Every Day Life on a Ceylon Cocoa Estate

Written in the first person and "mainly as a woman to women," the book records the author's experiences on a cocoa plantation in Ceylon.  The author describes cocoa as "a very handsome plant," and provides wonderfully detailed descriptions of its harvest. In the course of the book, the reader is also treated to discussions of all kinds of things, ranging from keeping servants to treating snakebites to Tamil marriages. This diary-style book provides a welcome and entertaining contrast to the many scientific treatises published during the same century. The high-quality photographs are an added bonus.