THK CEYLON PLANTING ENTERPRISE : 
AREA UNDER TEA AND OTHER PRO. 
ff DUCTS IN AUGUST 1891. 
E are now in a position to 
pile the main results of tbe 
p'antirg returns wbieh here 
been pouring into our cflioe 
for tbe past month or eix 
weeks, the ssme being separ- 
ately TcriOed as fsr as 
possible by tbe estate mercantile agents in 
Colombo. Out of a total of 617,832 acres returned 
as included in the plantations of tea, ccflee, cacao 
cp.rdamoms and cinchona in tbe island, not 
quite one half or 3,33,963 acres ere given as 
undrr culiivation. Of this latter area, tbe total 
under tea alone is 287,310 — or an increase of 30,000 
acres of tea in the twelve months— tpvrt from some 
9,900 Doree of lea planted along with coSee, cinchona 
or cacao, — scon wo may be sure all to be tea. In 
round numbers therefore and allowing for clearings 
to be planted in the coming North-east monsoon, we 
may say that the close (t 1891 will sre 2,60.000 
acres under tea in this island. Now considering 
the considerable proportion not yet in bearing, 
it is clear that if onr total export of tta 
this Besson is to reach nearer to 70 than CO million 
lb., the Bverape yield for the districts will not be 
much less than 375 lb. per acre; ahile if tbe 
quarter million of acres are to give ICO million 
lb. of tea by 1894 or '6, the average will then baVg 
to be exactly 400 lb. per acre. 
Turrirg to other products, poor old ‘‘Orfffa 
Arebics.” cu'tivated alone, only shews 28,899 acres 
for the island, epart from about 17,000 acres of 
octree with tes, cinchona or cacao, and also apart 
from about 1.800 acres of Liberian ceffee. 
Cacao covers 10 597 acres alone, while over 
4,000 acres more cf it is interspersed with coffee or 
tea- Of Cardamoms ' about 5,000 acres ' are still 
cultivated, the same as last year. Of Cinchona, we 
have 6,062 acres and 2,538,000 trees separately 
returned, apart from cinchona interspered between 
oeftee and tea over 16,680 acres. Altogether 
we may estimate the equivalent of about 
9,000 acres with circbena or a fslling-rff in the 
past year of 6,000 serts which hare been cleared 
and planted with tea. In June 1890, we put 
the nnmbtr of cinchona trees over 2 years old 
growing in the island, at 19 677,000. Now the 
total ran not exceed 12 millicn treee. and 
putting their average yield at 1 lb. dry bark ner 
tree, that would show that Cevlon baa no more than 
12 million Ib of ■' 2 per cent bark” to contribute to 
the world’s requirements, snd if Ibis is spread 
over say tbe next three or four years, tbe 
annual export is likely to fall to t or 4 
million lb. If the statiatioal position of the 
Java cinchona industry could be made equally 
plain, wo might expect to see a far more boptfnl 
position eatablished in the oinebona bark and 
quinine markets of London snd tbe Continent 
of Europe. 
» . 
FUEL CONSUMPTION OP INDIAN 
RAILWAYS. 
According to the recently issued Administration 
Report of the Director-General of Indian Rsilwava, 
the consumption of fuel on all railways dnring 1890 
compares ss follows with tbe consumption during 
1889. 
fWe summarize the Ogures.I 
English coil 224,776 tons in 1889 and 203,678 in 
1890. Indian coal 583 923 and 641.448, Total coal 
806 923 and 84.5,021. Coke 13,093 and 18,386. Patent 
fuel 24,660 and 18 594, Wood .331,617 snd 318,731. 
A note to patent fuel and wood seems to indicate 
that the Ogurea for 1890 are only approximate — 
probably below the truth. On the above Ognres 
it is remarked ; — 
“The total consumption of coal during 1890 was 
greater by 4’79 per pert, but the qnantity of Eegljah 
coal decreased hv 9 43 per cent, white that of Indian 
eoa] rose by 10'18 percent. The total conaemption of 
coke increaaed by 2-23 per cent, and that of patant 
fuel and wood decreased by 94*29 and 5*88 per cent, 
respectively. . 
Australian coal eeems to be mixed up with Eng. 
lish. We need eoaroely remind onr readers that 
the working of railways in mi'y parts of India 
haal the advantei*'" rf trcrl .3'*rpt>B nf coal "b! h 
is not the ease in rvVu. With ns only small 
quantities] of coal .ire use,.', mainly on the s’rep 
gradients. 
