Edible Products. 



510 



[June, 191*2. 



tion Ordinance, of which Batticaloa con- 

 tributed 85,000 Bushels under Birch s 

 energetic auministration. 



In 1860 the attention of the Governor 

 was called by the Secretary of State to 

 the unsatisfactory and inconsistent 

 statistics in the Colonial Blue Books, and 

 Sir Charles McCarthy issued instructions 

 which appear to have had the desired 

 effect to a great extent. An improve- 

 ment as regards agricultural statistics 

 was their publication by districts, which 

 has rendered it more possible to correct 

 palpable errors as already explained. 



I will accordingly use these more 

 reliable figures in discussing the develop- 

 ment of the industry during the past 

 50 years. 



The important point which the above 

 return clearly indicates is the steady 

 improvement and extension since the 

 passing of the Irrigation Ordinance in 

 1856. The earliest and most marked 

 results were secured at Batticaloa, where, 

 aided by the irrigation works initiated 

 during Sir Henry Ward's admiuistration, 

 the production averaged 1*1 M. B. P. 

 (1866-71) or about four times what it had 

 been between 1851-6. 



In the next period (1872-6) the crops of 

 the whole island averaged 7 M. B. P. off 

 530,000 acres, with a rainfall of 74"; but 

 they rose to 8 M, B. P. in 1876 under the 

 influence of a fall of 92". 



Prom thence onwards, there was a 

 regular wet cycle " for a period of 

 fifteen years, during which the rainfall 

 as registered at Colombo averaged 96", 

 in the agricultural twelve-month ending 

 on the 30th April in each year. This was 

 of course most favourable to cultivation 

 in the Sinhalese districts, especially the 

 North-Western Province, with its enor- 

 mous area of suitable land. On the 

 other hand the returns disclose that the 

 N. E. monsoon was frequently deficient 

 and consequently the districts which 

 chiefly depend on it, had short crops. 

 This was specially the ease at Batticaloa, 

 where extension had goneaheiad too fast, 

 and outstripped the capacity of the 

 irrigation works, which are largely 



dependent for this 9upply on streams, 

 rising in the outlying lower ranges of 

 U va, where the entire rainfall is under 

 80" even in ordinary years, and three- 

 fourths of it is contributed by the N. E. 

 On the other hand the heavy wet ap- 

 pears to have been unfavourable to the 

 Kegalle district, where there was a con- 

 siderable reduction in the crops from 1884 

 to 1892. 



However, in spite of these defections, 

 the very favourable climatic conditions 

 in other parts of the island, aided by the 

 irrigation works in the Southern and 

 Noi th-Central Provinces, led to a con- 

 siderable advance both in production 

 and acreage as follows : — 



1878-82-8-6 M. B, P. off 581.000 acres. 

 1888-92-9 -2 M. B. P. ' off 574,000 acres. 



Though the average' rainfall for the 

 years 1893 to ' 97 was reduced to 85", there 

 was a further increase to 11'8 M. B. P. in 

 1896 (R. P. 93") and the average of the 

 period was 10'7 M. B. P. off 589,000 acres. 

 This was due to a satisfactory recovery 

 of Batticaloa in both respects and to 

 increased production in the Western 

 Province, which had been improving 

 since 1878, and reached its maximum 

 in 1882. 



With much the same climatic condi- 

 tions there was another satisfactory 

 advance during the next period (1897- 

 1902) to 11 6 M. B. P. and 663,000 acres. 

 In 1903, there was an exceptionally heavy 

 rainfall (114") and the magnificent crop of 

 13-8 M.B.P., off 716,000 acres, the highest 

 ever attained in Ceylon. But though the 

 other four years were deficient in rain, 

 the average crop for the period again 

 showed an increase to 12*3 M.B.P. off 

 687,000 acres. 



With fully tivo-thirds of the paddy 

 lands of the Island dependent for their 

 water supply on the direct rainfall, 

 it is not surprising that the dry cycle 

 which has prevailed since 11)04 has led to 

 somewhat smaller crops, but it is gratify- 

 ing to find that the lowest is practically 

 10 M.B.P. in 1906, when the Rainfall was 

 only 69 ". This result was largely due to 

 an almost total failure in Batticaloa, 



