comparison wo must not omit to point oul 
