156 COFFEE PLANTING IN CEYLON. 
items in his first year’s expenditure are ordinarily 
correct. We now come to the second year, which ag 
regards omissions, is a fitting continuation of the first. 
Topping, staking, suckering, draining, &c., are in the 
opinion of our economical banker works, if not alto- 
gether unnecessary, at least too insignificant to render 
an estimate of their -cost necessary; the wretched 
talipot hut still exists, and the lines erected in the 
first year are as waterproof as ever. So much then 
for our ‘‘reliable” estimate! ! ! | 
It is the incessant croak of these so-termed ready 
writers, who do Ceylon so much harm. The not im- 
probable result of Mr. Andersou’s effusion will be a 
flood of small capitalists into the colony, who with 
£1,000 in one pocket and ‘‘ Young Ceylon” in the 
other will rush headlong into the first speculation 
which offers, and of course come to grief. H Mr. 
Anderson would eontent himself with his counter, and 
leave the framing of estimates to men more competent 
to the task, he would receive the thanks of taoose 
who have a soul above ‘‘Cash Credits,” and who know 
far better than he possibly can the advantages Ceylon 
offers to the capitalist. 
Practical men know but too well the cost of open- 
ing up land as it skould be opened, and although 
possibly the modern planter is backed up in his tight- 
laced notions of economy by men of such standing 
as Mr. Brown, still it requires but a glance at the 
estates opened up by these £8 and £10 per acre men 
to convince the most seeptical that economy can be 
carried too far. You have difficulty in ascertaining 
the direction of the lines, the holing is not worthy 
of the name, the roads, if any exist, are dangerous 
to walk upon, and the term slovenly is applicable 
on all sides. Land, te be thoroughly opened up, 
drained, roaded, with permanent buildings, &c., repre- 
sents £25 per acre at the end of the third year. Ti 
done at a lower figure, you may be pretty certain 
that something has been neglected and the property 
is not what it should be 
Mr. Brown estimates nothing for ‘‘General Trans- 
port,” ‘‘Miscellaneous,” ‘‘Draining,” and ‘‘Contingent 
Expenditure.” Lining he thinks can be done for 2s 
per acre, while the cutting of pegs is supposed to 
cost half as much again; surely under this latter head 
Mr. Brown must have included the cost of lime for 
whitewashing them ! 
It would be well to ventilate this matter as much 
as possible, and ascertain from men of experience in 
the new districts the actual cost of opening up land 
proverly. 
The estimate Mr. Sabonadiére has been pleased to 
