July i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
69 
tively easy to make a commencement in reviving 
their cultivation by removing, — in that part of the 
country, — the restrictions on ohena cultivation 
under certain conditions, and by letting the natives 
have such land as they require free of taxes for 
a year a two. At the same time the headmen 
must be given to understand they will be expected 
to persuade the natives to return to their old 
employment of spinning and weaving. It would 
be but soant justice were this done and done at 
once. 
I may mention that not very many years since 
cotton was growing wild in the neighbourhood of 
Hambantota, propagating itself year by year from 
plants originally cultivated in the experimental 
Gardens which were tried there a long time ago. — 
Yours faithfully, EDMUND WOODHOUSE. 
OOTTON CULTIVATION BY THE PLANTERS 
IN CEYLON :— No. 1. 
Dbae Sir, — At the risk of being aocused of orying 
up " nothing like leather," permit me a few further 
remarks on cotton cultivation. One might feel 
inclined to sympathize with Mr. B.olloway's first 
unsuooessful attempt, but his feeble wail of despon- 
denoy, his hysterical demand for a reprint of the 
difficulties of others, his hasty conclusion that 
cotton will not pay, oan only excite painful surprize. 
It is not in this spirit that the Ceylon planter is 
accustomed to wrestle with a new product. Prob- 
ably no product suffers more from pests, large and 
small, than cacao, but wherever the locality is 
suitable and the planter's work good, then cacao 
thrives and pays well. If however, the cacao planter 
like Mr. Holloway, had contented himself with merely 
sending his moan to the papers and then giving in, he 
would soon have found his boot on the other leg. 
Let Mr. Holloway indulge himself if he will in 
idle day-dreams of his defunct coffee, but let him 
modestly abstain from such hasty generalizations as 
that cotton will not pay in Ceylon. 
Of course if a man plants in poor land, he must 
expect poor crops. If in a windy place, his 
bushes will be battered and his pods scattered in 
times of storm. If in a very wet climate, much 
of his orop must stick during the rains. If 
planted at stake a certain percentage must fail. 
If grown in the hot, moist portions of the country, 
insect pests will be troublesome. But it is satis- 
factory to know in spite of Mr. Holloway that 
cotton is adapted for a large portion of Ceylon, 
that its cultivation need cost but little, that returns 
are quick, that prices are good, and that whatever 
this colony may do, the market is practically 
unlimited. It is true that like all other vegetable 
products, it is troubled with inseot pests, but so 
far as my limited experience goes, these oan be 
fought, and fought successfully, not from one's 
desk, but by frequent personal inspection. I have 
a splendid little field of sea island cotton of about 
six acres, planted last year. The plants are now 
strong, healthy bushes oovered with crop in all 
stages, and after some little careful but inexpensive 
cultivation, I oould not this evening find a single 
red bug. I have no intention of gratifying Mr. 
Holloway's curio ity as to the figures in my ledger, 
but knowing the small expense I have incurred, 
seeing the crop, and awure that . ven now in these 
times of low prices, Sea Island cotton ranges in priue 
at home at from Is to Is 9d per lb., I am quite 
satisfied with my prospeots in ootton. 
So far it would appear that, the Sea Island 
cotton is the best variety for i-juropean enterprize. 
It is reputed the more delicate, but it re- 
tponds to gop.l cultivation, it is a perennial, the 
sooton is easily oleaned, its value is very high, 
the seed is better for cattle, and I have found it 
a quick and free bearer. For native cultivation 
probably the kidney or rata-kapu would prove the 
best. If not actually indigenous it has become 
thoroughly acclimatized, it is very hardy, and will 
stand much neglect, while the cotton is of fine 
quality and would be gladly purchased locally by 
the Colombo Spinning Mills. 
It may be be asked what is Government doing 
to foster the beginnings of a great cultivation ? 
What broad liberal views are they taking of the 
future? I am afraid little more than an 
absurdly managed experimental field at Mahara 
and the offer of free seed to the natives 
With the gradual decadence of coffee and 
the possibility of tea falling to a non paying 
point, there is small hope for Uva and its extra- 
vagant railway, save by the general cultivation of 
some such product as cotton : 
1, The headmen ought to be plainly told that 
their offices and honors depend on the extension 
of native cultivation amoni/st the villagers. 
2 Village roads should be freely improved and 
extended. 
3. The carriage of ootton by tin railway should, 
as a new product bringing new traffic, be for a 
time at least at third class rates. 
4. Crown ohenas should be rented out on some 
liberal and intelligent system. 
5. Seed should be supplied, not free, but at a 
nominal price afterwards recoverable. 
6. And such other encouragements as may seem 
good to the powers-that-be. 
A. G. K. BORRON. 
NO 2:— MR. BLACKETT'S COTTON EXPERI- 
MENT. 
Doteloya, Aranayaka, 8th June 1889. 
Dear Sir, — I noticed your remarks about my 
Jack Tree Hill cotton in your paper of the 4th 
instant, and I am sorry I cannot give you any 
further particulars of cost &c. yet. 
I had to give up ginning with the little wooden 
gins as it was such slow and expensive work, 
but thanks to Messrs. Dariey, Butler & Co., who 
took the trouble to get a gin over from Tuticorin, 
the ginning is being done by those gentlemen for 
me just now. I hope to get all the cotton away 
from Jack Tree Hil! very soon and have it 
shipped, and soon after I shall have much 
pleasure in giving full particulars through the 
newspapers. In the meantime I do not think it 
will cost me more than 15 cents a lb. f. o. b. 
Everyone who visited Jack Tree Hill to see the 
cotton growing there, including vir- P. H. Price, the 
Assistant Government Agent ®f Kegalla, WL're agreea- 
bly surprised and delighted with the fine appearance 
of healthy strong bushes heavily laden with crop in 
alt the stages. Mr. Price was much impressed with 
what he saw, and seemed satisfied that the product 
would be well-suited for the natives, and took a 
good deal of trouble to draw up instructions for 
their guidance, and sent copies to the newspapers. 
I have seen no cause whatever since, to modify 
the instructions or reduoe the estimate of crop of 
135 lb. an acre, and I more than ever con- 
vinced that the produc is well suited for natives, 
and that they will take to it h. artily 
after a time, and that it will find occupation for 
many thousands of unemployed women and children, 
and will more than take the plaoe of native 
ooffee of former times. I say more, because 
cotton will succeed where coffee could not be 
crown in the lowcountry. For Europeans, ootton 
will be found a most profitable adjunot in young 
tea clearings below 2,000 feet, as well as i 
