JULY, 1908.] 



71 



submitted a list of small field-owners - 

 the most insignificant of owners, holders 

 of six kurunies extent or thereabouts — 

 who usually depend on loans for their seed 

 paddy. From this list the most helpless 

 are selected, and, on appointed days, the 

 paddy, which is purchased for them by 

 Agents of the Society, is distributed 

 at the village market-place or the 

 most populous centre in the village, if 

 there is no market. The place and time 

 of distribution are fixed by me. The 

 reason for this is to give the widest publi- 

 city possible to the movement. 



The largest quantity given was twelve 

 kurunies, and the smallest six kurunies. 



At Akuressa the distribution took 

 place at the Akuressa V. C. Market, at 

 Pahalawalakada, at the Paraduwa Boys' 

 School, and so on, 



Measures are in contemplation to very 

 considerably extend the area of oper- 

 ations in the next yala harvest. It will 

 take years for a small body such as ours 

 to supersede the present system of 

 usury practised by the village money- 

 lender. That we could, in the course of 

 two seasons, rescue from his rapacity 

 over a hundred villagers is by no means 

 a small matter. 



Facilities for obtaining seed paddy on 

 reasonable terms, and the encouragement 

 of transplanting are the important 

 factors in the extension and improve- 

 ment of paddy cultivation. The lien 

 which the money-lender has over the 

 crops which supply the staple food of 

 the people is the principal deterrent to 

 the cultivation of many an acre of arable 

 lands. If it is possible to introduce legis- 

 lation to check this scandalous form of 

 usuary prevalent in the Island, the 

 sooner it is brought into force the better. 

 I think we may be pardoned for taking 

 some pride to ourselves for having been 

 the first to initiate a scheme for miti- 

 gating what has so long been an unavoid- 

 able evil. 



I am, sir, 

 Your most obedient servant, 

 JAS- A. WICKREMERATNE, 

 Mudaliyar , W. K. 



Hon. Sec, T. A. S. 



COCONUT CULTIVATION IN 

 THE PHILIPPINES. 



Wiltshire, Matale, 

 19th June, 1908- 

 Sib,— In the May numberof the "T.A.," 

 page 427,— Article on the Cocount in the 

 Philippines (contd.), — there appears the 

 following statement with regard to the 

 planting of Coconuts :— ' 



" The planting 'pit' fetish, in such 

 common use in India, has nothing to 

 commend it." 



The writer ol the article, who I take to 

 be an authority on the cultivation, does 

 not, however, state what kind of arrange- 

 ment in the matter of planting has some- 

 thing to commend it. 



As I am very much interested in the 

 planting and cultivation of coconuts, I 

 shall be very glad to learn anything 

 there is worth learning on this important 

 subject. 



Yours faithfully, 



E. GORDON REEVES. 



[If the nuts are not to be planted in 

 pits, they are presumably to go upon the 

 level, but the whole of the article was 

 published.— Ed.] 



TOMATO CULTIVATION. 



St. Joseph's Estate, 

 Weeraketiya, 19th July, 1908. 

 Sir, — I have the honour to forward for 

 your inspection specimens of two varie- 

 ties of tomatoes grown on St. Joseph's 

 Estate at Weeraketiya, as an experiment, 

 between coconut plants. 



No. 1. Variety, Tomato "Champion'' 

 „ 2. „ „ "The Peach'' 



Calculating their value at 3 cents per 

 fruit (local market value), a plant should 

 yield about Rs. 1*50 worth of fruit on an 

 average, so that tomatoes ought to 

 prove a remunerative catch crop. 



The district is a dry zone as will appear 

 from the statement of the rainfall hereto 

 annexed, and I think the result is due to 

 careful cultivation. 



Yours faithully, 



FRANCIS CRUSE, 



Rainfall. 



1900 ... 1st July to 31st Dec. ... 26-98 in. 



1907 ... 1st Jauy. to 31st Dec. ... 43'05 „ 



1908 ... 1st ,, to 30th June ... 23'46 „ 



[It is quite evident from the samples 

 of fruit received that great care has been 

 exercised in raising them. The fact is 

 also proved that, by proper methods of 

 tillage, good crops could be raised with 

 the minimum of rainfall. Mr. Cruze 

 deserves much credit for the results 

 shown. Not long ago he submitted for 

 inspection a specimen of Cuban Queen 

 Melon which, on weighing, turned the 

 scale at 19 lbs. and was of excellent 

 quality and flavour.— Secretary, C.A.S.] 



