THE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 



Tropical Agriculturist and Magazine of the G. A. S. 



Compiled and Edited by A. M. & J. FERGUSON. * 

 No. I.] JULY:, 1912. [Vol. XI. 



CEYLON'S ONLY INDIGO ESTATE. 



A VISIT TO BARON SCHROTTK Y'S AREA 

 AT KALUTARA. 



A Good Catch Crop. 

 (By our Special Representative.) 



There is doubtless considerable interest 

 among planters in Ceylon in the Indigo crusade 

 now being conducted in the Island by Baron 

 Schrottky, a well-known Indigo planter and ex- 

 perimentalist. Baron Schrottky is conducting 

 experiments at Kalutara, with a view to proving 

 the statements he made at the Board of Agri- 

 culture meeting in March ; and recently our 

 representative had an opportunity of going over 

 the estate and witncssiogtho process in its actual 

 working phase. 



The estate itself, L3gos, is situated some three 

 or four miles from Kalutara station, and, it must 

 be admitted, was not seen under the most pro- 

 pitious circumstances. Rain fell heavily the 

 whole of the day. The journey from the station 

 to the estate road was made in a gharry, and in 

 many cases the road was axle deep in water. 

 Heavy streams had gullied the road, and often 

 had out right across. The journey, incidentally, 

 provided suggestive thought as to whether 

 Ceylon roads are constructed on the most suit- 

 able basis. That, of course, is a matter not within 

 the scope of the present article. The estate road 

 was like most estate roads, and the hackery trip 

 oan be confidently recommended as a real liver- 

 shaker. 



A Healthy Growth. 

 The estate is in somewhat hilly country and 

 the bungalow stands on the top of the main 

 eminence. As one descended the last slope 

 into the valley, one caught the first glimpse of 

 the indigo growing area, and it was at once 

 noticeable that the shrubs were of good 

 growth and strength. The bungalow is sur- 



10 



rounded by the plants, those about the 

 house being mere dwarfs in comparison 

 with those on the estate proper. For some 

 time the rain made the verandah a more com- 

 fortable habitat. Hills in the distance were 

 veiled in mist, and the country beyond the con- 

 tines of the estate was nebulous in the wind- 

 swept downpour. Naturally one took advantage 

 of the opportunity of the occasion to get a bet- 

 ter insight into the system of indigo planting, 

 and Baron Schrottky gave details showing the 

 wonderful improvements that had been effected 

 in scientific treatment. 



Arbecta Plant for Ceylon. 

 During a brief cessation a trip round the es- 

 tate was made. There are something like sixty 

 acres under cultivation chiefly of the new plant 

 Indigofera Arrecta, a native of Natal. There 

 was also a portion devoted to Indiqofera Sumat- 

 raw, but even a cursory glance was sufficient to 

 show which was the more useful variety. The 

 Arrecta yields a larger crop, is a hardier plant, 

 withstands prolonged drought better and does 

 not need to be sown every year, It will crop 

 for at least three years. Sumatrana, on the other 

 hand, which is the original plant, attains to 

 nothing like the size of the new variety, and at 

 Lagos were like pot plants compared with the 

 Arrecta. The latter grew to a height of quite six 

 feet, and new cuttings three feet in length were 

 frequently discernible. 



Prolific Yields Here. 

 Ceylon, according to Baron Schrottky, is emi- 

 nently suitable for the Natal plant, and our 

 representative was assured that the land had 

 in no way been prepared for the sowing. This 

 was proved by the fact that on the harder 

 ground the plant had not attained the same 

 healthiness as on the softer and looser por- 

 tions. According to Baron Schrottky four, five 

 and six cuttings may be expected as against 

 one in India, where owing to climatic con- 

 ditions, the growing season is restricted to some 



