53 



statistics of a crop of Indigofcra arrecta sown on Marcl; 20, and yield- 

 ing before the middle of September, within a period of six months 

 two cuttings amounting to 2I,600 lb. per acre. 



If we take for Ceylon a rather higher outlay per acre than in 

 Java, say Rs. I20 per acre, and add to this the expenditure in work- 

 ing according to scientific methods of manufacture (say Re. I for 

 eveiy 400 lb. of crop treated) we arrive at a total outlay, for a yield of 

 32,000 lb. per acre of Rs. 200 per acre, and for a yield of 20,000 lb. 

 crop Rs. 170 per acre. The outturn of dye for Ceylon may be safely 

 estimated at about the same as that obtained in Behar by scientific 

 methods of manufacture, i.e., 2^ lb. of standard indigo paste per 100 

 lb. of green plant, though actual manufacture from plants grown in 

 Ceylon has shown that the yield of dye is higher than in Behar. 

 Arrangements have been made with a Mincing Lane firm to take 

 over this standard paste at the rate of 50 cents per lb. c.i.f. Colombo. 



The outturn of standard paste per acre yielding 32,000 lb. green 

 plant may therefore be estimated at 800 lb. of paste, value Rs. 400, 

 plus Rs. 148, the estimated value of the residual manure which the 

 decomposed plant yields after the dye has been extracted, making a 

 total of Rs. 548 against an expenditure of Rs. 200. In the districts 

 where only 20,000 lb. of green plant cnn be cut per acre, the outturn 

 of standard paste will be 500 lb., value Rs. 250, plus Rs. TOO, the value 

 of the manure, or a total of Rs. 350, against an expenditure of Rs. 170, 



There must further be deducted rent of the land (or interest on 

 the capital represented by it) and also the interest on the capital 

 invested in the building of a factory and depreciation. 



With the assistance of a few enterprising men in Colombo, this 

 question of the possibility^ of successfully pioneering" in Ceylon an in- 

 digo industry on up-to-date lines has been brought nearer torealisation. 

 Indigofcra arrecta and Indigofera sumatrana have been experimentally 

 cultivaed during the last six months in gardens wathin Colombo city, 

 as well as at higher elevations on coconut and rubber estates. The 

 plants have grown satisfactorily, as could not otherwise have been 

 expected, for indigo is a weed which will flourish well with ordinary 

 cultivation in all tropical and semi-tropical countries. Even where 

 it was sown broadcast on totally unprepared hard laterite soil a crop 

 has been obtained, though the growth is irregular. 



What was sown in Colombo in July last has already yielded two 

 cuttings (the second cutting at the rate of 14,500 lb. per acre), and 

 the plants are shooting out well for a third cutting. 



Plant grown in the Kalatara district has been manufactured in a 

 miniature factory according to scientific methods and has yielded 

 well, the outturn of dye being much greater than the Behar plant 

 yields, and was equal to 3% lb. of standard paste for 100 lb. of green 

 leaf. 



You will have noted that I have added to the value of the dye the 

 estimated value of the manure, which is a by-product of indigo 

 manufacture. This is a most valuable asset, especially for Ceylon, 

 where the soil cries out for manure more and more every year. The 



