20(1 



spades. It occurred to an Engineer of the Company that a spade was not a spade 

 for this sort of work, as in some places the soil to be removed was heavy and in 

 others light. He accordingly tried in each kiud of soil all sizes and shapes of spades, 

 to get the best results in each place, and now the man who is digging gravelly soil 

 at one place uses a different spade from the man who is digging clayey soil at 

 another. So great was the saving thus brought about that 1,000 men fewer were 

 needed for the upkeep of the gutters. 



Somewhat similar is the way to proceed with agricultural tools in Ceylon, 

 We must first study carefully all the various kinds of native implements for doing 

 any particular kind of work, and endeavour to get at the reasons for their construe, 

 tion in such or such a way. Then Ave must study the best modern implements used 

 for the same or similar purposes, and endeavour to get at the reasons of their 

 construction in particular ways. Then we may return to the native implement, 

 and modify it very slightly in the desired direction, making only such a modification 

 as will improve it in cheapness or efficiency and yet not render it unfamiliar to 

 or not to be repaired by, the ordinary villager, nor make it appreciably more 

 expensive. Then the new tool should be carefully and exhaustively tested against 

 the old, and only when it has definitely proved its superiority should it be intro- 

 duced to the notice of the villager. 



Once the new tool has become established, further improvement may be 

 taken in hand, and so on, but we must be very careful not to try to go too rapidly, 

 nor to make large steps. 



On estates, of course, progress may be a little more rapid, as expense comes 

 less into consideration, and the supervision is European, but even here Ave must 

 go slowly. 



Already the American " cultivator," or multiple small plough, is coming 

 into use in the Madras Presidency in a A^ery much modified form, consisting of 

 small wooden plough blades fastened to a central beam and tied together with 

 string. But the use even of this simple tool results in a considerable saving of labour. 



There seems no reason to suppose that the labour of cultivating loAV-country 

 estates, at any rate, could not be considerably reduced by tlie employment of 

 simple tools. 



To devise really useful tools for a high upcountry estate, where the 

 plants are growing on Avhat in England Avould be considered as precipices, is 

 of course a matter of great difficulty, but for lovvcountry estates which are 

 comparatively level, and in which the soil is comparatively free of stones, it 

 should not be difficult to devise simple cultivators, seed-drills, and other such 

 instruments which would result in a great saving of coolie labour, and conse- 

 quently a reduction in the number of coolies employed, a matter which may any 

 day become of very great importance. 



