770 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[April i, 1885. 



cultivated at altitudes ranging from 800 to 5,000 feet. On 

 the Pautalion estate, the property of Mr. Herera, the 

 first crop of cane was planted 23 years ago, and they have 

 been cutting from the original stool yearly ever since, 

 never once having to replant. This is in marked contrast 

 to the care and replanting required by the cane in other 

 portions of the world. The first few years of the cutting 

 the cane was large and of less density, but of late years, 

 although of a smaller growth, is much richer in saccharine 

 matter. There are numerous other estates belonging to 

 Dim Jose Maria Samayoa which also produce valuable and 

 luxuriant crops. 



A few months ago Mr. Forsyth went on an expedition 

 through to the Atlantic coast, exploring the Sarstoon and 

 the western boundary of British Honduras, and on through 

 to Lake Yzabal. This section had never before been visited 

 by white men. He there, in that unknown region, dis- 

 covered unlimited acres of land eminently suitable for the 

 cultivation of sugar and all other lowcountry products 

 grown within the belt of the tropics. 



PLANTATION LABOB 



is supplied by the Indians. These Indians seem to be an 

 entirely distinct type from the races of North America. They 

 are a peaceful, peaceable, law-abiding, hard-working and in- 

 dustrious race. They form the largest portion of the inhabit- 

 ants of Guatemala. The whole of the Altas or uplands are 

 broken up and cultivated by these people, who raise 

 corn, wheat, barley, rice, peas, oats, and all the 

 cereals indigenous to the tropical zones. During crop 

 times on the coffee estates cash advances are made to 

 them through the alcalda or mayor resident in their 

 villages, and they, on going to work on tho plantations, 

 repay the money by labour at the rate of eighteen to 

 twenty-five cents per day. They perform excellent labour 

 and are considered equal to the Malabar cooly of South 

 Iudia, not only for the light work of the plantation, 

 but heavy labour as well. 



THKIB COMMUNAL LAWS 



are singular and strictly enforced. In the land connected 

 with their villages all have an equal right ; there is no 

 allowed proprietorship. Each one has an equal interest. 

 To such an extent is this carried out that no one is 

 permitted to grow other than annual plants. All cereals 

 are classed as annuals ; so is tho banana tree. Coffee 

 is not allowed. The reason for this regulation is that 

 the planting of other than annuals would establish an 

 ownership from year to year and would eventually lead to 

 the disorganization of their communal system of govern- 

 ment. A large majority of these Indians speak only 

 their own tongue, of which there are, however, several 

 languages. As soon as the coffee crops of the plantation 

 owners are picked the Indians return to their homes among 

 the Altas and pursue their avocations of agriculture. The 



CULTIVATION OF CINCHONA 



is another of the principal high country industries of 

 Guatemala. There are now in extended nurseries through- 

 out the Pacific slope and the Atlantic coast about 3,000,000 

 plants of the following varieties : Officinalis, coudamiuea, 

 nuccirubra, robusta, pubesceus and the calieaya. These 

 nurseries are all in a remarkably fine and flourishing con- 

 dition. 



ilr. Forsyth, having entered into negotiation with the 

 Barrios Government to introduce the cultivation of cin- 

 chona, and having contracted for 5,000,000 plants, pro- 

 ceeded to Madras, South India, to procure perfectly ripe 

 and fresh seed, which aro absolutely necessary to success. 



This was the largest quantity that ever crossed the 

 ocean at one time. The number and variety named above 

 are the result of this shipment. 



He .-ilso brought over Indian wardian cases of cardamom, 

 tea, Taia rubber, cloves, nutmegs aud other tropical plants. 

 The cinchona plants are intended to be delivered to all the 

 planters free of all charges. They will be planted on the 

 coffee plantations as an auxiliary to the cultivation of 

 coffee. 



" BUCHU-PAIBA. " 

 Quick, complete cure, all annoying Kidney, Bladder and 

 Urinary Diseases. Druggists. W. E. Smith & Co., Madras, 

 Sole Agents. 



COCA (OTJCA) AND COCAINE; TEA AND FIBRES 

 IN CEYLON. 

 The medical journals and even some of the Lon- 

 don dailies have lately had a good deal to say 

 about Cocaine, the new drug containing the active princi- 

 ple of coca leaves, and its successful employment 

 in deadening pain. There can be no doubt, that it will 

 gradually come into general use for delicate operations on 

 the eye and throat and it is also said to be good for 

 neuralgia, but it is obvious that the demand thus created 

 for coca leaves can never assume such proportions as to 

 make them an important article of commerce, at any r.nfo 

 in Europe so as to encourage the cultivation of the plant 

 to any great extent. There-is, I fear, no adequate ground 

 for the following sanguine anticipations indulged in by the 

 editor of a monthly scientific journal with regard to the 

 influence coca may exercise on the future prosperity of 

 Ceylon. He writes: — " It may be remarked that this Ery- 

 throxylon is easily grown, and might well be introduced 

 upon a commercial scale in Australia, India, and other 

 British Colonies, with manifold advantages, both pharm- 

 aceutical and financial. Many parts of the Island of Ceylon 

 are especially well adapted for growing coca, and probably 

 this- plant might be the means of restoring to many es- 

 tates there much of the prosperity of former days. With 

 the present great and increasing demand — which there 

 seems no valid reason for believing to be a temporary one 

 only — well-conducted cocah should yield dividends such as 

 none of the much-vaunted cattle ranches can hope to at- 

 tain, while the initial expenses would be far less, and the 

 incidental risks comparatively insignificant." In Bolivia, 

 Peru, and other parts of the South American continent the 

 coca pouch is as indispensable a companion to the native 

 as the betel bag to the Sinhalese and the local consumption 

 must be enormous but there is nothing to show that the 

 supply falls short of the demand and as it is not in tho 

 least likely that the natives of Ceylon and India will tako 

 to chewing coca or Europeans to drinking coca tea, though 

 speaking from personal experience I can testify to its 

 excellent qualities as a restorative of exhausted nature. 

 There is small chance indeed that the misfortunes of Ceylon 

 planters will ever be retrieved by coca. 



Happily, however, Ceylon can confidently anticipate 

 a gradual revival of something like her former pro- 

 sperity by the extension of tea cultivation, though 

 here again I feel bound to add a qualifying remark 

 apropos of the exaggerated misleading statements often 

 appearing in the home papers. These convey the im- 

 pression to the uninitiated that the new product 

 has already taken the place of the old, whereas a 

 glance at the export returns of today compared with those 

 of ten years ago suffices to shew what a vast amount of 

 leeway has yet to be made up. Moreover, it must 

 not be forgotten when forecasting the future that 

 as the shipments of Ceylon tea to this market increase, 

 so will the struggle for existence between it and its 

 rivals, the Indian and China leaf, and eventually it will be 

 a case of the survival of the fittest. Present appearances 

 point conclusively to the opinion that Ceylon will hold her 

 own because she possesses natural advantages over Iudia 

 at least, but in the meanwhile growers must be prepared 

 for the inevitable result of competition in production, 

 namely lower prices paid by consumers. Among,st the ar- 

 rangements now in progress for extending the tea industry. 

 I hear of the purchase for £2,000 of Messrs, Matheson's 

 Ivanhoo estite in Ambagamuwa, consisting of 200 acres of 

 abandoned coffee land, which I am told is very suitable for 

 tea and this will be at once substituted for the old product. 

 T T uder the circumstances £10 an acre must be considered 

 a bargain as I suppose it is well roaded and has all the 

 necessary buddings. 



The directors of the General Fibre Company are naturally 

 very pleased at the result-* of the trials with fibre clean- 

 ing machinery at Calcutta, by which the success of Smith's 

 patent was officially recognized. The money prize was in 

 itself insignificant, only R2,000, but the publicity given to 

 the proceedings in the newspapers and in the Government 

 report which I see you quoted in the last Overland Observer, 

 has served the purpose of a splendid advertisement and 

 several paragraphs on the subject have appeared in the 

 home papers— indeed Tht Times had quite a long account of 

 the exhibition the other day. Mr. Death, having demon. 



