JUNE I, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



929 



AUSTRALIAN STOCK FOR INDIA AND 



CEYLON. 



Every one interested in the expanBion'of the Austr- 

 alian trade with India, and especially in the export 

 of stock to this country, will be glad to hear that 

 Mr. Thompson of Sandridge has built a steamer 

 named the " Bucephalus," expressly for this purpose, 

 and which, when the last mail lift, was loading a 

 cargo of horses, as well as cattle and sheep for our 

 market Mr. B. Gray, who was once upon a time 

 a large exporter of horses to different ports of the 

 world, was invited by the owner of the vessol to in- 

 spect it, and pronounce his opinion as to its suit- 

 ability for the purpose. The following is the ri'sult 

 of his inspection. He says : — ■" I found a steamer 

 capable of carrying 350 horses, or a larger number 1 f 

 cattle, with some passenger accommodation. I had 

 not the slightest idea that there was such a vessel 

 afloat. Some IS years ago I sent several shipments 

 of horses to Colombo, also a few cattle and sheep 

 to my friends, Messrs. Rudd Bros., of that port, and 

 although I spared no expanse in procuring the best 

 ships and fitting them in the best manner, the losses 

 ou each shipment were a heavy drawback on the 

 transaction. I think I am s<fe in faying that in 

 nearly all shipments to India and Mauritius since that 

 time, heavy Ic-sps have been incurred, of course, 

 materially interfering with the trade. I was much 

 pleased, therefore, to find that in this steamer there 

 is everything necessary to minimize tho->e losses to 

 an extent quite marvellous compared to the days I 

 refer to. The spare allotted between decks to each 

 horse is 3 ft. x 9 ft., with 10 ft. in height, and some 

 18 ft. from bead to head in the rows. The hatch- 

 ways are from 20 ft. to 24 ft. long, 10 ft. wide, and 

 there are four of these, supplying a current cf air 

 equal to any requirement, while f>0 horses can be 

 placed on dick in equally comfortable quarters, for 

 the gnnwales are some 5 ft. high, and these are sup- 

 ported by iron arches, over which an awning can be 

 thrown, thus protecting in all weather, furled in fair 

 weather. All the fittings are of the most substantial 

 kind, the lloors battened and filled with sand between, 

 and these are cleaned every two days, makiug all 

 comfortable. The food is supplied in movable mangers 

 to which the men have easy access. Quite a novel 

 feature in our export of stock to India were a large 

 number of dairy cows that are being sent up for the 

 purpose of establishing a herd of these cattle in the 

 hill countries, and it appears to me that it will be 

 a most successful venture, for there can be no doubt 

 of the superiority of such stock over the native breeds, 

 both as milk and beef producers, and comfortably 

 lodged as these are in this fine vessel, I feel sure 

 they will be landed in as good condition as when 

 shipped. There was also a small lot of sheep, but I 

 fancy those selected, being cross-breds, are not the 

 animals suited to that climate ; however, it will test 

 the practicability of sending Bheep to India ; in fact, 

 the whole shipment is one of great import to Austr- 

 alia, and such an enterprise as building this vessel 

 lays all stockbreeders under a great obligation to her 

 owner, and I see no reason why live stock could 

 not be carried in such steamers to the English market, 

 especially from northern ports where such large tracts 

 of country are being stocked. The facilities for putting 

 stock on board this vessel are so great that a whole 

 cargo can be walked safely ou board in some three 

 or four hours, and transhipped with equal facility. 

 The lines on which she is built strike the most un- 

 nautical to be such as would ensure speed and safety, 

 and Captain Currie told me her record was 12 knots 

 an hour. No doubt a good deal of the success of 

 the trips of this boat is due to the sterling character 

 an her commander, who strikes one at first eight aa 

 117 



or thoroughly practical seaman, with his weather ey e 

 always open. The horses which form the chief cargo 

 this trip, are the property of Mr. Learmonth, well- 

 known in the Indian trade, and I think Col. Williams 

 must bo more critical than he is if he rejects any 

 of those I saw waiting to go on board. Tht\y were 

 also in splendid condition, speaking volumes for the 

 pasturage they had come oft, and I shall be much 

 disappointed if this does not turn out one of the 

 most successful ventures of stock that Australia has 

 shipped; and have only to add that my description 

 foil* short of what might b<i saul of so interesting a 

 subject to stock owners."— Indian Agriculturist, 2sth 

 March. 



PLANTING REPORT ON UVA, CEYLON. 



Badulla, 6th May. 

 Busy pinking here (on many estates two boxes). The 

 weather lias been fine for some time past: very hot during 

 the day; fine nights too, with a stiff breeze blowing. One 

 of your correspondents says that Helopeltis does not 

 actually destroy the cacao pods. All I can say is that I 

 have seen the exterior of pods so perforated by the pest 

 as to cause the skin to lose its vitality and become leathery ; 

 then the decay of the interior soon follows. Ou several 

 occasions I have also seen an insect, somewhat resembling 

 a louse, which bad taken up its abode in the perforations 

 made by Helopeltis This louse was rapidly deepening 

 rid in 0110 instance had got right into the pod, 

 so that the beans or seeds of the cacao were showing 

 through the skin. If therefore the Helopeltis does not 

 directly destroy the pod, it is the means of doing so in- 

 d:rectly. The discussion about the " devil-bird " in 

 your columns is very interesting : most people upcouu- 

 try, who have been any length of time in the island, 

 have beard it, but I never remember its identity 

 being discussed til! now in the Observer. There is 

 no doubt, in raj mind, that it is an owl or jar. I 

 heard it on one occasion singing (?) on a moonlight night, 

 in a fig-tree adjoining my bungalow, and certainly to 

 bear the song (?) at close proximity is blood-curdling. 

 I hope not to undergo a like experience in a hurry. On 

 the occasion alluded to I went out of the bungalow on 

 hearing cries (of a human being (as I thought at the time;, 

 whereupon a bird flew out of the tree and the cries and 

 groans were heard uo more. I cannot say what sort of bird 

 it was : 



" The fell scream of Howl may come from an Owl ■■ 

 The subject attention deserves ; 

 But certain we are 't is also a Jar, 

 A horrible, jar to the nerves. 



Glad to hear that Henry Oottam has returned to the island 

 after his extended travels and rough experiences. Hope 

 he will settle down quietly now. He would probably enjoy 

 himself more by so doing than by knocking about the world. 

 You know what Carlyle says : •' Oh unwise mortals that 

 for ever change and shift, and say Yonder, not Here! 

 Wealth richer than both the Indies lies everywhere for 

 man, if he will endure. Not his oaks only and his fruit 

 trees, his very heart roots itself wherever he will abide, 

 roots itself, draws nourishment from the deep fountains 

 of Universal Being ! Sam Slicks who rove over the earth 

 lining 'strokes of trade 1 what wealth have they? Sam 

 Slick rests nowhere, he is homeless. The wealth of a man 

 is in the number of things he loves and blesses, which he 

 is loved and blessed by ' The herdsman in his poor clay 

 shealing, where his very cow and dog are friends to him, 

 and not a cataract but carries memories for him, andnotl 

 a mountain top but nods old recognitions: his life, al 

 encircled as in blessed mother's arms, is he poorer than 

 Slick with the ass-loads of yellow metal at his back? 

 Unhappy Slick !" Mr. Cottam is the very man to take charge 

 of an experimental garden in Badulla, if one is to be es- 

 tablished here, as recently suggested. * He has had much 



* Unfortunately we learn that the Uva Experimental 

 Garden, like other good things, is put off till "next year " !— 

 1 Ed, 



