October i, 1B83.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



279 



terest here for me to state that tea dryers require 2 lb. 

 wooi) to each 1 lb. tea, as a rule; therefore, a 350 acre estate, 

 yiekling 100,000 lb. tea, requires 200,000 lb. or 90 tons wood 

 per auiium at least, practically more ; where water is not 

 available, a calciilatiou must also be made regarding the 

 fuel required for the engine. For the planting of bare 

 ridges aud stiff unfruitful ground where cinchona does not 

 thrive, a product is required. I would suggest Aloes, for 

 the cultivation of fibre plants is undoubtedly an industry 

 to which we shall have to turn our attention in the future. 

 The aloe once in the grouud, all expenditure ceases, save 

 perhaps a few weedings round the plants uutil they are 

 established. Advantage has been taken, by those whose 

 cue it appears to be to run down all present and future 

 enterprise, of the somewhat enthusiastic way in which the 

 wholesale planting of Netv Products is advocated by many; 

 and, now that their success is established beyond doubt, 

 it is staled that they are being planted wholesale, in suit- 

 able and unsuitable localities alike, and further disappoint- 

 ment in the future is predicted. Now far be it from 

 me to advocate the planting of any product in an in- 

 judiciously wholesale manner; tea, hardy plant though it is, 

 will not pay on washed exhausted soil, nor on our poor shallow 

 land, and such localities had better be allowed to grow 

 up in jungle after the establi.shmnnt of some hardy plant, 

 such as the aloe, which is able to hold its own against 

 all other growths. The selection of the portions of estates 

 which are to be maintained as coffee, or planted with 

 tea, cinchona and cardamoms, is a matter requiring judg- 

 ment aud experience, and on the degree of these quali- 

 ties that is brought to bear on the subject will depend 

 much of the future success of the estate. It is, of course, 

 a matter to which no rules are applicable, and one to call 

 forth all the powers of proprietors or their advisers. 



Gentlemen. — I have doTie. In view of the too recent 

 publication of Mr. Armstrong's able and comprehensive 

 essay, my humble effort appe.-xrs at the greatest disatlvant- 

 age ; but I trust you will make every allowance for the 

 fact that, at a few hours' notice and in the brief space 

 of a portion of a day, without any notes and other means 

 of reference, I have had to re-write the greater part of 

 this paper, so as not to come before you with a mere re- 

 petition of anything said by that gentleman, aud with a 

 view to make my statements supplementary to his, and 

 hence of value and interest to you. If you consider that 

 I have been, in however small a measure, successful in this 

 task, the difficulty, of which I only appreciated yesterday 

 when I entered upon it, I shall feel amply rewarded. 



T. O.OWEN, Oononag,T,la, Madulkelle. 



The paper which was received with much applause, 

 gave rase to the following queatioua. 



Mk. Tench asked if Hyldid Assam might safwly 

 be planted after pulling out China as recommended, 

 to which Mr. Given rfplied that he had seen this 

 done in India with success. 



The Chairman wished to know whether estates 

 without timber could, in Mr. Owen's opinion, pro- 

 fitably purchase fuel and timber for tea crops ; where- 

 upon Mr. Gray remarked that coals could bo de- 

 livered in the district for B50 per ton, that as one 

 pound of coal would Hre two pounds of tea while it 

 takes two pounds of charcoal t'l Hre one pound of tea, it 

 was evident that coal c luld be used as che.iply as char- 

 coal. — Mr. Owen was unable to decide upon this as he 

 hadnot gone into the question, but he added if Mr. Gray 

 was correct in his fii;urea it would seem wortb the trial. 



Mr. CURISTIK next asked Mr. Owen whether he 

 considered Maskeliya a district suitable for the cultiva- 

 tion of tea ; to which Mr. Owen replied tbat if the 

 land was judiciously selected, the white clay being left 

 alone, tea should pay very well throus^hout the district. 



A cordial vote of thanks to tlie reader of the 

 paper was proposed and carried unanimously. 



^ 



THE JOHORE LAMA PLANTING COMPANY 

 LIMITED. 



Last Saturday afternoon, a party of the directors of this 

 COTipany, along with a few friends, left Singapore on a visit 

 1" inspect the comjiany's estate at Gunoiig Pantie. At 5 p. 

 m, they embarked in the st«um guuboat " fulai" belonging 



to H. H. the Maharajah of Johore, which wag but for the 

 occasion througli the kiutlness of Inchi Ibrahim, Datu Bin- 

 tara Dalam of Johore, who is one of the directors of the 

 company, and who formed one of the party. Alter touching 

 at Pengarang in order to take on board Mr. AV. W. Bailey, 

 the Superiuteu'/lent of the company's plantation, the "Pulai" 

 steamed slowly up Johore river. It was a fine moonlight 

 night, and the banks of the river, covered with dense jungle 

 aud mangroves to the water edge, looked extremely beautifiU 

 in the soft light of the moon. Towards midnight, however, 

 a dense fog came on, and the worthy Captain, Hadji Kassim, 

 deemed it prudent to cast anchor till daylight AVheu the 

 sun rose the fog cleared off, and the " Pulai" sped on her 

 way to Kota Xinggi on the east bank of the river about thirty 

 miles from its mouth. From this place there is a good 

 road to Gunong Pautie, which is about seven miles distant 

 in a north easterly direction. The party accordingly landed 

 aud went first to a neat bungalow belonging to Mr. Garland, 

 Surveyor to the Johore Government, where they were met 

 by the company's local manager, IMi-. Turpin. At Kota Ting- 

 gi there is a large Chinese village of about 1,000 inhabitants, 

 rather dirty, but as usual cheerfid aud industrious ; there is 

 also a police station. Close to the Utf er are the ruins of the 

 tombs of the ancient Sultans of Johore, which are weU worth 

 a visit. Some of the carved stones which once ornamented 

 these tombs have been removed to Raffles Museum, but many 

 still remain, and H. H. the Maharajah has taken measures 

 for the preservation of the ruins from further spoliation. 



Having procured a bullock cart to carry supplies, and a 

 pony trap for those who chose to drive, most of the gentle- 

 men preferring however to walk, the party proceeded to the 

 plantation. The day was cloudy with occasioual showers 

 which rendered the air cool and pleasant. 



The road to Gunong Pantie was made by the Johore Go- 

 vernment in order to open up the country, and the result of 

 this enlightened policy is that the district through which it 

 passes is one of the most flourishing iu .Johore. The road is 

 lined on each side through its whole extent with gambler and 

 pepper plantations, and tbere is no doubt that had it not 

 been for the facilities afforded by the road, these plantations 

 as well as the extensive plantation of the .Johore Lama com- 

 pany would not have been undertaken. The first part of the 

 road is level, but as it approaches Gunong Pantie it begins 

 to rise, and after the sixth milestone it is pretty steep. The 

 party, having left Kota Tinggi at 10 o'clock, arrived about 

 midday at the bungalow of the estate which is situated on 

 the low ground, and thence proceeded to inspect the pro- 

 perty. After leaving the bung.alow the road winds among 

 the hills; atid is in some places overshadowed by largo jungle 

 trees and bordered with beautiful ferns ami wild flowers. 



Gunong Pantie is a cluster of hills, the highest point of 

 which is about 1,600 feet above the level of the sea. "Pio- 

 neer," as the company's plantation is calhd, is situated 

 partly on the low ground and partly on the slojies of the hills 

 at a considerable altitude. It consists of about 850 acres, 

 but *;he company has the right of acquiring additional grouud 

 in the vicinity at a fixed moderate rate. The company ac- 

 qiured the property about a year ago, at whi .h time there 

 were about 40 acres planted with cocoa and Li'jerian coffee. 

 The plants on that portion of the estate shew a considerable 

 growth, and the directors and their friends were extremely 

 gratified on witnessing the healthy and vigorous appearance 

 of the plants. Many of the cocoa plants, although not more 

 than three years old, are now bearing, and there appears 

 e\ery prospect of a full ci'op being obtained in the course of 

 another year. Sine; tie company commenc d operations, 

 upwards of 100 acres more have been cleared and partly cul- 

 tivated, and the nurseries are well stocked with young plants 

 ready for being transplanted, Mr. Bailey, imd the hcil 

 manager, Mv. 'Turpin, deee.ve great credit for the energy and 

 activity they have shewn in making such good progress, in 

 spite of the difficulties arising from the scarcity of laboiu' and 

 otherwise. It is to be hoped, however, that when the Indian 

 Immigration Ordinance comes into force, the labour difficulty 

 will be in great measure removed, and the progress of the 

 comj: any be even more satisfactory than it has hitherto been. 



After inspecting the estate the party retarr.ed to Kota 

 Tinggi, where they were hospitably entertained by Mr. Freeze 

 the assistant of Mr. Garland. At 7 p. m. they re-eml arked 

 in the "Pulai" and returned to Singapore, where they arrived 

 at ■! a. m. on Monday, The night was again clear and b i^h:} 

 .and the voyage homowarJ most enjoyable.— >S</»rt« Tm,es, 

 ^iept, 0th, 



