April i, 1892..I 
THE TROPICAL AORltSULTURlST. 
>09 
NOTES PKOJI THE ADMINISTRATION 
REPORT OP THE MADRAS PRESI- 
DENCY FOR 1891-92. 
Govehnmbnt Hosticctliurb, — The season was 
favourable tor the year Krovth of plants. Tho 
rainfall for the year at the Oovernment Gardens, 
Ootacamund, was 48'61 inches and the condition 
of the Gardens continued to improve both as 
regards neatness and the development of plants 
and shrnbs, though the number of new plants in- 
troduced during the year was comparatively small, 
Stonehouse park and Church Hill park were care- 
fully conserved, and the Crewe Hall and Ottley 
Hall estates were leased for the cultivation of 
potatoes. Sim’s Park at Coonoor, was kept in ex- 
cellent order and several improvements made to it. 
The trees in the shola grew rapidly but the severe 
frost in the winter seriously affected the terminal 
shoots and destroyed most of them. The success 
of the Burliyar Experimental Uarilens was very 
noticeable and several new specimens were added. 
The Durian continued its rapid growth reaching a 
height of 42 feet. The Liberian coffee yielded a 
fair crop and was proof to the navages of leaf 
disease, but the Mangostine crop was not a good 
one. Several new spccimeos were planted in tho 
Gudalur experimental Gardens, but the want of 
rain and the depredations of wild animals were 
serious obstacles to the success of these gardens. 
Considerable additions were made to the Herbarium 
and some Botanical works of value were added to 
Library. The receipts for the year amounted to 
U4,29(> and the expenditure to B22 531. Seedsand 
plants to the value of h685 were distributed gratis 
or in exchange for gifts made to the gardens. The 
Government Quinologist made several analyses of 
the tobacco leaves grown from the seeds sown last 
year, the result proving that the tobacco was of 
good composition. 
Govsbnmbm Cinouona.— Tho climatic con- 
ditions of the season on tho Nilgiris were 
not altogether unfavorable to the growth of 
Cinchona, the South-west monsoon was un- 
usually dry especially on the western side of the 
plateau and the fall of frost was comparatively 
mild, but the very old and very young trees did 
not thrive. The rainfall on the " Dodabetta” 
Estate was 48-13 inches, on the “ Naduvatam " 
Estate 69-58 inches, on the " Hooker" Estate 60'70 
inches and on the “ Wood” Estate 46-02 inobes, 
in every case below the average of previous years. 
About . 00 acres were newly trenched and manured 
and a considerable amount of replanting done on 
the " Dodabet'a ” and " Naduvatam" Estates, and 
on the " Hooker" and “ Wood" Estates in Pykarra, 
a number of trees were coppiced owing to their 
showing signs of decay, the Succirubras on the 
" Wood" Estate having undergone this process a 
second time. The nurseries bad a plentiful stock 
of seedlings and balled plants, but there was con- 
siderable mortality among the latter due to 
various causes which should have been avoided. 
The out-turn of bark harvested during the year was 
133,351 lb., and of quinine manufactured at the 
factory 2,928 lb, besides 1,060 lb. of febrifuge. The 
actual receipts for the year amounted to B28,876 
and the expenditure to R74,911. This does not 
include the value of quinine supplied to Collectors 
of districts and bark to Messrs. Kemp and Co„ 
not that of quinine and febrifuge in stock. These 
are estimated at Bi4,679. The results of the ana- 
lytical work done by the Government Quinologist 
are satisfactory and go to prove that the sulphate 
of quinine produced is of standard quality and 
the^ febrifuge of uniform composition. 
Ssoiics,— The oultiyatioo of mahogany was 
carried on in the Nilgiris ; the trees were attacked 
Ijy borers in some parts of this district as well as 
in Malabar. There was a decrease in the number 
of trees, chiefly eucalyptus and acacia felled daring 
the year and there was an applicable fall in the 
revenue under the head of Forest produce. Char- 
coal burning was carried on with the aid of some 
newly imported Morean’s Kilns,— Noufk of India, 
Observer, 
FROM THE METROPOLIS. 
TEA-DEYINQ AND GENERAL PREPARATION 
IN INDIA: 
NO TRUTH IN THE STORY THAT DAVIDSON’S “ SIBOOOOS" 
HAD BEEN LAID ON ONE SIDE BY A ‘‘PRINCELY" 
OALOUIIA TEA FIRM; 
QUITE THE REVERSE : MORE BEINO ORDERED, 
London, Jan. 29th. 
My brief 9 City ” letter to you published in Observer 
of the 4th inst., in referring to improved tea 
machinery, gave currency to a story about an 
alleged failure of Mr. Davidson's well-known 
“Siroccos" to give satisfaction in a very large 
North Indian tea factory. I told ‘‘the tale as 
't was told to me,” but with quBlifloatious and with 
the expression of a certainty that there must be 
another side to the etory whiob you would quickly 
hear from Mr. Davidson or bis representatives. 
I was under the impression, when f wrote, that 
Mr. Davidson would be probably back in Ceylon 
from Calcutta, about the time my letter reached 
you. But instead I find that after the completion 
of hia visit and work in the Indian tea diatriots 
and a visit to Ceylon, he returned home in Octo- 
ber last. 
I have had today, for the first time, the pleasure 
of meeting Mr. Davidson, and have received in- 
formation whiob shows me that there is a most 
decidedly negative other side to the “City” story 
about the "Siroocos,” inasmach as — to put the 
matter at ones in its briefest and most telling 
form— not a single Sirocco has failed to give satis- 
faction to, or has been discarded by, the "princely" 
ten firm in Calcutta referred to. it is most extra- 
ordinary how from an extremely slender basis of 
fact, whiob has boon made clear to me (and which 
has nothing to do with the “‘Siroccos"), so dis- 
torted and unreliable a statement got put forward 
at this end. I bad no sooner learned the exact 
state of the case from Mr. Davidsoni and realized 
his very natural annoyance than I decided, in 
case his agent had not made a local correction 
to send you the “ special telegram" which you 
will this day receive. Both the telegram and letter 
with the notice attracted to the subject will do 
good in controverting mistaken views which might 
otherwise, if the story had not been noticed at 
all, become generally talked of and accepted. 
I feel, more especially after the courteous way in 
which Mr. Davidson personally gave the Ceylon 
press and planters the benefit of hia experience 
daring bis reoent visit to the island, and the ready 
way in whiob he answered all my questions and 
gave information whiob he might well have refused, 
that a very fall correction of the letter of January 
4lh and the amende honorable are due to the en- 
terprising Belfast Tea Machinist and inventor, who 
has done so much to lay the planters of India 
and Ceyion under obligation to him — not only 
for his machinery, and primarily the ‘‘Siroocos," but 
also for his really extensive work in making Indian 
teas known to, and appreciated by, the Britisb 
publio at a time when the struggle against China 
teas was a very uphill one. I may mention, indeed, 
(bat be also was ooe q{ (he first (g mahe a bi^ 
