Tinder cultivatiou since tlie commencement of the British administration in th 

 country. The agriculturist enjoyed many advantages here, but the times are changed 

 so much that it will not do for him to remain in ignorance. The labor-market now 

 presents difficulties which did not exist before. Taxation has increased. The increase 

 in the price of articles of comsumption is great. In the midst of these altered circum- 

 stances, the agriculturist begins to see that only by improving his art can he cope 

 with the difficulties. 



A brief sketch of the present state of agriculture in this district' may not be out of 

 place. The Cavery begins to flow in June, and continues to supply the fields with 

 Avater till October. Cultivation commences soon after the southwest monsoon sets in, 

 and ends when the northeastern monsoon ceases to bring down rain. Rice only is cul- 

 tivated. In some places two crops are raised, but only one crop is raised in the greater 

 -part of the delta. The great body of land-owners possess no capital, and the few who 

 save do not invest their savings in the improvement of their lands. The consequence 

 is, the agriculture of the district is left in the hands of a laboring class called " Para 

 Kudi," who generally own a pair or two of plowing cattle, and till, on an average, 

 not more than six or seven acres. The understanding between the Pura Kudi and the 

 landlord is by no means satisfactory, and the art of tilling is therefore neglected, each 

 being satisfied with what little can be scraped, and neither willing to employ skill 

 nor cai)ital. There is a total want of improvement in the implements made use of by 

 the farmer, and the condition of the cattle is truly deplorable. These, added to the 

 subsiding of the river floods at irregular times, render agriculture very unsafe for the 

 email and moneyless farmers in many places. 



This is the chief cause why only one croj) is raised in the greater part of this dis- 

 trict. The raising of water two feet higher is never thought of, and and whole tracts 

 are left waste, though, during the season of cultivation, water is never two feet below 

 the surface. Many an improvement might be made in the art of agriculture that is at 

 present carried on in the district, and the association has this in view. A model farm 

 will be established this year, with a view to show practically what improvements can 

 be eftected in the art. Experiments in the use of manure and in the culture of various 

 grains and plants will be undertaken, and the results carefully recorded. In its en- 

 deavors the association has received much help and encouragement from the superin- 

 tendent of the Government Experimental Farm at Madras. 



FACTS FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES. 



The phylloxera in France. — The Prefect of the Department of the 

 Ehone has published a decree directing the mayor of each Commune 

 within his jurisdiction, upon tlie indication of the presence of the phyl- 

 loxera, to i)roceed at once to determine the limits of each local district 

 infected by the insect. Every vine affected and all the roots within 5 

 meters are to be dug up and burned. This decisive measure has not 

 escaped sharp criticism. To save the vine lands of the Ehone from de- 

 struction by this pest, it is now proposed to secure winter irrigation by 

 a grand canal connected with that river. M. Dumont, Ingenieur en chef 

 des ponts et des chaussees, has developed, before a governmental commis- 

 sion, a scheme for the construction of such a canal, within four years, 

 at a cost of 102,000,000 francs. This, it is supposed, will rescue from 

 destruction over 00,000 acres of vine lands, yielding products worth 

 200,000,000 francs per annum and taxes amounting to 20,000,000 francs. 



The Gulf region as a field for emigration. — The American 

 Patron, a journal published at Finley, Ohio, having addressed a series 

 of inquiries to intelligent parties residing in different parts of the Gulf 

 Coast, in regard to the eligibility of that section as a field for northern 

 immigration, received an official reply from Citronelle Council No. 7, 

 Order of Progressive Farmers, Mobile County, Alabama, to the follow- 

 ing effect : 



