PRODUCTIVE RESOURCES OE CEYLON. 119 



which, were open to European enterprise in the cultivation of oil-seetls and 

 dry grains by steam machinery, and the curing of tobacco. A ploughing 

 machine at home could turn up seventeen acres a day ; and here, where the 

 land was merely scratched with a stick, it could get through at least 

 twenty-five acres. Gingelly seed, which was sown broadcast, gave sixty 

 fold of increase ; and it could be cultivated, reaped, and threshed out by the 

 sole aid of steam. In all eases where steam could begin and end the work, 

 its employment could not fail to be beneficial. It would be far better that 

 the people should look to the dry crops generally, for the country was not 

 suitable for paddy cultivation ; in proof of which he stated the fact, that 

 whereas the Government in Pegu assessed the land for taxation on a presumed 

 increase of forty for one, paddy-fields in Ceylon returned but six bushels 

 of crop for one of seed. As for tobacco, it was grown extensively in the 

 Northern Province and the district of Negornbo, and was considered fully 

 equal to the best of foreign growths, so far as the leaf was in question. But 

 the mode of curing it was most imperfect. In order to develop the best 

 qualities of tobacco, it was necessary, after the leaves had been carefully 

 dried, to press them down upon each other with heavy weights, until the 

 sweating process was finished, when it would be found that the leaves were 

 all of one colour, and greatly improved in flavour. It would cost but a 

 trifle to erect drying sheds, and prepare in the above manner the leaf pur- 

 chased from the cultivator. Not less than a ton of tobacco must be pressed 

 at one operation, and it was therefore hopeless to expect thai the cultivator 

 could effect the needful inrprovenients. 



Samples of arrowroot, tapioca, cassava, and semolina, the latter a sub- 

 stitute for sago, were shown. The yield of arrowroot was 21 cwt. to the 

 acre, giving 15 jter cent, of starch. The grower sold his produce at 

 6s. per cwt., and allowing 11. for the rent of land, his profit was 31. 3s. The 

 prepared starch sold at 9d, per lb., and gave a profit of 2ls. per cwt. 

 Tapioca yielding 10 per cent., sold for local consumption at Is, 3d. per lb. 

 The roots were paid for at the rate of 4s. per cwt., and the manufacturer's 

 profit upon a hundredweight of the starch was within a fraction of 42. 



Mr Mead brought his observations to a close by expressing a hope that 

 Government would secure the assistance of qualified persons to analyse 

 and report upon the coxmtless mineral and vegetable resources of the 

 island, and he should rejoice to hear at a future period that the work had 

 been accomplished during the administration of Sir Charles MacCarthy. 

 In the eourse of the evening, Mr Mead took occasion to remark that 

 the whole of the fibres, starches,- &c, had been prepared at the Lunatic 

 Asylum, under the care of its highly-accomplished and energetic super- 

 intendent, Mr Wambeek. The dyed fibres looked very brilliant, and 

 a pair of mats, woven in gold by the lunatics from the aloe and coir 

 fibre, deserve especial notice. We had almost forgotten to say that various 

 medicinal substances were cited by Mr Mead as being easily and cheaply 

 procurable, which were now imported at much expense to the colony. 



