May i, 1 885 J] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



8ii 



AKEUANUT CULTIVATION. 



The interesting letter from Mr. Borrou which the 

 Observer published last week, (see page 7!U) deals with 

 a product to which natives are directing increasing attentiou. 

 In no sense can the arecanut be called a new product among 

 the natives. It has always entered largely into their favourite 

 masticatory— the betel-leaf, lime, and tobacco ; and has in con- 

 sequence been cultivated for centuries for domestic use. 

 There is scarcely a native garden, but has a few areca- 

 nut trees in it, sufficient to supply the wants of its pro- 

 prietors. These trees receive no systematic cultivation ; 

 nor are any large continuous tracts placed under the pro- 

 duct by natives. We do not forget that there wcaArembas 

 or areca plantations among the possessions of well-to-do 

 natives, especially in the Central Province, but these are 

 generally of small extent, not often exceeding 4 or 5 acres, 

 and more seldom still amounting to 10 acres. We, believe 

 the majority of trees are grown along boundaries. Partly 

 through extension as an aid to a well-defined boundary, 

 and partly from spontaneous growth at the foot of trees 

 in village gardens, more arecanuts have been produced 

 in recent years than are necessary for local consumption. 

 The ubiquitous Moorman and the adventurous Ohetty have 

 not been slow in taking off the superabundance for ex- 

 port to the adjoining continent. A brisk trade goes on 

 now in the article, as may be seen by a visit to bou- 

 tiques ill central villages or small town-ships. The remote 

 villager now knows the nearest market for his crops. 

 We believe there has been some extension in the cultiv- 

 ation of arecauuuts by villagers in consequence of this 

 demand for exportation j but we fear this has not been 

 quite so great as the activity in theft of the produce. 

 The village gambler and diuukard have been quick to 

 avail themselves of the fruits of the labours of their 

 honester, but not too industrious, neighbours. Cases of 

 arecanut stealing, and of accidental death by falling off 

 areoauut trees at night are not uncommon; and, coupled 

 with the precautionary thorns found on areca stems, tell 

 of increasing appreciation by the light-fingered gentry of 

 fhe growing demand in our bazaars. 



Among the many blessings in disguise which the de- 

 cadence of the cort'ee enterprise has brought in its train, 

 is that the attention of European planters has been 

 directed to the cultivation of arecanuts, for centuries 

 wholly in native hands. The interchange of views which 

 tin- cultivation of this product by practical and scientific 

 planters has led to, will no doubt enure to the benefit 

 of (he native, by suggesting systematic planting and cultiv- 

 ation. There are not a few Chenas and abandoned 

 gardens, which might be profitably planted up with areca- 

 nuts; for although, in many cases, the cultivation of 

 Chenas is resorted to, to ward off famine, or to supple, 

 inent the corn produced by mud lauds, in not a few 

 cases their cultivation with fine grain is due to custom, 

 and to the conviction that the land is unsuitable for a 

 regular plantation. The sight of a continuous acreage 

 under areca will doubtless, suggest the practicability and 

 wisdom of going and doing likewise. We trust that this 

 may be so ; and it is with this object we draw attention 

 to Mr. Borron's letter. Some of our readers might prove 

 pioneers of a very promising industry in purely native 

 districts, by paying greater attentiou to arecanuts, and 

 thus encouraging their cultivation by the native peasantry. 

 If there is the drawback that the plantation will not come 

 into bearing until the sixth year, it is a drawback with 

 which the native is already familiar by observation and 

 experience. On the other hand, a grand advantage in the 

 eyes of the ordinary peasant is that it will not require 

 continuous attention or very close cultivation. Through 

 the possession of uncultivated land, or land on which 

 areoas can be growu without injury to the existing cul- 

 tivation, .and through being able to devote his labour to 

 its cultivation, without detriment to his other avocations, 

 the peasant proprietor can bring his holding into bearing 

 at one-tenth of the cost that Mr. Borron gives; while 

 natives who employ labour will certainly be able to do 

 with half the sum named as necessary to bring land into 

 bearing. So far as our observation goes, the tree affects shade, 

 and tl rives best in clumps of two or three so that Mr. Borron's 

 distance of 10 ft. x 10 ft. appears a great deal too much. 

 How closer planting may affect the erop, we cannot tell: 



nor would we be safe in pointing to the luxuriant growth 

 ami heavy bundles in native gardens in support of our 

 view, because most of such trees are near dwelling houses 

 and have all the advantages of moisture and constant 

 | additions to the soil which such proximity gives MY 

 , are yet inclined to the view that fi ft. x 6 ft. would be a 

 better distance; but experience alone can decide this 

 question. On this point, as well as on others regarding 

 I variety, yield, etc., we should like to hear from our native 

 ; friends, whose experience and observation may be wider 

 than our own. We believe the native variety is best 

 . suited for export owing to the closer grain of the nut 

 , the Rata 1'uwak being softer and principally used for 

 mastication; but the Mysore and Sheriwadun varieties 

 , are spoken of as superior to ours, and commanding double if 

 not treble, the price of our nuts in Bombay. A netprofit'of 

 I 50 or f>0 rupees an acre is not to be despised in these 

 days; for coconuts seldom yield as much as that and cin- 

 namon certainly does not at present.— Local " Examiner " 



CEYLON UPCOUNTRY PLANTING REPORT: 



THE BREAK-UP Or TOE DROUOHT : ITS EFFECTS ON TEA 



COFFEE ESTATES SOON TO BECOME A THING OF THE TAST 

 —COFFEE AS A BEVERAGE— NATIVE' COFFEE— BUG— CAPF. 

 GROWN COFFEE— THE AMERICAN EVAPORATOR— PLANTING 

 TEA ON SWAMPY GRASSLAND— A MORAL CHETTV— CACAO. 



27th March 1885. 



The showers which have been falling all over the 

 country tor the last fortnight or ten clays have done 

 a world of good, and everyone rejoices that the drought 

 has broken up. = 



The brown rust, which was making our tea look 

 as if it were made of bronze, is somewhat chunked 

 with the showers, and the rapid growth of the tender 

 Hash is now everywhere visible. 



As to coffee, where it has any heart in it at all 

 it is trying to blossom, and really in some 

 favoured spots the blossom is as fine as could have 

 been seen in the best clays of the old Kino 

 There is a tender interest about these wreaths of 

 white, which are fast disappearing and will ere lone 

 be seen no more in the land where they were so 

 common. The last song of the swan which sines 

 its sweetest just when about to die is what occurs 

 to the mind of the old planter as he looks upon 

 ■ the sheet of white, hears the hum of the bees re- 

 I veiling among the flowers, and inhales the heavily 

 perfumed air. For has the edict not gme out to 

 put in tea? In a very few years after this, the poss- 

 ibility of seeing such " a thing of beauty " as a 

 Held of coffee in full blossom will be impossible in 

 Ceylon, and the planters will be taking to drink. 

 ing the bean, since they have ceased "to grow it 

 probably importing it from home. As it is we hear 

 wails of its already being placed among the class of 

 luxuries. "Only a very small cup of stroii" black 

 coffee once a day can I afford," says the" tearful 

 planter thus unfortunately situated ; " at other times 

 I must drink tea." 



It is not an unlikely thing that the tea planter 

 will take to cultivating a small patch of coffee close 

 to his bungalow just lor his own use, and, when 

 this is so, really good coffee will be had on the hills 

 instead of the fearfully and wonderfully made stuff 

 which in the yeurs gone by used to be offered in 

 the name of this beverage. How the traveller from 

 the western world used to be taken in : at the fount- 

 ain-head where the best might have been expected ■ 

 the steam which issued from the planter's coffee pot 

 was black as Erebus and bitter as gall. I met a 

 plauter once from the Wynaad district, who prided 

 himself on being the only man who knew bow to 

 make a cup of coffee among the plant' rs of Southern 

 India. His method, however, was so elaborate and 

 troublesome, that he ha 1 to give up active charge of his 



