14 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[JULV I, i88z. 



inl'ormation is not obtainable in connexion with the 

 first days of tea amongst the Chinese. We may 

 reasonably suppose that tlie place in which nalure 

 plants an.Tlhing is better suited to its growth than 

 a chance one of man's selection, and also that nature 

 does not plant a shrub in a place of medium suitability, 

 and Itave it " spontaneously to extend its growth" 

 into a more fittinj; spot many hundreds of miles dis- 

 tant. And as to the suitability of India for tea, 

 there can be no question; for even what is known 

 as the Chinese plant gives a better retui-n in India 

 than in its reputed native land. We may either dis- 

 pense with the agency of iJhanna altogetlier, as having 

 introduced the plant to China from India, or just 

 reverse Mr. Ball's theory, and suppose that instead 

 of the plant being indigenous to China and extend- 

 ing its growth along the countries mentioned into 

 India, that it was indigenous to India, and extended 

 its growth to tlhina, deJj:riortitmg as it did so. — S, 

 Baildon's "Tea Industry of India." 



WATTLE CULTUKE. 



It is quite true that in some cases "What is one 

 man's meat is anotlier's poison," and we havi> an agri- 

 cultural case in point in the nia'ter of wattle. We 

 re-print an article from an Australian paper, The 

 Oveii.'i and. Murray Advertiser, under the above head- 

 ing. From a perusal of this, it will be seen how 

 differently tlie wattle is thought of in Australia to 

 what it is in India. Here we look upon it as a poison 

 to the ground, as it certainly is. Gra^s will not grow 

 eide by side with wattle; the latter soon exterminates 

 the former, and search is made in vain for fodder 

 for cattle in between the growth of wattle. It is 

 obnoxious and of no use. In Australia, on the con- 

 trary, the bark is made useful and, as we read be- 

 low, wattle "will not interfere to any appreciable ex- 

 tent with grazing." 



The above is from the Soutli of India Observer, and 

 the extract which follows shows that the wattle cm 

 be cultivated in Australia on thp most arid soil. The 

 reason why the plant becames a nuisance in India 

 and Ceylon is becmise our moist climate encouriiges 

 a too dense and luxuriant growth from tlie roots. 

 Trials should be made on pataua soil. The bark would 

 be useful for tanning and the timber for fuel on tea 

 estates, &c. 



BISHOP MOORHOUSE (OF MELBOURNE) ON 



IREIGATION. 



Kerang, ISth March. — Bishop Moorhonee delivered 

 a lecture on irrigation tonight at the Mechanics' In- 

 stitute. There was a very hirge atteudai.ce. The 

 BisLiop said that about three years ago he ventured 

 upon a propiiecy. He predicted that, if the then ex- 

 isting state' of things as regarded water supply con- 

 tinued much longer, there would be a water famine. 

 He found his prediction verified, when he crossed 

 the plains a few days ago, and saw nothing but 

 despair on every hand — no water, no verdure, and 

 everything parched and withered, and sufifermg on 

 every hand by both man and beast. We possessed a 

 fertile land, the finest of all the Australian colonics, 

 perhaps, excepting JNew Zealand and Tasmania. He 

 loved Victoria and wanted to see her wealth increa.«e, 

 but the people and their legislators must exhibit 

 courage, promptitude and energy in dealing with 

 national questions. Wealth depended on productive- 

 ness, not on the mere spending of money. The 

 man that spent his money in gratifjing vicious habits 

 did not produce. His expenditure of money was only 

 •waate, and unproductive. Ten thousand a year spent 

 in this way did not add to the wealth of the colony. 

 Who were producers, and what was produce? 



The gold obtained from the mines was produced, 

 but it cost £4l 1.5s to gain £5. Therefore that 

 labour was not very productive. Beef and mut- 

 ton were our most profitable productions. A pro- 

 tective policy was said to be necessary for fostering 

 local manufactures and providing employment for the 

 young people. But it appeared that the articles so 

 produced could not be sold at remunerative prices. 

 It appeared that only in this colony they could be 

 disposed of with a profit. The farmer and squatter were 

 the only real producers. They were the most valu- 

 able portion of the population, the backbone of the 

 colony, and the basis of its permanent prosperity. 

 How were they to succeed ? Only by permanent cultiv- 

 ation of ihK soil. This meant irrigation and putting 

 something into the ground for what vas taken out. 

 Irrigation and manuring were the basi ioi permanent 

 cultivation. Public opinion could not alter the laws 

 of nature. He had looked over the beautiful and 

 fertile pliiins of Lonibardy, in Europe, and there seen 

 a land twenty miles square, which supported an im- 

 mense population under a grand system of irrigation 

 and cultivation. The farmer must grow plenty of 

 corn, hay, lucerne and root crops for his house cattle, 

 in order to raise manure, and he must divide his 

 land into ten-acre blocks to successfully irrigate it. 

 He had been told that it was impossible to irrigate 

 the lands of South Australia and New South Wales. 

 If that was so, then he said there could not lie 

 any permanent cultivation in those colonies. An ex- 

 perienced engineer bad assured him that portions of 

 Victoria could be successfully irrigated for five 

 miles on each side of the Goulburn river. He had 

 entered into a calculation, .and found that, if a good 

 sclieme of irrigation was started there, a population of 

 65,000 people could be maintained on the banks of 

 the Goulburn idone. It was imperative upon the 

 Government to undertake these costly national works. 

 Let the farmers go to their parliamentary represent- 

 atives and say: "You must give us water.' They 

 should not give a vote to any man who would not 

 work energetically to obtain this boon, no matter 

 what his political creed may be. At the same time 

 water-'ooring should be also carried on, and every 

 selector ought to deepen his dams and tanks, and 

 endeavour to help himself. Those who lived on the 

 banks of rivers had a tine opportunity of raising water 

 by windmills. He was informed that a farm on the 

 Ciimpaspe, originally let at £i an acre, had an engine 

 and pump erected on it f'jr irrigation purposes, and 

 was now let at £40 an acre. 'J he Government was 

 bflilding railways, expecting to have men and produce 

 to carry ; but, if they did not also provide a good com- 

 prehensive water supply they were only wasting public 

 money in building these railways. He advised the 

 selectors not to give the people of Melbourne any rest 

 until a compi-ehensive water supply, sch'me for the 

 country districts was taken up, and when this work 

 was accomplished there would be no finer country 

 in the world than Victoria. — Melbourne Age, 



INDIA-RUBBER. 



. Under this head a great deal of space is devoted 

 in the latest Kew Gardens' Report, to the several 

 plants which yield the different rubbers of commerce. 

 (.)u the subject of the Central American rubber plant, 

 Cadilloa, in Ceylon, Dr. Trimen is quoted as follows : — 

 "Two plants have been sent to Calcutta, Those in 

 Burmah are reported to be flourishing. Much better 

 success now attends the prop.igation, by cuttings, of 

 this fine species. Our largest trees at Heneralgoda 

 have now a circumference of nearly 17 inches or a 

 yard from the ground, and the trees are beginning 

 to take their true form." 

 Ceara Rubber (Maniluot Olaziovii), Ceylou. — Dr. 



