June i, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



949 



okleu times (and hence the arecas !) some outlawed chief 

 is said to have made a hiding place, where amongst the 

 heavy origiual forest around there are any number of trees, 

 thickly growing, that I have seen myself in heavy crop, 

 the which some villager, I believe, annually purchases 

 Rnd picks. Many of the trees have grown up so long 

 and thin in their struggle for the light, raising their 

 heads above the forest trees, that it is impossible to 

 gather from them. This instance gives evidence also 

 against as a necessity, systematic cultivation. 



(13) The plant may be, as Mr. Borrou says, a greedy 

 surface-feeder ; but, though the fact seems now disputed 

 by the authorities as to the power of certain, or any, 

 plants to absorb nitrogen, I cannot help leaning to the 

 belief that the areca does thus derive much of its 

 nourishment from the atmosphere. I have a few well- 

 grown arecas and tea plants growing together without 

 apparently much interfering with one another ; and Sim- 

 mons in Tropical Agriculture speaks of the former as 

 used as a shade-tree for cardamoms by the natives in 

 parts of India — forming thus a dual cultivation. 



(14) I would endorse all Mr. Borron here says. The 

 only thing that might be added is that in the low 

 country, where the climate is a moist one, the tree will 

 be found to arrive at maturity, I should say, at least a 

 year sooner than elsewhere, much however, depending 

 on the soil. I believe it is a fact too, that, though I 

 cannot but in one instance speak on positive evidence, 

 under especially favourable circumstances, the varieties, 

 I gather, peculiar to the lowcountry are often in good 

 crop at the 4th year, a year earlier anyhow than the 

 common Oeylon species. 



(17) True! 



(21) Besides the common Ceylon nut (the Sinhalese 

 puwak), there are not one, but two varieties known here — 

 the " hamban " and "rata" puwaks. 



(22) I am glad I can now give you some additional 

 information as to the market values iu India, as it is a 

 very important point, iu fact an essential one, if the 

 enterprize is to be developed beyond local demand. I 

 have received a letter from an Indian house in reply to 

 my request, in which they quote the present current 

 rates as follows : — 



Sheriwardhun R38 to E40 per cwt 



Bassein R30 



Southern India R27 



Goa, and other produce. R22 

 but I am iu doubts as to the " other produce " including 

 Oeylon. 



It takes 10,000 nuts on an average to a cwt. (I believe 

 rathor less than more for the better kinds), which, on 

 Mr. Borron's figures of 480 trees (10' x 10'!) only, and 

 3U0 nuts per tree, gives 15 cwt. per acre. Suppose the 

 produce to be from the first variety, and, though at Mr. 

 Borron's estimate of yield, the gross stand at R600 

 per acre ? 



(23) I have not yet met with, or heard of, any disease. 



(24) A Government matter ! 



(26) After a lot of trouble I succeeded lately in pro- 

 curing a few thousand Sheriwardun nuts from the native 

 dependancy the place is in. These arrived in good order, 

 and, as far as I know, have all grown. The price I had 

 to pay for these nuts, selected ripe in the husk, especi- 

 ally for seed, was R22 per 1,000 on the spot, beside 

 some rupees on this for expense and freight. It is so 

 late in the season now that I fear more may not be 

 procurable till September next, but I am willing to help 

 anyone interested ; and, as a matter of business, to book 

 orders directed either to Messrs. Hayley & Co., Galle, 

 Messrs. Creasy & Co., Colombo, or to myself at 10 per 

 cent, on the above price (R22) and expenses; and 

 will endeavor to have them supplied at once, or failing 

 this as soon as possible. 



Taking this para as an advertisement, please charge me 

 for it. 



Udagama, March 25. 



Sir, — Iu my last letter the concluding sentence in 

 (22) was meant as an emphasized fact — one impossible 

 to be gainsaid, unless on the shewiug that 15 cwt. per 

 acre does not represent, and is materially in excess of, 

 Mr. Borron's estimated yield ; or unless my correspondent 



in India has misquoted the correct price given, which 

 is but remotely probable. Acceptmg the latter as correct, 

 the following tables, roughly calculated, may help to 

 shew more clearly the positiou of the enterprize under 

 each quotation, (1) on estimate of 15 cwt. elsewhere it 

 would seem accepted, ami I conclude generally, as a 

 safe, practical one, (2) ou this doubled, as the annual 

 yield when in full bearing all interested I think I may 

 say in this neighborhood, without guessing calculate cau 

 be relied on. 



It will be understood that a doubled yield does not 

 necessarily involve double expeuditure, though as done, 

 something extra must be charged to meet picking, 

 transport, &c : — 



At IS cwt. per Acre. 



(East Matale.) 



The above would seem to afford a curious illustra- 

 tion of how produce relating principally to the homo 

 market is apt to absorb and monopolize public attention. 

 Had arecas been an article of Europeau consumption 

 principally, though with a quarter the demand, the 

 merits of the industry would long since, no doubt, have 

 been dwelt on and discussed in the papers by the yard. 

 Tour evening contemporary, I noticed, recently felt 

 constrained to allude to it as a promising " minor " 

 industry ; but how, save stdl in its minority, this can 

 be so only on data as at the present, it would be inter- 

 esting and very important to be shown ; and, now 

 that the minds of men seem generally turned to the 

 East, possibly it may inspire more serious notice in the 

 press. The Editor of the Examiner, in reviewing Mr. 

 Borron's letter, I see, agrees in a closer system of plant- 

 ing, and also, evidently from an independent source, 

 reverts to the superior merits of the Shirwardun and 

 Mysore nuts. Though hardly likely to be able to throw 

 much light on statistics, there is much useful inform- 

 ation many natives no doubt can give, and I trust 

 now will come forward with — for or against. 



As far as I can make of it at present, as I said be- 

 fore, it seems to me tq bo a more easy and certain, as 

 well as more profitable and less costly — and, when the 

 interminable supplying necessary for the latter is con- 

 sidered, not less early — an industry than cocoa; that, 

 but as regards quicker returns, it in every respect claims 

 place beside tea, and is capable even as "wheeler" if 

 the traces of the latter are cut by over-production or 

 otherwise. 



The great need now is to show the reverse side of 

 the picture, if it exists. And, if this is to be done, it 

 seems to me it must be on the following queries : — 

 (1) Is, anyhow, 15 cwt. an acre really a fair estimate of 

 yield? (2) Granted the prices quoted above as correct, 

 are they abnormal? or, if they are not, would an 

 extensive increase of cultivation as now going on here 

 for tea render them so ? Under this heading I am en- 

 deavoring to obtain full information, which, if successful, 

 shall be given. — R. 



