ijliPTEMBER I, 1891.] 
THF TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
189 
PLAlyTlNG PEOGEKSB IN THE MATALE 
DISTPICT. 
(From Mr. G. S. Saxton's Aihiiimsfralion Rerort 
for 1890.) 
Mr. HdkIi Frasir, of Baiidarapola ptiate, ha« kindly 
f-npplifd Die with the following iniormation 
Tea is proepfriiig, and is being extended in Matale 
North, Matalo Nnst, Bandarapoln, Ukhnwela, Laggala, 
and the Matale East end of Keicbokka. From ijOO to 600 
acres were added to the previona area in tea. 
More expensive macbiirery, and more of it, is re- 
quired for tea thaii for oolfee; and it ia pleasing, after 
one gets over the idea of the cost, to see the success- 
ful efforts made by engineers to pirovide ton planters 
with such suitable and good machinery. 
Uutton and anattn have bad a check in popular esteem 
and have not lietn much extended. Moisture and in- 
stets are the bane cf the one, and low pricer, con- 
sequent on limited demand, of the otber. It is be- 
lived cotton would de better in a drier climate. 
The south-west mni.ioon was comparatively a failure 
in the matter of rain, consequently the season was an 
unfavourable one for tobacco, and the large clearings 
in Matale are below expeotations. This enterprise de- 
serves better results and these I hope await further 
efforts. 
_ Cacao continues to improve in favour, and there 
IS the encouraging fact that prices have kept up. 
Small patches of native plantations of this product 
are to be seen here and there at long intervals in 
the villager, but a great deal moromight be done in thia 
direction, and fnrtwr effort impressed on the villagers. 
Moormen trader.s are at present perambulating the 
district, paying 60 cents a pound, equal to K66 a cwt. 
or caeao cured in a very promitive fashion. 
The European cultivation of cacao in various portions 
of Matale, as for instance Wariapola, Mr. Barber’s 
Grove estate, Yatawatta, Sylvakands, and many 
others, are equal to anything to bo seen elsewhere 
in the Island) 
Oardsmoma do well in suitable situations at the 
mgiier elevations, but unfortunately tbeie is not 
much suitable land left unopened, so the extension 
ot this product is scarcely possible. Tbo Mysore 
variety does better than the Malabar. Ihe lowlands 
do not seem to bo suitable for the successful culti- 
vation of either variety. 
In the neighbouihood of Matale town the rainfall 
for 1860 waa January 1st to Jnne 30th, 28 89 in.; 
July l^t to December 31st, 27*75 in. ; making 66 C4 
lur the year ; more than 20 in. less than the usual 
fall, the deficiency being spread over the year, but 
more marked in October, November and December. 
In a portion of Laggals, Matale East, 172 in. of 
rain fell during Ihe year, and Ih s, although ample 
for all useful purposes, wts sleo short cf the aver- 
age fall. 
An experiment on a limited scale has been made 
in the district with Coorg ceffee, and the result of this 
clearir g wi.l doubtless be walehed with interest. 
INDIAN AND CEYLON TEA IN AUSTKALIA 
AND NEIV ZEALAND. 
Elsewhere we quote from the Melbourne Argus a 
review of the tea trade in the Australian colonies 
during the season ending SOIh Juno of this year. 
Onr readers will observe that in the important 
markets of the Eouthern lands Indian and Ceylon 
teas are rapidly supeiteding the China product, the 
sway of which until about ten years ago was undis- 
puted and believed to be indisputable. The quantity 
of Ira received from Foochow in the twelve months 
was 151 million of pounds, against 21 and 24 millions 
during the two preceding years. The decrease 
yfftr® was, therefore, no less than 8| 
milhoDB of pounds, while the quality of some of 
the China tea received was bo bad that tlifi OUB- 
toms authorities refused to admit it. Meantime 
Indian and cspooially Ceylon tea bad continued 
to gain favour, the only objection offered being the 
non-keeping quality ol the latter, an objection 
which wo trust firing at a low temperature will 
remove. The shipments from India and Ceylon 
to Australia in the twelve months are stated in 
figures the aggregate of which very neatly compen- 
sates for the deficiency in China, thus : — 
Frcm , India, .. .. 4,800,0001b. 
„ Ceylon .. 2,910.000 „ 
Total.. 7,700,000 lb. 
The sudden spring upwards in last season is remark- 
able. It is oistinotly stated that the public taste 
has taken rapidly to the mote flavoury and softer teas 
of Ceylon, and that it only requires time to edu- 
cate the public taste bo as to aeoute a good de- 
mand for choice teas from both India and Ceylon. 
In Australia as in Britain our teas ate taken in 
large pioportion to onr total production, and if 
only the United Btates and Bussian marketfl could 
ha conquered, as these of Australia have been, we 
should feel less oonoetned about the future and 
the danger of over-production and uniemuneta- 
tive prices than we now do. We trust that at least 
a million, if not two millions, of ounce packets of 
Ceylon tea will be distributed gratuitously, in ad- 
dition to what may be sold at the great Chicago 
Exhibition, 
-4 
THE E.VFOET OF INDIAN TEA AS COJIFAKED 
IN VALUE WITH OTIlEll STAPLE E-XPORTS, 
AND WITH A I'EtV LEADING IMPOliTS. 
Mr, J. E. O'Oonor, the Under Secretary in the 
Indian Department ot Finance and Commeico, whose 
able annual reviews ol the trade of our great 
Eastern empire are widely known and as widely 
appreciated, has issued in advance the first chapter 
of the review of the imports and exports and 
navigation for the year ended March 81st, 1891. 
We quote the remarks devoted to Indian tea, which 
we preface by a notice of figures showing the 
position Ibis product oocupies amongst the leading 
staple exports of India. Ten are enumerated 
amongst which tea occupies seventh place, with a 
value, in 10-rupce pounds, represented by the 
symbol Rx, of Rx5,219,000. As tzobange was high 
during a large portion ol the year, the equivalent 
in Etorling may have been not far below four 
millionB of pounds. Mr. O'Oonor separates “ cotton, 
menufaetnied," from “ cotton, raw,” and so with 
jute, but the magnitude of the two great fibres 
in the trade of India is better shewn by 
giving * the aggregate values ol raw and 
manufactured, Thia we do in each case, al- 
termg the classification accordingly. The results 
are — 
(1) Cotton { M«uuf,^turcd*“:7SoS } «*24.h>04,t)0O 
(2) Grain and pulse 19,589,000 
j Raw Rx7,e02,000 I 
i Manufactured „ 2, -182,000 J 
(3) Jute 
(4) Seeds 
(61 Opium 
(0) Tin 
(7) Hides and Skins 
(8) Indigo ... „ 
Considering Ihe high position occupied by indKo 
for a century beforeteawas ®en dreamed of isit 
striking to notice how the new\staple has taken 
rank before the old, and as food is ol more value 
to the human taee than the aJOBt beautiful of 
10.084.000 
fi.SdS.OOO 
• 1 . 201,000 
5.219.000 
4.695.000 
3.073.000 
