Vol. XV. No. 363. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



10.^ 



Soil Erosion due to Heavy Rainfall. 



This subject is one of interest to planters in the 

 West Indies, especially in those islands the mountain- 

 ous configuration of which causes a large annual rain- 

 fall. In a note in Tke Colonial Journal, Januaiy 

 191(), some useful suggestions with reference to this 

 matter, as affecting Ceylon planters, are given. With 

 regard to low lying land two inexpensive measures of 

 dealing with the mischief are suggested — embankments 

 and surfice drainage. Surface drainage is carried out 

 by means of trenches where there are small differences 

 of level. Drainage increases the aeration of the soil, 

 and, to a great extent, increases the value of the crops. 

 Efficient drainage enables rather low lying lands to 

 produce valuable crops. As regards land on hillsides, 

 the method suggested is to terrace immediately all 

 lands from which the original forest has been removed. 

 A regulation enforcing this exists in Java. A striking 

 example of soil erosion is afforded by some lands in 

 Ceylon in the central hills. ( )ver a large area the 

 the forest was originally removed to make room lor 

 coffee, which later gave place to tea. No provision 

 was made to retain the soil of the original forest, and, 

 in consequence, the erosion of the soil has been 

 enormous, and is still going on. Hence large sums 

 are spent annually in adding manures to the land, 

 because the soil-capital of the island has run to waste, 

 and can never be replaced by any system of manuring. 



Tropical Sanitation. 



The address by Surgeon (ieneral W. (_'. Gorgas, 

 delivered at the Fifteenth Annual Congress of Health 

 Officers of New York State, notice of which is taken 

 in the West India Committee Circular, February 10, 

 191(i, contains very striking remarks on the subject of 

 tropical sanitation by one of the greatest authorities on 

 the subject. 



He recalls the astounding losses of life caused by 

 yellow fever in the West Indies in former days. The 

 English Army, in 1794, lost (i,000 out of a total 

 sirength of 12,000 men in the West Indies. Again, in 

 179iS, the French Army in San Domingo, out of a total 

 strength of 2.5,000, lost over 22,000 from yellow fever. 



During the nineteenth century the southern states 

 of the American Union were frequently ravaged by 

 epidemics of yellow fever. It was evident that these 

 epidemics were imported from the focus which had 

 existed at Havanna for the preceding 1.50 years. Later 

 on scientific physicians demonstrated the fact that 

 yellow fever was a mosquito-borne disease, 



The fight against yellow fever in Havanna was 

 undertaken vigorously. A quarantine was first estab- 

 lished, and a system of inspection of all infected persons 

 was earned out. Yellow fever patients were screened 

 so that mosquitos could not bite them. All mosquito 

 larvae, breeding anywhere within the city, were destroy- 



ed — a measure of the gieatest import. ;.cl. The i-esulb 

 has been victory. An ti- mosquito work was commenced 

 at Havanna in February 1901. The last case of yellow 

 fever in the city occuned in September of the same 

 year. Since that date this disease has practically dis- 

 appeared from the northern hemisphere. 



In l.S9<S, Sir Ronald Ross, of the English Army, had 

 demon.strated that malaria was conveyed from one 

 human being to another by a species of mosquito known 

 as the anopheles. By taking the same measures as had 

 been successful against yellow fever, a similar result is 

 being obtained with regard to malaria. Vigorous 

 anti-mosquito work rapidly decreases the prevalence of 

 malaria, and has caused it to become practically extinct 

 in the once fever-haunted -regions of Panama. 



Agriculture and Education in Tonga. 



The Tongan Islands which, roughly speaking, are 

 the antipodes of the West Indies, are a group of 

 islands having their native king, under the protection 

 of the British Government. The Governor of Fiji is 

 the High Commissioner, and there is a resident British 

 Agent and (Jonsul. It is interesting to remark that 

 the officials administering the affairs of Tonga are in 

 most cases well known as having been West Indian 

 officials. In Colonial Reports — Annual,'No. 870, there 

 are some interesting details as to the agricultural 

 prospects of the Tongan Protectorate, and a sto the 

 education in those islands. Under the head ot agri- 

 culture, we learn that the prosperity of Tonga rests at 

 present almost entirely on the copra industry. The 

 fruit trade, which amounted to £9,605 in 1910, dropped 

 to £442 in 1914. This is due to two causes. Owing 

 to the presence of the 'fruit tly', the citrus fruits of 

 Tonga have been excluded from the Austi-alian and 

 New Zealand markets, and the interruption of the 

 direct steamship service with New Zealand, owing to 

 the war, has practically anihilated the trade in bananas. 

 The Tongan Government are devoting attention to 

 the cultivation of sul)sidiary products, besides yams, 

 taro, and sweet potatoes for home consumption. 



With regard to education, real progress seems to 

 have been made in the Tongan Islands. Besides the 

 fifty-seven public primaiy schools in 1914, with an 

 attendance of 2,780 pupils, there is an important 

 institution of secondary I'dueationin the Tonga College 

 possessing a number on the books, at present, of 128 

 students. These are youths of an average age of 

 sixteen years and eight months, and, according to the 

 report of the chief assistant master, Mr. R. N. Burns, 

 they make most satisfactory scholars. Naturally, 

 English is taught, and it is now possible to converse in 

 that language with 2.5 per cent, (jf the students. Con- 

 siderable attention is devoted to agricultural teaching 

 in the college. Systematic cultivation by the pupils 

 of an area of 83 acres is carried out. Next year ex [x ti- 

 mental work, it is hoped, will be undertaken, while th^ 

 theory of agriculture is taught in the class rooms. 



