May 2, 1892.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
S61 
iSotiiiesponil^noiei. 
To the Editor. 
MR. JOHN BROWN’S ASTOUNDING CLAIM 
ItE COFFEE PULPERS DISPOSED OF. 
72, Bishopegate Street, 
London, E. C. Mareh 10th. 
Dear Sin, — In the report ol the ‘ Tea Roller 
Patent Case " in your overland edition of 
18th ultimo, page ICO, Mr. John ^Brown ia re- 
ported as Baying : “ In coffee machinery I thiok 
I effected nearly all the improvementB of eny 
importance which wore over effected upon it.’’ 
To make uee of a common remark, Buch a 
statement ie “ rather a large order,” and out of 
reppeot to the memory of my late uncle, Mr. John 
Walker, I beg to submit the following facts: — 
The Disc pulpet, bo well-known in all EaBlern 
coffee countrioB, was invented and patented by 
Mr. Walker in 1860, and of that machine alone 
there has been made in Ceylon a larger number 
than all other coffee pulpera put together, 
made either in Ceylon or the United Kingdom 
—and it is still being made in Colombo Iron 
Works. , „ 
About the years 1870 1871 the “ half moon " 
cylinder cover was invented and patented by 
the late Mr. George Clarke (aome time partner in 
the firm ol John Walker A.Co.), an invention which 
6avod the oo£fee planters tens of thousands ot 
pounds sterling, as it praotioally did away with 
all •• cutting " ot the bean. . . . u 
Again the “GeatleBB” pulper was deeignod by 
Mr. Walter Lament, who ia still in your town and 
can speak for himself. Of the larger coffee 
machines the ‘‘Gearless” was in every respect the 
king of all. „ , 
But all this is no doubt to you and many of 
your readers a familiar tale. Perhaps some friend 
of the late Mr. John Gordon may see your paper 
and say a word on his behalf. 
I Assisted to make pulpera in Kandy for about 
fourteen years, and I never heard of any improve- 
ments by Mr. John Brown. I knew of a very few 
home-made pulpcrs, one of which now and then 
found its way to Ceylon, and we in Kandy were 
always well pleased when one of these inachinoB 
was erected at the entrance to a new district, as it 
made a good advertisement, and no more ol same 
make went into that district. From 1870 to 1880, 
being the ten years ot the good old coffee days, 
about eighteen pulpcrs large and small, reached 
Ceylon from outside perhaps those contained the 
Improvements claimed by Mr. Brown. I am, dear 
sir, yours faithfully, FRANK WALKER. 
P.S.— On 4th October 1877 the Ceylon Observer 
Contained a kindly notice ot the old home ol 
pulper making at Bogambra Mills. 
probably be surprised to see that while their highes 
price for Ceylon tea is Is lOd, that for China te 
is 23 6d I going up to 3s for the choicest impor 
of 1891. You will also probably be surprised to 
learn from a leaflet I enclose that Ceylon 
tea may sometimes be drunk alone, the 
inference, ot course, being that it is better when 
blended with China rubbish. By the way what is 
cinchona tea ? (See page 9.) 
The next firm is Melia & Co., who olaim to be 
the greatest retailers of tea in England. They 
have two shops here, and about 50 more in other 
large towns, I do not know whether they (as 
they assert) get tea direct from the grower. (See 
page 63.) 1 noticed an old packing case marked 
Le Vallcn in one of their windows. 
But the most surprising and amusing ot all is 
one of Lipton’s circulars with a view of one of 
hie tea estates in Ceylon. You will observe that 
in the left foreground there is a dock with a 
sea- going vessel in it. The tea grows right up to 
the quay, so that it is only a hop, skip and a 
jump from where the coolies are gathering tea 
leaves to the deck ot the ship. There are no lest 
than five tea-houses on an area ol about 26 sores, 
while a string of three elephants are carrying some- 
thing (presumably tea), to be loaded in the vessel 
aforesaid. But the artist, not satisfied with this, 
has placed a large Moorish mosque in the middle 
of the tea. Oh I Mr. Lipton. 
You will also note that Mr. Lipton does not 
even profess to sell pore Ceylon tea. The teas 
he sells arc all blends. 
As far as I have had opportunities ol judging, 
Mazawattee tea has a very large sale. It is sold 
as being purs Ceylon tea, but, il so, ia not ol good 
quality. The retail price ia 2s 4d per lb in lead 
packets. Yours faitblully, E. HOLLAND. 
P, S. — 1 omitted to mention that the picture with 
the dock, elephants, etc., is named "One ol Lipton’a 
Tea Estates.” Can any of your readers identify 
it7-E. H. 
THE TEA ROLLER PATENT CASE : 
JACKSON VS. BROWN. 
79, Farringdon Road, London, B. 0. 
SiB, — 1 have seen a copy of your issue 'of Feb. 
18th, giving an account of this case, and wherein 
Mr. John Brown, the defendant, is reported to have 
denied having ever had any conversation with me, 
or that he had ever spoken to mo about Tea 
Machinery. 
This somewhat surprises me; as 1 spent the 
afternoon of Wednesday, the 8th February 1888, 
in his company at Belgravia, in the Dimbula 
district, on which occasion were present, Messrs. 
Mackie, Sinclair, and the late Mr. John McLeod, 
when we talked about Tea Machinery among 
other subjects. 
Thanking you in anticipation for kindly insert- 
ing this letter, I am, yours truly, 
■Xk\lir?a T> TkAT-nAllMO. 
tea in LEAMINGTON : “ ONE OF LIP- 
TON’S TEA ESTATES.” 
Leamington, England, March 24th. 
Sir, — 1 have interested myself while here in 
Collecting a few particulars as to the retail trade 
in tea, and by this post forward some trade cir- 
culars, catalogues, <fcc. I had soma difficulty in 
obtaining them as the givers appeared to suspoot 
something when I asked for them. 
Messrs. Burgis and Colbourne have, as you 
^ill see, three stores in Leamington itself (a town 
ol 27,009 inhabitants), but in addition to this I*'®,? 
clso supply many ot the retail shops in tlm email 
towns and large villages in the vicinity. You will 
108 
IB. P. D. G. CLARK AND THE EXPEDI- 
TION TO PERU. 
B. B. Gardens, Peradeniya, March 24th. 
Sib,— With regard to the discuasion now engaged 
n by your correspondent in your issue of 2and 
□stant,^ relative to the poetion held by me in the 
ate expedition to Peru, I shall feel obliged by 
our publishing the enclosed extract from a 
QOCDoraDduQi of instruotionB received by me from 
ho Peruvian Corporation, prior to my leaving 
England lor Peru.— I am, yours faithfully, 
“ P. D, G. CLARK. 
