December t| 1891.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
44 * 
♦ 
To the Editor, 
INDIAN AND CEYLON TEA FALSELY AND 
&LANDEUOUaLY LIBELLED. 
Crosshill, Glasgow, Oot. 28, 
Dear Mr. Ediioh, — I enoloso an advertisemont 
which sppoars in nearly all the papers here, and 
which, I think, is very injurious to the island of 
Ceylon. 
Perhaps it will be of interest to you. — Eespeot- 
fully yours, JOHN DOUGLAS. 
“r DO LIKH THAT CHAP DlrUAEIJ, HR IS A OLEyEU 
CHAP, HE DO ALWAYS THINK AS I THINK,” 
The above eulogiuiu by a worthy Israelite aud fol- 
lower of the Earl of lleaeODsfield, couiaiuiug such a 
uaive solf-conviaciiig reason, would, if slightly altered, 
aptly describe our attitude toward Dr. Sir Andrew 
Clark oil the queatiou of " ludiaa and Ceylon Tea 
versus China Tea.” 
In effect, this eminent physioian confirms from his 
profcBBioual oxperieucu what we have been advoeating 
for a Quarter of a Ceiitnry — via., “ That China Tea 
(black, not green) ia the only variety that may be 
drank with safety aud refreabmeut." 
Aud what Sir Andrew Clark refers to in general 
terms we anbstantiate by scientific data — to wit, the 
analysis of Twenty-four Teas at all prices, and fairly 
repiesoutative of the three leading varieties. 
Price for price China Tea yields neatly as mnoh 
Theino as either Indian or Ceylon, and is tberefors 
quite as refreshing ; but both Indian and Ceylon yield 
more than double, and in many cases treble, the amouut 
of Tannin as compared with China Tea. Therefore, 
both Indian and Ceylon are most pernicious to the 
human system— and yet it is upon this basis that their 
claim to be considered Economical rests 1 Economy 
falsely ao called 1 The praotiou of housewives ot pour- 
ing a second supply of hot water upon the already 
opened-ont leaves e.xtraots the Tannin to the very 
dregs, and under this almost universal practice wo 
believe that Indian and Cey Ion yield from four to five 
times more Tannin than China similarly treated. 
Little wonder that Sir Andrew Clark describes this 
as ” the representation of all that is physiologically 
wioked 1” 
We believe that those bitter, pungent Indian and 
Ceylon Teas do more injnry than would result from 
the same money’s worth ol the rankest raw-graiutd 
Whisky consumed within an equal period and 
at equal intervals; while China Tea would have 
no trace of bitterness, and would not offend the most 
aenaitive palate or conaitution. 
One iluio will guide the I’ublio — i. e., Buy no Tea 
which yields a bUok, bitter, or pungent liqnoi when 
infused at the ordinary drinking strength. 
Many of the Blends which havo the largest sale are 
entirely made up from Indian and Ceylon, aud ought 
to be avoided by nuyouo who wishes to escape from 
that oouditiou so graphioslly described by a pbyaiciau 
whose motive it is to conserve the Fablio boaltb, 
" Tea to bo useful should be, first of all, Black China 
Tea— Ibo Indian (and alio Ceylon) Tea which is being 
cultivated has become ao powerful in lie effeote upon 
the uervouB system that a oup ol it taken early in the 
mutniug, aa many people do, so disorders the nervous 
system that thoeo who take it actually get iuto a 
atate of Tea-intoxicatiou and produces a form of norve 
disturbance, which is most painful to witness. ’ "If you 
want to have a Tea which will not injnre and which 
will refresh, got Black China Tea,” — Extract from 
London Corre.spondonoe, Glasgow Herald, IGth October 
1891' 
We offer three ohoice lots ol Pure Black China 
Tea, gnaranteed to be mild and refreshing and free 
from hitternes, but ol excellent llavour. 
At 1/6, 2/6, and 2/9 per lb. 
Stuabt Chanbton & (jo:, 
Trained Tea-Tasters of over 26 Yeara’ Experience. 
MR. HENRY WALKEB ON BRITISH 
NORTH BORNEO. 
Kandy, Nov. 9th. 
Dear Sir,— Mr. Henry Walker, the CommissioDor 
ol Lands. British North Borneo, promised to send 
yon a short sketob of what he found going on 
when he returned to North Borneo and ot the 
proapeots there. Ho has asked me to place at 
your disposal a oopy of a letter addressed to a 
gentleman hero who has kindly allowed me to 
pablish the same,— Yonta laithluHy, 
W. D. GIBBON. 
Sandakan, Oot. 19th. 
Dear Sir,— Mr. Gibbon sent mo a copy of your 
letter of the 8lh Aug. aud I have purposely delayed 
replying until I had revisited the places where 
ooffoe has been planted— and I now write you after 
fully couvinoing myself that ooffes is thriving better 
than I ever saw it do in Ceylon. I allude to 
Liberian. 
Liberian coffee has only been planted near the sea 
and no plantation of any product has yet been done 
in the iuteriur except on the big tivera and then 
only below launch limit. Our chief facility lies in the 
fact that transfer ia cheap i.e'. if prospectors can find 
laud neat to the principal etations. 
At Kudat Silam aud Sandakan there are trees ol 
over five years, and Kndat about 25 acres of very nice 
coffee about five vosre old planted by Mr. Obiiatian 
now in the bauds of a Ohinaman- end evideutly 
paying. This is about 2 miles Out aud the land be- 
tween the estate and the sea is rapidly being planted 
by the Chinese who have oolee gtowieg about 300 
yards from high water mark— looking well. The oldest 
coffee is some 4 miles out and wa-'< planted nuder 
my instruotiun in 1883. 1 could nut visit this last, 
but 1 believe it is doing very well. 
At Silam the 0 acres in the Government garden ia 
still kept up, aud both the Silam and Kudat coffee 
have no disease, while that at Sandakan has. The 
Sandakan soil ia poor, but the ooffee is thriving won- 
derfully— it has been abandoned since 1885 or 1886 
and stands in a csrlaiu cattle run— and is healthy 
and beating well. The trees are abont 12 or 1-1 feet 
high, bushy and strong. 
Uu the Kiuabatangau river, Melapi Estate, Leyanjan 
Estate, Darvel Bay, I saw Bpleudid Liberian ooffee 
in bearing and under two years old. Also cocoa on 
the latter estate. The cucua at Silam (Caracas) has 
finer trees than anything at Pallekel^ as regards 
stem, bat is not to spreading as some I saw on Mr- 
Charles Gibbon's estate. The Silam trees are bearing 
heavily, and began lo bear at the fourth year. Cocoa 
is cultivated by all the hoadmeu- that ia one or two 
tress — and it scums to do well. 
The Labor quostloo, I do not think, will be diffi- 
onll of settlement. We are opening (a private com- 
pany) a coffee estate in Marulu Bay near lo • 
Tobaoce estate ao that wc have the advantage of es- 
tablished oommanioatiun, shops, doctor, use ot Lannch 
ice. and 1 believe from the little beginning made 
that we shall liave nu mure difficulty than the Mass 
keliya men had, if so much. Ol course aa the 
pioneer company we have had ditfioulties — for instanoe 
the Government promised a nursery of 260,000 plants 
and 1 find there ate not 16,000 available for the 
monsoon’s plautiug, but I expeot in May and June 
we shall complete the first lOU acres. Anyone ooming 
after ns will bo able to uae our nuteerios and the 
manager will bo glad to increase them aud charge 
ten rupees, or five dollars a. thousand as wo did ia 
expenditure on 200 acres I ostimale at SO, 580 
for the 1st year and 38% for the 2ad yetr which in- 
eludes 82.400 and *2,000 for superintendenee, but not 
including cost of land which is 93 per acre for other 
oroduatA than Tobacco, or for new products a special 
free grant of 1,500 acres may be made in the terms 
ol the uotifloation No. 49 ot 1891 copy herewith. 
I euolosu a printed estimate and 1 oousidet it a fairly 
average one. „ 
C6 
