578 
THP TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
[February i, 1892. 
m illiona of pounds of tea is harvested in Ceylon, in 
J893, the result will, we believe, be uneiarnpled even 
in the annals of Itopieal agriculture. In 1872, not 
a pound of tea entered into the exports of Ceylon, 
In the twenty years suaoecdiug 1872 and ending 
with 1893 the enterprise will have made yearly 
increasing additions to the commerce of the colony 
rising from a few pounds valued at a few rupees to 
100 millions of pounds, of a local value, wo trust, of 
not much under 50 millions of rupees. That will 
not bo much behind ibo culminating period in the 
history of the coffee enterprise. While that enter- 
prise may revive, wo have every reason to hope, fr, m 
the experience already gained, in the comparative 
permanency of the lea enterprise. In almost 
complete exemption from blights, tea culture in 
Ceylon has an advantage of great magnitude over 
the similar pursuit in northern India, In quality 
too, judging from demand, our tea stands high. 
Stood high, at any rate, until the overwhelming 
production of last year ; and we must not close 
without adding to our arguments in favour of 
opening new markets for our chief product an 
earnest appeal to planters to pay such attention to 
quality as will not only retrieve the reputation of 
Ceylon tea but place it on a higher level in public 
favour than ever, so that it may hold existing 
markets and capture new by its superiority to all 
competitors. 
CEYLON TEA CULTURE, &c. 
On this subject Mr. J. 0. White* writes as foT 
lows: — When it is known that the tea plant is 
indigenous to Ceylon, it cannot be a matter of 
wonder that the cultivated plant should produce 
such a splendid article of doineatio coiranmption as 
the tea now imported from that island, some rare 
samples of which are said to have realised lately 
in London seventy guineas a pound. 'The natives 
had small plantations of coffee in the early days 
when the Portuguese took possession of the island 
in A.lj. ISO.'!. The Dutch, who snhseqnently ex- 
polled the Portuguese, landed there A.U. 1GU2, taking 
possession of the coast country, the Candians retain- 
ing the interior under the rule of a native king 
residing at Candy, the capital. The Uritish turned 
the liutch out in ITilG, and soon after, in 1802, tlie 
Candians were aul)dued, and tlie wliolo island Ijecame a 
liritish colony, the chief exports of which were cinna- 
mon and other spices, coffee, coir, copra, pearls, and 
precious stones. The tea plant was unknown to the 
Portuguese or Dutoli. Neitlier tlie Portuguese nor 
the Duteli liad coffee plantations ; it was grown 
by the Cingalese, who cultivated it as Doun- 
dary fences to their propei-tios, as may be seen 
to this day in the pretty homesteads hid away 
in the grove of coconut trees between Colombo 
and Point do Oalle, a distance of about 70 
miles. Ceylon being for a long time under 
military government, there were but few capitalists, 
and they nolongod to the military and Civil Service, 
and it was upwards of 20 years after British occupancy 
that coffee planting was started as a commercial en- 
terprise, for m 182.5 there were only two plantations on 
tho island — one at Paradynia, on the Maha Villa 
Ganga River, near Kandy, tho property of the Governor 
Sir Edward Barnes ; and the other at Ganipola, 
about eight miles south, the property of Colonel 
Bird, where I first acquired my colonial exporionoe 
in coffee growing. Tho business was carried on very 
“ This is the old gentleman, contemporary and 
playmate of Sir Charles Peter Layard, who, some 
time ago, sent us an interesting account of himself 
and his experiences in Ceylon and New Zealand. 
We need scarcely say that tea is not indigenous to 
Ceylon, and that coffee was unknown in the island 
until introduced and cultivated by tho Uutcli, 
Kandy, too, did not become British until 181. — En, 
Z’. 4. 
extensively for about half a century after that, and 
tho product being equal to the best Mocha coffee, 
that article became one of the principal exports 
of Ceylon. The leaf disease (so called made its appear- 
ance on the island, and decimated all the largo plan- 
tations, and the attention of planters was directed 
to the cnltivation of the tea plant, which it appears 
had been growing wild in the 3 nngleB of Coylon, and 
for a period of nearly 300 years after European 
oocupanoy had, like tho modest violet, boon shed- 
ding its fragrance unnoticed in the desert air. 
1 have now before me a very interesting history 
of the island of Coylon, publisbed in 1805, by Captain 
Robert Porcival, of the 18th Royal Irish Regimont, 
who was present at the capture of the island from 
tho Dutch in 1793, giving an account of tho natural 
productions. I herewith quote his words ; — “ But it 
is not sugar alone that Ceylon seems destined to 
afford to the general use of the Western world ; the 
tea plant has also been discovered native m the 
forests of the island. It grows spontaneouly in the 
neighbourhood of Trincomaloo and other northorn 
parts of Coylon. General Champagne informed me 
that the soliders of the garrison frequently use it. 
They out the branches and twigs and bang them 
in the sun to dry ; they then take off the leaves 
and put them into a vessel or kettle to boil to extract 
the juice, which has all the properties of that 
of the China tea loaf. Several of my friends 
have assured me that tho tea was looked upon as 
far from being had, considering the little prejtara- 
tion it underwent. Tho soldiers of the HOth Regi- 
ment made use of it in this manner on being in- 
formed of its virtues and quality by the 72nd 
Regiment, whom they relieved. Many preferred this 
tea to coffee. ’ 
Neither the Government nor tho public seem to 
have taken notice of this fact until after tho coffee 
exportation beeamo a partial failure. I believe it is 
generally lulmitted that the Ceylon tea is likely to 
supersede the use of the China article, as also of 
tho Indian or Assam. The qualities are not suffi- 
ciently known to be appreciated. A much smaller 
quantity is requisite for a decoction, and the great 
secret of making it is not to let the teapot stand too 
long before use. Making tea in the usual way by infu- 
sing tho leaves too long, tho extract of tho leal is too 
strong and the fiavour disagreeable to some tea-drinkers. 
1 have heard it as a fact that made as I have 
doscrihed tho leaves can be drained or laid aside and 
made into a second brow. I know the Chinese are 
in tlie habit of saving and drying the leaves of tho 
tea they itse to increase the quantity of the article 
they sell, and it is not at all unlikely that they will 
do tho same with the Ceylon tea, thus adding flavour 
as well. 
I do not advocate tho use of Ceylon tea because 
it is tlie product of ray native country, but I like it 
much better when properly made than the other im- 
ported articles, and 1 know it will go further, and 
consequently much cheaper j and I presume economy 
is, or should bo, tho order of the day in domestic 
circles . — Auckland Weekly News, Nov. 21st. 
♦ ■ . 
WASHING CACAO. 
Santa Cuuz, 10th EebrUary, 1891. 
Dear Sir, — At the la.st meeting of the Central Agri- 
cultural Board, I had the honor to lay before tho Board, 
rira coice, tho result of my experiments with regard 
to the advisability or not of washing cacao Ceylon fash- 
ion and to the loss in weight which such operation in- 
volves. 1 have been requested by the meiubors then 
present to put uiy remarks in writing so that they 
may be published in the Ayricullural Ilecord, and I 
accordingly send you the following notes which, if 
having no other merit, have the advantage of being 
based on facts and figures indisputable. 
My attention has been called, in 1889, to the 
Coylon method of preparing cacao by a letter from 
Mt. Brestoe published lu tho Trinidml (Jhionklc seme 
