THE 



TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF THE 



CEYLON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Vol. XXXII, COLOMBO, NOVEMBER 15th, 1908, No. 5. 



Literature of Tropical Agriculture. 



Complaints are often coming in that 

 the contents of the Tropical Agricul- 

 turist do not include more about tea 

 and coconuts. A study of the lists of 

 literature which we have for some time 

 been publishing will explain this. In 

 the last six or seven years the number 

 of papers on coconuts published has been 

 about 60, in all the journals (English and 

 foreign) dealing with tropical agricul- 

 ture ; while in the same, or less, time, the 

 number dealing with rubber has been 

 over (500- Tea fares but little better 

 than coconuts. 



When a product is " new," a great deal 

 is written about it ; but when, as in the 

 case of tea or coconuts, it is long-estab- 

 lished, its methods become more or 

 less stereotyped, and the man who 

 wishes to introduce improvements must 

 be prepared to do a lot of work for a 

 very small result. The same change is 

 coming over the rubber industry, and 

 the time when a man could easily in- 

 troduce great improvements in methods 

 of cultivation . or tapping is passing, 

 and careful detailed work and thought 



will be required. At the same time the 

 great profitableness of the industry is 

 going by, and success will be to the man 

 who most carefully, economically and 

 energetically manages his plantation, 

 and applies the results of science 

 to it. 



The old idea, so common here, that 

 Ceylon, by virtue of cheap labour, would 

 necessarily have things all its own way, 

 is being very markedly upset, as we 

 predicted years ago, and Ceylon is 

 no more facile princeps among tropical 

 colonies, People are, however, beginning 

 to awaken to the idea that a new age is 

 dawning, and that scientific treatment 

 is coming in in most things. Brute 

 labour cannot compete against improved 

 treatment, nor against machinery. 



We should be only too glad to include 

 more about tea and coconuts, did it 

 exist to include, even if it had to be 

 translated from another language. 

 Cacao, a crop of far less local importance^ 

 has much more literature. And be it re- 

 membered that the Tropical Agricul' 

 twist has 72 pages a month to be filled, 



