490 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 
[Januart I, 1892. 
Bt the very outside, the result would be no difference 
in the constituents ot the liquor, while the superior 
flavour ot the Oeylon would still remain manilest.” 
Now this, we think, would have been a fair way 
for Sir Andrew Clark to have dealt with the aubjtot. 
It is manifestly quite the reverse for him to have 
oondemned as inferior certain growths of tea, which, 
if dealt with according to circumatanoes, would 
yield exactly tho same results that he asserted 
to be so beneficial in the use of China tea. No 
doubt a good many of his younger professional 
brethren may follow the lead that has been set by 
Sir Andrew, and a deal of barm may follow. In 
B letter from Sir William Gregory shown to me 
this week, he recommends that the Ceylon Asso- 
ciation should take the matter up. He wrote that he 
thought the statement made was likely to have a very 
bad eSeot if not strongly combated in the papers, 
and further told his correspondent that a Dr. Little, 
B leading Dublin physioian, was also recommending 
his patients to drink nothing but China tea. We 
bear that the Tea Committee of the Association 
had Sir William Gregory’s proposition under 
consideration, but that it deemed that, as 
Sir Andrew Clark bad not specifically men- 
tioned Ceylon tea — though doubtless be had intended 
to include it under the category of Indian — it was 
scarcely worth while for the Association to take the 
matter up. 
It has been mentioned above that the refetences to 
this topic by the Home Press are too numerous for 
notice here, but I should like to quote the following 
from Trade and Finance because it agrees so well 
with my own former experience and those, it is quite 
certain, of many other tea drinkers ; — 
Sir Andrew Clark, in a recent lecture to the 
students of the London Hospital, informed them 
that the proper quantity of tea was one spooiiiul 
to each person and one for the put. Who does not 
know thisi' As for his very strong condemnation 
of Indian tea, and tho statement that a cup taken 
early in the morning " diiordors the nervons system 
and induces a state of tea intoxication and nerve 
disturbance most painful to witness,” like moat such 
sweeping assertions, it is not fonndod on fact. 
The writer was for six years in India, and every 
morning dating this time— 2,190 morniugs— took one, 
and ^ olteu two cups of Indian tea for his chotci 
hazrit besides wliat he may have drunk at break- 
fast and in the afternoon, and his nerves are still 
nnshaken. Of all the hundreds of people he knows 
who do the same, he has never seen one intoxicated 
from Indian tea. 
Too miioh tea, either Indian or Ofainose, is probably 
bad for anyone predisposed to nerve disorders. A man 
in the position of Sir Andrew Clark sbonld be espe- 
cially careful not to be carried away in the heat of 
oratory. His remarks are calculated to ouneoessarily 
prejudioe many against tho tea ot India. 
The resolution arrived at by the Tea Committee 
Of the Oeylon Association in London to address 
the Tea Brokers’ Assooiation on the subjeot of 
insufiioient Booommodation for Oeylon tea ealea has 
led to tho receipt by it of a letter from the latter 
body dated 23rd November, informing it that a 
epesial general meeting had been oalled, and that 
the following resolution had been adopted at it : — 
■' That thia meeting is of opinion that a further 
Oeylon tea sale should be held on two days, at 
least, daring the week, and that the Brokers’ Asso- 
elation approach the Direotors of the London com 
meroial sale-room without delay to request them 
to set aside a epeoial room for that purpose.” 
It the request of the brokers above iudioaled 
be complied with, it is probable we sball- 
bear of no further difficulties of the hind 
whioh have lately been so fully discussed. Thia 
Will not, however, altogether relieve your 
planters from the neoessity ot giving their . 
brokers more time between the arrival of their teas 
and these beiug put up for sale. It is quite 
impossible under present oonditions inbiated 
upon that the breaks of tea can be properly 
judged of by intendiug buyers. One day cannot 
snffico for all of these to taste the teas, 
even although, by the yielding of a separate room 
and a second day, tho piessurewill be very materially 
reduced. 
With this you will receive copy of the report of the 
Lauka Plantations Company, whioh is to be presented 
to the shareholders at their general meeting to be held 
on December 2nd. Tfou will find it to be a doon- 
ment, when consideration is given to all the oir- 
oumstanooB, of a very salisfaotory ohnracter. The 
Company seems at length, and after many years 
of arduous working, to have turned the course of 
the difficulties which have so long beset it, and 
now by far the larger area of its proportion is 
under tea onllivation and yielding well. You will 
note, however, that 756 acres are still under ooilee, 
and that efforts are being made to retain so 
inuch of this as promises to repay high onltiva- 
tion. Daring the year to which the report refers 
this coffee area seems to have done well, though 
soma of it certainly has given but a poor return. 
Taking it all ronnd, barely 8 owt. per acre was 
secured ; but some estates, no doubt, such as 
are referred to in the report, gave a very 
much higher average. FotuBate.y the prioe ob- 
tained throughout the year was good, and alto- 
gether a sum of £9,603 was obtained from this 
source; Of cinchona 61.005 lb. was shipped, but 
for this only £731 was ootained, and no effort was 
made either to maintain or extend this parlioular 
cultivation. Cacao is reported most favonrably of, 
and some of the estates owned by the Company 
seem to be particularly well adapted to the growth 
of the plant. So muob is this the ease that the 
direotors are anxious to widen the area now devoted 
to it, but they state that their oapiUl is insufiioient 
to do this effectively, and ask the shareholders to 
subscribe additional debenture capital for the 
undertaking. £5,071 was obtained from this item. 
Of tea, the estates yielded from 1,666 acres 248,674 
lb. This sold (or £9,627, an average of about 9^d 
per lb. net.’ Tbe total acreage of the Company's nine 
estates is 4,097i acres. The proposals of the direc- 
tors as regards dividend justify what has been said 
above as to past difficulties being now surmounted, 
and the profit and loss account han warranted 
them in recommending a dividend of 6 per oent 
on the preference shares and of 6 b per share 
on the ordinary sharos. This second dividend 
might have been made at a rate of nearly 4 per 
cent, but that the direotors wisely thought it 
desirable to write oft a sum of £410 lor depreoiation 
on maohinery account and to reduce the suspenso 
account by £1,427. The dividends recommended 
will bo paid free of inoome tax. 
A friend interested in the China tea trade having 
recently described tome the methods be has seen 
adopted in tbe preparation of green tea and the 
prices realised here (or the finer qualities, I was 
induced to ask a gentleman well up iu all matters 
respecting Ceylon tea if any effort bad been made 
to send borne similar teas from your island. Ha 
told me that some 18 months back a very fine lot was 
received, and that it fetched a high prioe at the 
sales. Perhaps that prioe was too high, for tho 
purchaser was unable to dispose of it to the retail 
trade save at a heavy loss. The result to the first 
venture having proved so good to the shipper, 
orders were wired out to send home more of 
tho same sort, but the buyers bad taken 
alarm, and when the fresh lot was put forward 
there was scarcely any bidding at all. Id the 
