210 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[September i, 1883. 



ilR. STORCK OF FIJI AND CARBOLIC 



ACID REMEDY FOR COFFEE 



LEAF DISEASE. 



It will be seen from Mr. Storck'a letter (on page 213) 

 tluat lie is Tery indignant with those of our corree- 

 ponilcnts who have expressed scepticism as to the value of 

 hi3 specific tor leaf-disease, especiallj Mr. Jardine, from 

 whom he expects the reparation of a gentleman. This 

 reparation is to take the form of fresh experiments after 

 a fasliion minutely described, iu wliich strips of tin 

 aud of eackiug or blanketing are to be used. To set 

 the question at rest, we should be very glad if so care 

 ful an observer as Mr. Jardino would institute the 

 experiment suggested. We confess to hopelessness, 

 however, in regard to Mr. Storck'e liquid remedy, as 

 mueh as with reference to Mr. Schrottky's powder cure. 

 Each was confident that he had discovered " a perfect 

 cure " thus bearing out Sir Joseph Hooker's statemtnt 

 as to' the numerous competitors for the phylloxera prize 

 Mr. Schrottky came amongst ue and in theory made 

 out a wonderfully strong case. He insisted that in 

 practice he had fulfilled his theory, in the face of 

 adverse opinions by planters most interested in suc- 

 cess if he had achieved it. Mr. Storck promised to 

 come to Ceylon, but now makes no sign of fulfillmghis 

 promise. His original statements were to the effect 

 that he had discovered and successfully applied a com- 

 plete remedy, and we always felt and wrote : — " In that 

 case why not rid Fiji of the pest iu the first place, 

 and having done that come to Ceylon aud do likewise 

 and claim the reward, which would be liberally and 

 cheerfully paid, were the ravages of leaf-disease stayed?" 

 Now, however, while Mr. Storck is as confident as 

 ever that iu carbolic acid he has found a r.adical cure 

 ioT Hemilcia vn.it'itrix, he acknowledges that he is still 

 in the stage of experiment as to the best form of acid 

 to use and the best means ol applying it. It is natural 

 that Mr. Storck, who is no chemist, equally with Mr. 

 Schrottky, who i.s, should cling to belief in his nos- 

 trum. But until ho has made large aud decisive ex- 

 periments in the scene of his residence, where leaf- 

 dieease is nearly as virulent as in Ceylon, he must 

 excuse us if we distrust the liquid carbolic acid cure as 

 much as the ponder remedy. In this case of Mr. 

 Storck'e the proverb " t'hysician heal thyself" properly 

 aud fully applies. Whi-n his experiments are really 

 saceessful, we shall be glad to learn from him aud from 

 the coffee planters of Fiji. 



PLANTING IN CEYLON :" THE " MONERA- 

 GALLA' DISTRICT. 



(CONCLVDED.) 



The climate of Moneragalla is not the dry and arid 

 district people are generally led to believe. As compared 

 to most of the Kanily country, it is perhaps dry, or, 

 what would express it better, it is unnecessarily wet for 

 the cultivation of most econoinic plants. Men living upon 

 the Nanianakula range, who watch the Moneragala range 

 from their bungalows, assured me they iielievud it had a 

 heavier rainfall than the Bailulla hill itself. As the crow 

 flies, the ♦ astern coast cannot be more than 30 miles 

 di.stant, passing steamers upon cle.ar days beings distinctly 

 vi.sible from the top of the hill by the naked eye ; which 

 proximity to the sea may in a gi-cat measure account 

 for the rainfall. Again, strange to say, the rain clouds 

 during the dry months do not come cross from the Hapu- 

 tale or Badulla range, which follow the MaJulsema feature, 

 l)ut pass across from Ra'Kwana over the lower ranges below 

 Hapulale. On my return I passed through and stayed 

 a week in the Haputale district and on several occasions 

 saw showers in the line of country I describe, when none 

 tell in Haputale. Annexed is a return for 1^ years of 

 fhe rainfall tak-n upon Jlaragalla estate by 5lr. Belts, 



which is very interesting. It will be observed that the 

 distribution is quite as regular as auy other part of Uva ; — 



Triiiiclad in the "West Indies, I am assured by a friend, 

 lias ouly 65 inches in the year. Upper Rajawella iu Dum- 

 bera shows a yearly average over a eleven year.s of 5578 

 inches ; Kurunegala in nine years 84'09 ; Maragala estate, 

 Moneragalla district, in four years an average of 8S*76 — 

 more than either Kurunegala aud Eajawella. Upon " Del- 

 golla" estate, over four years, we average nearly lOU 

 inches. Although there had been a mouth with little or no 

 rain at the period of my visit to Moneragalla, I could not 

 be otherwise than struck with the vigour of the cocoa tr-ees 

 aud how well they were carrying the crop upon the large 

 trees on Kaxawa estate. As with coffee, so Uva will, iu all 

 probability, where the soil is deep and suitable, grow cocoa 

 enually profitably and well, aud as, we will hope, no 

 such x>est as leaf-disease will ever attack it, it will thrive 

 for many years to come. 



There are still blocks of forest laud iu the hands of private 

 parties ; some with very fine and rich soil — finer by far 

 than is met with in the generality of forest now obtainable 

 in Oeylon. They, however, are not purchasable at prices 

 at which land of inferior quality can be obtained elsewhere. 



It is not altogether free of drawbacks, the chief of which 

 is having no really good bridle road, whereby it can be 

 comfortably reached ; without the possibility and prob- 

 ability of being intercepted iu wet weather by au im- 

 passable stream. Thus, iu continued rain, the district 

 is cut off from the rest of the world, aud will be so, 

 as long as the Passera route is recognized outlet. Indeed, 

 every thing should be done by all interested to have a 

 thoroughly well-traced tavalam road coiisti'ucted from the 

 north of the Hill to Yalcoouibera. Fever at fii-st was 

 severe and continuous : of late there has been less of it, 

 though still the coolies are not by auy means free from 

 its attacks. Time uo doubt vrill overcome these evils, and, 

 if once cocoa at low elevations and cardamons at high, 

 come fully into bearing, I think Moneragalla will be 

 one of the most, if not f/ic most, prosperous districts in 

 Ceylon. 



The scenery is as beautiful as I have ever beheld, and 

 I know no finer view than can be seen from Kowdawa 

 upon a clear day. The blueness of the distant hills is a 

 very pretty and peculiar feature — at least it struck me 

 so at the time of my visit being new to me 

 in Ceylon. Sportsmen, I am told, can still find plentj^of 

 game to the east aud south of the hill — bears, leopards, 

 deer aud elephants are still plentiful, peacocks have been 

 seen iu thedisti'ict; audllicard it is quiteacome for leopards. 



The necessaries of life are by no meaus dear. Fowls 

 were offered to me at R2 the dozen aud the oranges are 

 particularly fine. A butcher kills at Mupauy twice a week. 

 Batticaloa-gi'own rice is usiially jjurchasable at R3'5U the 

 bushel. Milk can be i:)rocured in most villages at two 

 auuas a bottle. Thus the outlines of a g^ood and whole- 

 some meal are alwa3''S at hand. 



The most direct route to Colombo is by AVellaway, which 

 is 30 miles from the foot of the hill. Tliero are by this 

 route several rivers to cross. Bly.^elf and friend took this 

 way across to Haput;de, staying a night at llutnle. We 

 found the small resthouee there in such a dilapidated con- 

 dition and so abounding in ticks and vermin that I hardly 

 knew what we should have done had not the Korale 

 taken ua to hia house. Tho soil around liutulo was rich 



