September i, 1885.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



223 



Mr. Elliott had made clear, that the so-called water-rate, 

 considering the certainty brought by irrigation, was 

 most moderate and the Government levy in Cejlon 

 was far less than in India where, as Mr. Elphinstoue told 

 the speaker only a few days ago, he found the 

 people at Trichnopoly gladly paying at the rate of 

 K9 per acre year bj year for water privi- 

 leges. In conclusion, he would only say that the 

 wants and capabilities of each district, and its people, 

 in the island must be judged by Government on their 

 own merits, and while he cordially agreed with much 

 that Mr. Elliott had siid about Matara and Batticaloa, 

 Government ought not, in other districts at least, to 

 forget that there were other industries worthy of 

 direct encoaraaement besidfs rice-growing. (Applause.) 

 Mr. Bfrwhk thought that the discussion had 

 travelled a good deal beyond the limits observed by 

 the writer of the valuable paper to which they had 

 listened with so much interest. That paper had to do 

 with rice cultivation solely in the Matara and 

 Batticaloa districts, and he had not risen so much to 

 discuss its merits as to gain information on certain 

 points which puzzled him. He wished especially to 

 know whether any account had been taken of the 

 large original outlay of public money on the irrigation 

 works in districts referred to. Had Mr. Elliott 

 ta,keu this heavy item into his reckoning? As regards 

 the gentieman (Mr. Rama Nathan) who apparently 

 would wish to stop the cullivation of paddy (No, no, 

 from Mr. Kama Nathan) he would like to know if 

 he had considered what the effect would be on the 

 cost to us of imported rice if there were not a large 

 local production to act as a check. (Hear, hear.) 



Mk. a. M. Ferguson' remarked that Mr. Elliott, 

 by his very interesting and useful paper had proved 

 himself doubly qualified, by national origin and 

 acquired experience, to treat of the subject of 

 paddy. (A laugh.) The facts he had stated with 

 reference to the districts of Matara and Batti- 

 caloa showed that good results could be obtained 

 from rice culture in Ceylon, where a steady supply 

 of irrigation water bad been provided. But still 

 better results could be obtained, if only the natives 

 under good and scientific advice sowed one bushel 

 of seed to an acre instead of two, germinating the 

 seeds in nurseries and putting out the plants in the 

 fields in drills, as was done in India and more 

 especially in Java, where be had been delighted to 

 see the careful and scientific mode of cultivation 

 adopted by the peasantry. Another great improve- 

 ment in the culture of rice in Cejlon would be the 

 teaching of the natives to he less e.xtravagant in 

 the use of water. They flo del th-ir fields, instead 

 of irrigating them, thus converting what was intouded 

 to be a semi-aquatic plant into one wholly aquat c, 

 its produce being less in quantity and deficient in 

 nutritious properties in proportioQ to the waste of 

 water. We in Ceylon, with our poorer soil, oould 

 not compete with fat alluvials of India and Burma, 

 but Mr. Elliott had shown that rice culture in the 

 island was susceptible of great improvement and 

 cculd be so conducted as to hi remuneralive to the 

 natives. But Mr. John Fergujon's tiguris showing 

 apparent decadence instead of progress in production 

 in the specially favoured district of Batticaloa were 

 80 bewildering, that, however sorry he might be to 

 say such a thing in the presence of the honourable 

 gentleman who occupied the chair (Mr. Kivtnscroft), 

 he was cimpellfd to regard the question as one of 

 utterly iinieliable Bluebook statistics. (Laughter.) 



Mr. J. C/trrER said it should not be forgotten that 

 nearly all the nee locally produced was r< quired by 

 the cukivators for thim-elvps and t'eir families — 

 very little was thro'Tn into the markets for sale. 

 The Commission of 1SH7 had to deal with the retnrni 

 fof ^he ieUnd g«a«rall]r in glvieg (b«ir low eitimtt« 



of production, bat there had never been any doubt 

 that under irrigation, the cultivation of rice would 

 pay and yield handsome returns. As regards tho 

 Blue-books, the figures were indeed a mystery, for in 

 addition to what had been iaid about Batticaloa, ho 

 might mention that the Kurunegala district now 

 showed the heaviest yield — some ^6 iDushels per aero — 

 in the country and Badulla 21 against (ii bushels 

 for Batticaloa. (A laugh.) 



Mr. A. R. Dawson, o. c s., could not with so much 

 confidence speak of Batticaloa, but as regards Matara ho 

 could with certainty say — nothwithstanding any contra- 

 diction in the Blue-book returns — that the production 

 of rice had been steadily piogressive and he would 

 recommend Mr. Ferguson when in doubt as to tho 

 crops to turn from the Blue-book agricultural tables 

 to the Revenue returns which were a sure index to 

 the amount and value of the crops. In the case of 

 Matara, the revenue from grain had greatly increased 

 since the irrigation works were completed. As regards 

 Batticaloa, the system which had prevailed 

 there of selling the rents was a very un- 

 certain, unreliable one and could not tail to 

 lead to much uncertainty as regards the produce 

 returns ; but this would all be rfctiHed by the work 

 of the Grain Commission. In reply to Mr. Berwick's 

 enquiry he would state that in some cases the expend- 

 iture on irrigation works had been rapid by the cultiv- 

 ators benefitted, in a certain number of (ten) annual pay- 

 men's ; in others by the addition of a rupee per acre to 

 the rent in perpetuity. He hoped that the paper now read 

 would be the precursor of others equally instructive on 

 the Food Supply of the country, and the various 

 topics connected therewith. (Hear, hear.) 



Mr. J. Fergu.son explained that he had not 

 criticized the Matara crop returns, but only those of 

 Batticaloa. He thought, that with the Colonial Secretary 

 in the Chair and so many rising Revenue Officers in 

 the room, they ought to urge the necessity for greater 

 attention in sending in Bluebook returns : the Gov- 

 ernment Agents ought to compare their revenue and 

 crop statements year by year, and afford in notes 

 needful explanations, or their own opinions on the 

 produce figures where large discrepancies occurred. 

 (Hear, hear.) 



Mr. R. VV. Ievers, c.o.s , only rose to mention with 

 reference to Mr. Ferguson's statemeut about Burma 

 that in a book he was reading the other day, written 

 by a traveller in that country, it was distinctly stated 

 that he (the writer) had learned from the people their re- 

 turn of crops was fiom 10 to 2,i fold— [Mr. J. F. — I referred 

 to British, not native, Burma]. He could not sea that 

 tliH country could ditt'r so much as to allow of a n- 

 turn in another direction of 250 fold as had been stated. 

 Mr. H. VV. Grekn (Direoiorcf Pubic Instruction): 

 I worked out the returns from rice cultivation in Burma 

 not long ago in company with a friend, and we found 

 as the result that the crops were equal to 70 and 150 fold 

 (Laughter.) 



Mr, Elliott, in ruply oa the disoussioB, pointed 

 out that the discussion had gone over wider 

 ground than he had covered in his paper j indeed, 

 had extended to the whole question of paddy-growing 

 throughout the island, WliBrtas he had restricted his 

 paper to rice cultivation under irrigation, and to 

 ■vVhat was being done without entering on the question 

 of what might be secured by improved cultivation. 

 He had in his time advised a large expenditure 

 in the Matara district on irrigation, and, now that he 

 could adduce actual results, ho was naturally anxious 

 to vindicate the correctness of the views he had eo 

 long held. In reply to Mr. Rama Nathan's objections, 

 he pointed out he hnd given the details ofcultiV' 

 ation in his statemei.t ami had provided for tools 

 allowing in grain 1 amuiiam of paddy or at the rate of 

 7^ butbela for 25 torea. Mr. Crowtber bad allowed 60 



