December, 1908-1 



569 



Miscellaneous- 



respects than those already mentioned. 

 For instance, such a fund may afford 

 means for training youths in agricul- 

 tural work by making it possible to 

 offer scholarships to those who qualify 

 themselves by examination to be sent 

 to other countries where rice cultivation 

 is more successfully and systematically 

 carried on, and where they can acquire 

 a proflcien ?y in the industry that will 

 enable them to introduce into this coun- 

 try new methods on improved lines. 



The recovery of the tithe from paddy 

 crops to form a fund in favour of the 

 cultivators being a very important 

 matter and entirely in their interest, 

 it will probably have to be enforced 

 as is done in the case of institutions 

 connected with sanitary reforms or 

 preventive methods. If the matter were 

 left to the option or consent of the 

 people, the results would be of a partial 

 or limited character. It is not the 

 initiation but the working out and 

 management of the business that should 

 be left to the cultivators, Success can 

 be attained only when, after the enforce- 

 ment of the tithe, the management is 

 entrusted to the hands of the Com- 

 mittee elected by the people. 



RURAL AGRICULTURE IN CEYLON: 

 AND HOW IT MIGHT BE 

 IMPROVED. 



By W. A, De Silva. 



There is considerable interdependence 

 in the different branches of agriculture 

 in Ceylon. The planting industry, 

 which comprises Tea, Coconut, Rubber, 

 &c, may eventually fiod that it has 

 to depend very greatly on the success 

 of rural agriculture for the continuance 

 of its present prosperity. There are at 

 present about six hundred thousand 

 acres of land under rice in Ceylon, and 

 there are several thousands of acres 

 which have been provided with irriga- 

 tion facilities and are only awaiting 

 development. The productive capacity 

 of the Ceylon rice-field has decreased 

 to such an extent that the average 

 yield per acre is, perhaps, the lowest 

 in any rice-growing country. This 

 average is about 8 bushels of rice per 

 acre, whereas in well-managed rice-fields 

 an average crop is more like fifty 

 bushels. 



The planting industry depends for its 

 success on cheap labour. Our labour- 

 ers feed almost entirely on rice, and 

 while a few years ago the cost of 

 rice averaged Rs. 3 per bushel— the 

 aveiage price per bushel has gradually 

 risen till it is now Rs. 5. Adjusting 

 72 



wages accordiug to the minimum cost 

 of living to a labourer, this increase 

 of price demands increase of wages, 

 if the old relations between employer 

 and employee are to be maintained. If 

 with rice at Rs. 3 per bushel the day's 

 wage was 33cts., when rice goes up to 

 Rs. 5 per bushel it ought to be 55 cts. 

 per day. The increase of wages, how- 

 ever, means a proportionate loss to the 

 industries concerned. 



Many employers of labour believe 

 that there must before long be a 

 decrease in the price of rice through 

 increased production in rice-growing 

 countries. But, if one studies the con- 

 ditions prevailing in the various rice- 

 growing regions of the world, this happy 

 prospect becomes more remote than ever. 

 Japan is not producing rice enough 

 to keep pace with the increase of 

 its population, and has to import 

 grain in large quantities every year. 

 It is the same in the Philippines and 

 Java. China does not grow all she 

 requires ; and in India, means of trans- 

 port have so improved, and the rural 

 population has increased to such an 

 extent, that her production of rice can 

 hardly keep pace with her increasing 

 deiuands. The two countries that have 

 some surplus for export are Burma and 

 Siam, Burmese rice is in demand in 

 Europe for manufacturing purposes, and 

 this demand is yearly increasing. The 

 Burmese producer, therefore, selects 

 varieties of rice best suited to the Euro- 

 pean market. 



It has often been suggested that in 

 Ceylon we may be able to draw largely 

 from Burma, could we overcome 

 the prejudice of the labourers against 

 Burmese rice. This prejudice, however, 

 Avould appear to be fouuded on a very 

 firm basis, though the labourer himself 

 is not quite aware of the fact. The 

 Tamil labourer consumes his rice without 

 the addition of fish or meat, and the 

 brown rice which he prefers to any 

 other variety contaius certain constitu- 

 ents that compensate for the absence of 

 animal food, whereas the white Burma 

 rice may be said to be practically pure 

 starch, 



It would thus appear that we must 

 look nearer home for the solution of 

 the food problem. 



Looked at from any stand-point, it 

 is evident that the improvement 

 of the rural population of a country 

 should receive the best attention of the 

 State in the iuterests of the general 

 welfare, and if it is fully realised that 

 neglect must eventually result in direct 

 loss to the whole country, the interest 

 taken in this problem should take a, 



