Edible Products. 



22 



[July, 1912. 



during the last three years of the exis- 

 tence of the grain tax (1890-2) was 1'3 

 M. B. P. off 75,000 acres. Though there 

 have been small fluctuations during the 

 subsequent 15 years (1893 to 1907) there 

 has been no practical advance on these 

 figures. 



It is significant that this development 

 was concurrent with the introduction of 

 compulsory commutation in the district 

 and that the abolition of the grain tax 

 has* apparently had no effect on paddy 

 cultivation in the Colombo district. 



In Kalutara district the G, C. register 

 showed a total in 1878 of 48,103 acres, but 

 though this was reduced to 45,273 in 1887, 

 the B. B. returns show an increase in the 

 area cultivated from 30 to 40,000 acres 

 and in production from 488,000 B. P. 

 (1878-82) to 643,000 (88-92) and the average 

 of the last three years of grain tax was 

 744,000 B. P. off 40,000 acres. 



In the succeeding period 1893-7 there 

 was a small reduction in production, but 

 subsequently there has been a consider- 

 able falling off, especially since 1900. 

 The Assistant Agent in his report ascri- 

 bes this to want of care and attention on 

 the part of the cultivators, but as the 

 area tilled in each year has been generally 

 over 40,000 acres, I think the smaller 

 crops secured are probably due to un- 

 favourable climatic conditions, as the 

 district has a very heavy rainfall run- 

 ning to about 160" both in the Pasdum, 

 and Rayigam Korales, besides being liable 

 to floods in the Kaluganga. This view 

 is supported by the fact that the best 

 crop of recent years wad in 1908 when 

 the rainfall was short and the worst in 

 1903, when it was exceedingly heavy. 



On Irrigation in the Western Province 

 the expenditure has been small, amount- 

 ing (at end of 1906) to Rs. 67,128 on con- 

 struction for the benefit of 4,522 acres, 

 and Rs. 14,000 on upkeep, making a total 

 of say Rs 80,000 against which about 

 half has been recouped by Land sales 

 (Rs 17,000) and rates and repayments 

 (Rs 22,813) besides the increase in the 

 Government share of the crops affected 

 prior to its abolition in 1892. Taking this 

 Pit the moderate figure of Rs 1 per acre per 



annum, this asset may be put at Rs 13,000 

 additional, leaving an outstanding 

 balance of say Rs 27,000 which would be 

 worked off in time if the small excess of 

 the rates recoverable in perpetuity over 

 maintenance were treated as a sinking 

 fund. 



In Sabaragamuwa, the aswedumised 

 area was in 1819 about 22,600 acres which 

 had increased to 27,800 in 1831 and by 1867 

 reached 33,000 inclusive of exemptions. 

 The Grain Commissioners' returns show 

 27,215 as liable to tax in 1882, exclusive 

 of temple lands about another 7,500, 

 making a total of say 35,000 acres, but 

 the Blue Book returns give the average 

 area cultivated at 34,000 (1878-82) pro- 

 ducing 363,000 B.P. By 1893-7 these had 

 both increased, to 53,000 acres and a 

 production of 799,000 Bushels, under the 

 fostering care of Mr. H. Wace, who ruled 

 over the district for 8 yea"s (1885-93) and 

 paid much attention to its agricultural 

 development. The Government Agent's 

 (Mr. Hellings) report (S.P. VI of 1908) 

 indicates there has been no increase in 

 cultivation and " the tendency is rather 

 to a decrease of acreage cultivated." He 

 gives no figures in support of this view 

 and an examination of the Blue Book 

 returns that the average acreage cultiv- 

 ated was in excess of the above figures 

 till 1900; and though there was a de- 

 crease to 41,000 in 1906 and 1907, it was 

 due doubtless to the short rainfall which 

 prevailed all over the island while the 

 returns for 1909, shew an advance to 

 46,000 acres. These figures go to negative 

 the view that there is any disposition 

 to abandon the cultivation of paddy in 

 favour of other employment, even if 

 owing to adverse climatic conditions the 

 returns are not equal to those secured in 

 favouiable years. 



Irrigation expenditure in the district 

 to end of 1906 amounted to Rs. 267,278 on 

 construction and Rs. 54,000 in mainten- 

 ance of works benefiting 4,436 acres ; 

 while the total recovered came to 

 Rs. 62,808 (rates Rs. 36,148 and Land Sales 

 Rs. 26,660). These works are situated in 

 the eastern portion of the district for 

 the benefit of the scanty population 



