The Express.
London, England, 1851-07-17 00:00:00

COLONIAL.

CEYLON.

By the arrival of the Overland Mail, we have re-
ceived tiles of papers from Colombo to the 11th of
June inclusive. The following, relating to planting
matters, is from the Colombo Examiner, of June 11:
Atter the gale, aecompanied with heavy rains, which
ushered in the mouth of May, the weather became un-
usually fine fur the season of the year. The last fort-
night has produced a seasonable change, and much rain has
fallen both in the interior and in the maritime provinces.
All our advices from the country agree that coffee plantations
are looking well, and their prospects for the season good.
We do not bear of any large crops in particular localities,
but there is no remain to apprehend at present any deficiency
except from the going out of some of the older properties.
With respect to many of these has to be solved the most
difficult problem of coffee planting, "to make them pay."
Originally defective man igement has made the original
cost of formation enormous, without the necessary care
having been bestowed to prevent the growth of weeds,
which have become impossible to eradicate, and entailing a
constant and heavy expense, which the quantity and qua-
lity of the produce can ill afford. Low cultivation is too
expensive on estates in bad condition and speculative as to
results. Such properties require two advantages which are
incompatible with each other—the prices obtainable under
restricted trade, and the economy in their management
which free trade has been the means of introducing.
There is, however, a more pleasing picture to contem-
plate, and that is the number of estates formed since
experience has been gained; and those which were
still young enough to gain by the improvements introduced
of late years, and the later the formation the more gainful
appear the prospects of such properties. The emulation of
practical men is to perform all operations in the best man-
ner and at the most economical rates, as opposed to the old
competition of how much money could be spent in a month;
and with labour, as we believe, cheaper than slave labour,
though not so cheap as upon the continent of India, propri-
etors of young estates, we believe, have little to fear from
the competition of other coffee-producing countries. The
list of shipping shows that an American ship has loaded a
full cargo of coffee for Boston, United States, which is to
come into competition with Brazil produce carried at a
cheaper rate from the country where it is grown. Cinna-
mon planters have been busy cutting until within the last
few days. The rainy weather has brought out a heavy bud
upon the gardens, which will stop peeling for a short time.
Plantations have much improved during the last two months,
and retrieved the effect of the long dry season. The cut-
tings are expected to be fair in quantity and quality.

The health of the country had not in general been
good•

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Adelaide journals have reached us to the end of
March. As previously noticed the elections formed
the all-engrossing subject of discussion, the local
papers being taken up with little else than reports
of election meetings and discussions on the eligibility
or otherwise of the numerous candidates. On March
27th the old colonists' festival was celebrated with
the utmost enthusiasm, the occasion being a general
holiday.