January i, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



57« 



The richness of the Pnttah soil consisted iu the fact 

 that iu evei-y house the rubbisli accumulating daily, 

 in which of coursaofifal and other animal matter pe- 

 pouderaied, was as a rule buried on the premises. 

 Cattle and sh. ep manure was f.>uud by Mr. Djke to he 

 the best for the vme, but the Pettah people ustd to manure 

 it with pig's dung and declared it by far the best 

 manure. The present writer's experience is not in 

 favor of the last-named manure. 



When Ihe Tanikulam lands were sold, they should 

 have all been allotted to vine culture. Now they 

 have all been planted with coconuts so densely as, to 

 prevent ventilation. But intending vine-growers could 

 have very little difficulty iu acquiring land. If the 

 sandy saline soil is preferred, thtre is any extent of 

 land to be had in Tookumarakadu (Anglice "Gal- 

 lows Junule") and "Kelludai vely." If the rich, red 

 soil largeTy impregnated with iron is better, there is 

 plenty of it to be bought in Maruthanar, Madamvely, 

 on the liangasanturai road, this side of Uduvil. A 

 few deep and broad wells will be necessary. The 

 other expense is inconsiderable. A, B. C. 



THE GUM "LEAF-DISEASE" DR. TRIMEN ' 

 OPINION. 

 We take blame to ourselves for not pointing out Mr. 

 Skrine's error, now noticed by Dr. Trimen (page 575) ; 

 simultaneously with the publication of his letter. We 

 meant to do so in a paragraph today and to re-state the 

 fact that duriug about five years since the "gum-leaf 

 disease " has been observed, not a trace of insect or 

 fungus has been noticed iu connection with it. The 

 disease seems due to meteorological and chemical 

 agencies. This does not afi-ect Mr. Skriue's argument 

 which we have also repeatedly stated, that repeated 

 attacks of the leaf-fungus produce a diseased tliat is 

 an enfeebled condition of the coffee tree. What we 

 understood Sir J. Hooker to mean was, that it was not a 

 cure for the disease, but for its cause, the fungus, 

 which was needed, and that experience obtamed in 

 connection with phylloxera vastatrix had proved how 

 worse than useless it was to olJer prizes for a cure. 

 All we can do is to adopt remedial measures, until 

 with the effluxion of time, the pest disappears or 

 abates in vii-ulence. 



ACHEEN -.-AGRICULTURE AND TRADE. 



The Penanq Tirivs oi the 24th November gives the 

 following interesting summary of the agriculture and 

 trade of'Achcen, tiken from the Net.erlauds B ue 

 Book of 18S1. As rCijards Acbeen trade with Penauj,, 

 the rim(.4 remarks :— mirhond 



"Of all the Dutch possessions in our neighb ' 



none, excepting Deli, is of greater importance ° ""^ 

 Settlement than Acheeu. Before the commence""'" " 

 the war, our trade with that country was one of ^"^^ 

 magnitude ; since the disci-nt of the Dutch ou that 

 part of Sumatra, our losses have been of such a nature 

 that we have not recoveied from them yet. The little 

 profit that i-) now made scarcely compensates those 

 engaged in the trade for the great risk they run in all 

 respecte. The desire, therefore, that order may soon 

 be restored, and that the country may be opened up for 

 general business, is universal." 



With these preliminary reinaiks, the summary reads 

 as follows: — 



The Report commences with a candid avowal that 

 agriculture in Acheeu Proper had suffered so severely 

 from the long war, that it will take mmy years before it 

 can recover its former state of prosperity. 



Yet, notwithstanding all adversities, some improve, 

 ment wtis noticeable. Everywhere in Achcen Proper- 

 extensive rice and other fields were to be met with in 

 18S0, which were being cultivated by the returning na- 

 tives. 



In the Southern districts that had suffered least by the 

 war, cultivation was continued with much energy, and 

 latterly cattle had been imported for the extension of 

 stock in other parts of Acheen. The rice crop of 1880 in 

 the latter place had been satisfactory, and although 

 there had been several inundations, the prospects for the 

 next crop were good. 



Young Liberia Coffee plants had been introduced, and 

 experiments were being made with them, and in the 

 Southern districts, such as at Kloewaug and other 

 places, the natives showed great inclination to cultivate 

 the bean more extentively. Silkworms had also been 

 imported from Japan, but had not proved Buccessful, 

 probably owing to neglect on the part of the Achmese, 

 amongst whom thev had been distributed with a view 

 to enoournging them in their inclination of this culture. 



In the other dependencies ;he cultivation of Rice was 

 of little importance, the population having a preference 

 for Beteliiut and Pepper. Ou the West Coast especi- 

 ally, the chiefs encouraged the cultivation of the latter 

 article by giving the planters rice, clothing an<i utensils 

 receiving in return a quarter of a dollar per piciil more 

 than the usual tax. Rice was 'ilso extensively cultivated 

 at Kloewang, where crops usually yielded six'y-fold. 

 This district also produced Tobacco and Coffee in 

 small quantiliies ; but, owing to insufficient prepar- 

 ation, the quality of the latter article was not very 

 good. 



On the East Coast the Pepper plants had suffered 

 much from stormy weather. 



The export of black and white Pepper to Penang, 

 which iu 1878 was 134,000 piciils, was iu 1879 only 9t),980 

 pis., and 91,997 pis. in 1830. The quality of the 1880 

 crop was superior to that of the previnuii year. The 

 average selling price at Penang was in 1879 $7J and in 

 1880 'mh against $6| iu 1S7S ; so that the total value 

 of the Pe|>per exported to Peuang uniy bs estimated at 

 /. 1,750,000 iu 1879, and about fl. 2,000,000 in 1880. 



In 1879 there was a great demand for Betelnut for 

 China and British India, but owing to the .small crop in 

 1880, only 95,500 piculs were exported against 115,205 

 piculs in 1878. 'The exports to British India, both 

 directly and via Peuang, are included in the above. In 

 1880 the direct exportaiion to British India had nearly 

 entirely ceased, whilst that to Peuang had augmented 

 to 100,348 piculs. The average price in Penang was in 

 1879 /i. 11 50 per pel. ; in 1870 in was scarcely f 7 per 

 pel., or $9J per bharot 321 catties. 



The export of Rattans was G05 piculs, iu 1878 ; 745 

 piculs in 1879, but, through the energy of the European 

 firm at Olehleb, it had increased in 1880 to not less than 

 5,3S0 piculs to Pen.mg. 



Mats had also increased, both in quantity and value. 



The expert of Hides to Penang, which iu 1878 had 

 been 3, 144 piculs, had decreased in ISSO to 676 piculs. 

 This great difference is to be attributed to the cattle 

 plague in 1879. Prices were higher iu 1880 than in 

 former years. 



There had been a great demand iu Penang for Cocoa- 

 nuts and Coprah, and 0.3,800 nuts and 3,554 piculs of 

 the latter were exported to this pl.ice. 



The export of (iuttapercba and India rubber had also 

 increased, but the quantities and values iu 1880 are not 

 mentioned. 



We may mention in addition to the above that new 

 Pepper plantations have been laid out on the East 

 Coast, tlie produce of which has reached here this year 

 the oualiiy lieing excellent. 



The trade of later years may form the subject of 

 another article at a future period. 



