664 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[February i, 1883. 



the leaf is very broad at the lower end, and is only 

 ovally rounded oft' at the point, while both 

 leaf and fibres leave nothing to be desired in 

 fineness. Tlie almost total freedom from holes, not- 

 withstanding the notorious indolence of the growers, 

 furnishes proof of the fortunate absence of worms, 

 locusts and other vermin. During the growth of the 

 tobacco plants, rain showers usually fall at night, 

 whereby .spotting aud rust are prevented. So far as 

 I can judge from a single season's samples, the ash 

 is pure wliite, and the smell is not only unobjection- 

 able, which alone would be enough for tobacco intended 

 only for covering, but even pleasant, so that tlie 

 smaller leaves available at each crop and used as 

 filling will be more suitable for that purpose than 

 many .Tava kinds. The seasons and rainfall are favour- 

 able. Tlie rainy season begins in the middle of August, 

 so that the beginning of April is the fittest time for 

 planting. In configuration the country traversed consists 

 of steep hills with small tops, while plains are either 

 altogether absent or almost so, what few there are 

 being only in the valleys between the hills. After 

 clearing the ground the natives plant paddy on the 

 slopes of these hills, and afterwards tobacco in small 

 quantities, but only for then- own cousimiption. I 

 found tobacco growing livxuriantly at the height of 

 3,000 feet, showing aU the good qualities enumer- 

 ated above. It struck me that the elevation of the 

 land exercises a favom'able influence on the fineness 

 of the leaf." Mr. Saunders desciibes the formation of 

 the soil in Sabah as very suitable for tobacco cultiva- 

 tion, the chief dilficulty to be overcome being scarcity 

 of labour, while land transport wUl be foimd indispens- 

 able, from the currents in the numerous rivers and 

 streams being too strong aud dangerous for the con- 

 veyance of prodiaee and materials. Towards the con- 

 clusion of his trip, he examined in the valley of Rachak 

 the most extensive toliacco plantation he had yet seen, 

 its area being half an acre, and collected there many 

 large gi-een leaves for the purpose of drying them by way 

 of experiment. Mi\ Saunders, though admitting that 

 the quality of tobacco can only be ascertained after 

 being thoroughly fermented and cured, comes to the 

 f oUoiriug conclusion : — ' ' Without arousing too great ex- 

 pectations it may safely be assumed, considering the 

 favourable ascertained characteristics of variety, size, 

 fineness of leaf, smell and ash (imfennented), that at a 

 height of 2,000 feet on laud not too hilly, and with 

 a Em'opeau mode of cidtivation, tobacco crops of 

 superior quality may probably be secured." — Stmi/s 

 Times. 



SINHALESE LABOUR IN QUEENSLAND. 



(From the Australuxlan.) 

 Brisbane, Dec. 16th. — The Cingalese who were landed 

 from the Uevonshire at Mackay speedily accepted the 

 aituiition. They recognized their agreements, »ud went 

 to work without grumbling. There is reason to be- 

 lieve that many of them left Ceylon without the 

 slightest conception that they were hired tor field 

 i:d)oui-, and there is as liitl" reason to doubt that some 

 of them did not bear the very best of characters in 

 their native country. Yet, in spite of these drawbacks, 

 tliere are no grounds for supposing that they will be 

 other than contented with their present lot. When 

 it is considered th.^t a first-class Tamil coolie is very 

 pioud of himself indeed if he can save 20 rupees on 

 tlia year's work after paying expenses, the idea of £20 

 a year as wage*, even if out of this he had to keep bim- 

 eelf, was a vision of wealth and competence far heyond 

 tlie dreams of avarice to a native of Ceylon, who in 

 any respect is considered inferior to the Tamil. When, 

 however, soon after landing the Cing ilsse found that 

 their Mackay employers were willing still further to 

 improve on the agreement as to accept ail charges for 

 tlieir food, the £20 a year became still more alluring, 



and they have settled down to their work quite 

 contentedly. The Mackay planters anticipated public 

 opinion when they made this modification of the agree- 

 ments, for it was evident to every one that the 

 Kanaka, at £6 a year and well found in food and cloth- 

 ing, was better off than the Cingalese coolie at £20 

 a year, saddled with all charges. At Buudaberg things 

 were not very well managed. Buudaberg being nearly 

 300 miles south of Mackay, and considerably to the 

 south also of the tropic of Capricorn, is less tropical 

 in its surroundings than Mackay is. There is a lively 

 and prosperous European population, xho regard the 

 Asiatic with no great love. The advent uf the Cingalese 

 was looked upon as an invasion of the wliite man's 

 country, and was resented accordingly. The resistance 

 however, finally took the form of fraternising with 

 the foreigner as one whose rights had not been suffici- 

 ently respected. The result was that many of the 

 Cingalese refused to recognise their agreements, The 

 law was appealed to, and the law sustained the agree- 

 ments, but in spite of this the penalties of the law in 

 some instances were preferred to its privileges, and some 

 dozen of the Cingalese are now in prison. A good many 

 more are loafing about at large, and the whole of Ihose 

 who were landed at Buudaberg are more or less demoral- 

 ised, though a considerable propoitiou of them are 

 still working on the plantations. 



In addition to this, it has now transpired, through an 

 official despatch from the Colonial Secretary of Ceylon, 

 that an ordinance will be passed prohibiting the emi- 

 gration of Cingalese except under conditions to be agreed 

 on between the Governments of the colonies to which 

 they may emigrate. The effect of this will be that 

 Ceylon will come under the same category as India in 

 this respect, and the introduction of Cingalese, therefore, 

 if it is persisted in, will have to be regulnted as coolie 

 emigration to the West Indies or to Mauritius is regul- 

 ated. This will involve the consent of our Legislature, 

 and the question will soon arise as to whether this con- 

 sent will begiven or withheld. 



The Premier, Sir Thomas M'llwraith in speaking on 

 this question at a dinner given to him by the Rock- 

 hampton people, has expressed himself more definitely 

 than he has ever yet done in favour of regulating 

 the introduction of coolies. He no doubt feels the 

 pressure of the increasing ditliculties connected with 

 the South Sea Islands trafBo. Not only is it more 

 difBcult to obtain kanakas but the trade itself is in a 

 very unsatisfactory condition. What is to be done 

 under these circumstances ? The planting interest is 

 increasing in importance; there is plenty of the richest 

 land ; the capacity of the country for sugar-growing is 

 being proved more and more. If sugar is to be grown 

 in the tropics, it cannot be grown by white labour alone. 

 Would it not be well, therefore, to admit the inexor. 

 able logic of events, and provide for a necessity ? The 

 bulk of the white population still say. No ; or if 

 they are beginning to think of saying. Yes, it is with 

 qualifications. This labour, therefore, if it is introduced 

 at all, must be limited to sugar-growing, and probably 

 also limited to some latitude which maybe accepted as 

 a definition of the tropic. The Premier has now said 

 distinctly that he intends to identify his Government 

 with the settlement of this question one way or another, 

 and he himself declares for regulating Asiatic labour, 

 which means the coming to terms with the Government 

 of British India as South Australia has already done. 



Ceylon Products.— " Sinhalese " writes: — "Cofi^ee 

 crops here are smaller than ever, but cinchona is 

 paying well, aud cocoa will soon pay still better. 

 Tea will soon be a very good export from Ceylon ; 

 indeed, I believe Ceylon tea to be the best in the 

 world. An immense acreage is being planted, so that 

 in spite of Hemileia there is a bright future for this 

 country." — Oardeiiers! Chronicle. 



