194 



[March 1910. 



forced in self-preservation to establish 

 large reserves, and Canada is being 

 driven in the same direction. Timber 

 increases continually in price, and the 

 tnaking of wood pulp is reducing the 

 available supply more rapidly than 

 anything else. When we stayed upon 

 Puget Sound in 1902, it was necessary to 

 burn all timber felled to get rid of it— it 

 did not pay to haul it to the water. 

 Now the same timber is very valuable. 



In Germany we mainly stayed in 

 towns, where though I had discussions 

 with agriculturists and others, there was 

 little of agricultural interest to be seen t 

 I visited Hanover, and was shown by 

 Dr. Prinzhorn all over the works of the 

 Continental Rubber Co., and learnt from 

 him a good deal that will prove of 

 value in dealing with rubber. A point 

 he insisted upon, and which may as well 

 be brought in here, was that rubber 

 should be packed in smooth boxes. I 

 saw several of the rough boxes opened, 

 with well-known names on the outside, 

 and chips of wood, sawdust, and other 

 debris were adhering so firmly to the 

 rubber that it could only be removed by 

 the washing machines. 



A very noticeable feature in all the 

 German towns, which has not yet 

 appeared in England, was the Automat 

 Restaurants. Enteriug, the room was 

 bare but for tables and chairs, and had 

 no servants in it. All round the walls 

 were large belljars, about a yard across, 

 with a floor of white porcelain divided 

 into triangles, upon each of which was 

 placed a little dish of something cold, 

 beginning with Sardines and ending 

 with cakes at the other end of the room. 

 Putting 10 pf. (one penny) in the slot at 

 the side of the machine, the floor of it 

 revolves till one of the triangles comes 

 opposite to the opening, when it dips 

 down, and the dish slides out- You 

 take this away and eat it, and return 

 for something else. Further on are 

 drinks. All kinds of beer can be got. 

 You put a whisky-and-soda tumbler 



under a tap, drop in your penny, and 

 the beer runs out. Tea, coffee, cocoa, 

 &c, are all also supplied, and several 

 liqueurs, e.g., creine de menthe, in penny 

 glasses. For about 5d,-7d. one can get a 

 good meal at these places ; the weak 

 point is that one gets too much carbo- 

 hydrates (bread &c.; in proportion to , 

 the proteid (meat &c). 



A noticeable feature about Germany 

 as a whole is the " disciplined" nature of 

 the people. Each man attends to his 

 own business, and does that thoroughly, 

 with the result of great national 

 efficiency. One does not see in Germany 

 the " loafer " class that is only too pro. 

 minent in London and other English 

 towns ; one may leave the station and 

 walk through the town with a suit case 

 without being pestered by men and lads 

 wanting to carry it. The same is the 

 case in America or Canada, but not in 

 England or Ceylon, 



On the German trains the conductor 

 books one's seat. He takes your name, 

 enters it, and turns round a label above 

 your place, with a number upon it, and 

 no one else is allowed to .have that parti- 

 cular seat. A system somewhat like 

 this is slowly coming in in England, but 

 in America and Canada of course one 

 may book seats days or weeks in advance, 

 as at a theatre. 



Every railroad official in Germany 

 carries a pccket time-table, and can tell 

 you the times of trains to and from any 

 point. This is a system worthy of 

 copying. 



While on the subject of railroads, the 

 Japanese system may be noticed. At 

 every station there is a large board 

 put up, with notices (in Euglish and 

 Japanese) of all the interesting places 

 near the stations and the distance. Thus 

 one might at Henaratgoda station 

 put up : 



Botanic Gardens 1 mile 

 Asgiriya temple 1 mile 



and so on. 



