February i, i892,'| 
THE TROMCAL AQRIOULTURIST. 
S97 
thk commerce op CEYI^PN 
FOR 1891. 
Tho EXPORT TBAAE of Cejion daring the year 
1891 compares very favourably as regards the 
chief articles of export with that of the two 
preceding years, indicating a further advance 
towards the condition of prosperity that prevailed 
daring the period when oollee cultivation was 
flourishing and formed the chief staple export 
of the island. 
The revenues of the country show a satisfac- 
tory increase as compared with past years; and 
it is probable that the prosperity of the island 
generally rests at tho present moment on a 
more assured and substantial basis than has 
existed at any time during the past decade. 
The danger that appears to threaten in tho 
future is the over production of tea, which now 
forms our chief artiole of export, and upon the 
cultivation of which the revenues of tho country 
directly and indirectly to a very great extent 
depend. Whan it is considered that the export has 
increased from .. 34.018,086 lb, in 1889 
to .. 46,911,554 lb. in 1890 
and .. 68,274,420 lb. in 1891 
with probable further 
increase to .. 85,000,000 Ibj in 1892 
it is obvious that unless the consumption of 
Ueylon tea increases largely so as to compensate 
for the increased production a range of such low 
prices may bo looked for as will serve to largely 
neutralize the benefits that might be expected to 
occur from the larger exports and in soma cases 
render tho cultivation of tea altogether unprofi- 
table. 
The tea planters and merchants of Ceylon are 
by no means oblivious of this danger ; and strenu- 
ous efforts are being made in various directions 
to introduoe Ceylon tea into countries where it 
IS either not known or where the consumption is 
so small ns to afford room for increase. A large 
measure of success has so far attended the efforts 
made with this end in view, and it is hoped that 
the opportunity afforded by the Chicago Exhibition 
of advertiting Ceylon tea will result in a greatly 
increased consumption in Canada and the United 
States of America and the creatien of a demand for 
our product in the Central and South American 
otates, The colonies of Australasia took in 1891 
3.210,6981b. against 2,669,9011b. in 1890 and Ceylon 
tea is beooming known in various parts of the 
World from Teheran in Persia to Samoa in 
Polynesia, and Tobago in the West Indies to 
Algeria in the Mediterranean. 
Next to the marked increase in tho exports of 
tea, the most noticeable feature in the export list 
the greatly decreased export of cinchona bark— 
the quantity sent away boingonly 5.079,339 lb. in 1891 
against 8,728,836 lb. in 1890 
nnd 14,838,402 lb. in 1886 
^n the cultivation was at its maximum, 
litfi * flf^wing of this drug now attracts but 
ha % httention ; and seeing that the unit of quinine 
cent “ a" P"®®' 1886 ‘0 6 
is present price in the local market, it 
snl^^ regretted that a cultivation 
a and of so precarious 
a nature, has fallen into desuetude. 
haao ® ®*PnrtB of oortptE for the last three years 
na,t . ““laiuod almost stationary at about 87,000 
averaaa probable that the export will 
The flnantity for some years to eome. 
yield ? great extent form the 
conditiona situated in districts where climatic 
to resist superior soil have enabled the trees 
*0 some extent the ravages of tho coffee 
leaf fungus, the cultivation of these properties 
being still profltable, notwithitanding a greatly 
red need yield per acre. 
The yield of Cacao has to some extent increased; 
the exports being 20 532 owt. in 1891 
against 16,981 owt. in 1890 
and 19,054 owt. in 1889 
The difllonlties attending the loultivation of cacao 
in large plantations lessen the probability of the 
exports increasing largely in the future. The 
cultivation of cacao in village gardens appears 
however to be increasing, if the numerous small 
parcels brought to market by native dealers may 
be taken as an lindioation of this development. 
The inoreased exports of cinnamon and coconut 
OIL are probably due more to a favourable season 
than to a development of cultivation ; and 
as regards the latter item to a decrease in 
the quantity of copra exported for manufacture 
jnto oil in other countries. The disastrous famine 
in Russia has affected the exports of oopba to 
that country, the shipments that usually take place 
in September and October not having this year 
gone forward; 
A new and inleresting item of export appearing in 
the export list of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce 
is nnsiOATEn oooonut, the manufacture of which— 
and other products derived from nuts— affords 
employment to a large number of labourers is both 
male and female in Colombo and elsewhere. For- 
merly tho nuts were exported intaat for manufacture 
at the port of delivery j but the superior quality 
of the shredded and desiccated kernel obtained from 
tho nuts in a fresh condition has led to the de- 
velopment of a local industry that has already 
assumed some importance. Concurrently with the 
shipment of the desiccated nut tho export of 
COCONUTS baa fallen off from 11,907,969 in 1890 to 
0,699.403 in 1891. 
Tho isiPOET TBAPE of Oeylou daring 1891 baa 
not been exceptionally active or profitable, but the 
business has been dona on a less nnstable basis 
than during the preceding year, the violent fluc- 
tuation in exchange which took place in 1890, 
and which caused the import trade to be attended 
with a maximum of risk, not having been repeated 
in 1891. The sterling equivalent of the rupee 
during the year has averaged about Is 5d, while in 
1890 it fluctuated between Is 6}d and Is OJd, 
PLA^’TI^'G SUMMARY OF 1891 ; 
WITH ROUGH FORECASTS FOR 1892. 
Tea,— A n increase of over 22,000,000 lb, in onr 
exports in one year is calculated to throw over us the 
shadw of the oloud of over-production. Still there 
are two or three very good reasons why the producer 
should lay before the consumer his belief that 
Ceylon tea in 1892 will only run about 75,000,000 lb. 
First and foremost, that there is no such large 
increase of land coming from partial into full 
bearing or from unproduotivenesB to partial bearing. 
Second, that it is very unlikely we shall have a 
season in 1892 such as we bad in 1891, especially in 
the first 6 months of the year. In 1891, 13,000,000 lb. 
of the 22,000,010 lb. increase were shipped in that 
period. 
Third, we are plucking finer. On One large 
estate the manager, working on the lines of 1891, 
estimated 240,000 lb. in 1892. He received iustrnc- 
tions to pluck finer and only to estimate 200,000 lb. 
Another largo estate in the lowoountry manufac- 
tured 250,000 Ib. 1891. It is only estimated to give 
the same quantity in 1892. 
The estates everywhere look in good heart. The 
