7 o 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [August i, 1889, 
since 1 867. There are large figures, actually rea- 
lised for stones found almost entirely by sinking 
little pits usually 10 or 12 feet deep, occasionally 
as much as 25 feet, and in one instance only, 
was pumping machinery employed to allow the 
gemmers to go down to the richer deposits 
underlying the strata nearer the surface." Again 
an old colonist with immense experience of the 
subject writes : -" From time immemorial the 
island of Ceylon has been noted for its precious 
stones, and the greatest portion of the island, 
especially the southern half, is pock-marked with 
the pits dug by ancient and modern gemmers. 
With few exceptions, these pits are of the most 
superficial character, as without adequate appliances 
it is impossible to keep them clear of water when 
they are deeper than 15 feet. The Sabaragamuwa 
district has always heen considered the richest 
field for gemmers, by far the richest has been 
North Eakwana, which now supplies the chief part 
of the sapphires, catseyes, and other preoious stones 
sold in Ceylon. The richest fields are situated 
on a plateau at the base of the Suriyakanda and 
Kabaragala mountains, on the top and sides of 
Eakwana, and extending from the Springwood estate 
on the east, to Martinstown estate on the west. 
During the last ten years, the gemming by the 
natives in this locality has been on the moBt ex- 
tensive scale, and auction sales of rough gems are 
not uncommon. It is stated that B90.000 worth of 
rough gems were sold at one of the auctions, the 
result of gemming on one of the estates at the foot 
of the Kabaragala mountain," 
It need only be added to this statement, that a 
considerable area of land is available for purchase 
in the above-mentioned district ; from which selec- 
tion could be made on behalf of a London and 
Ceylon Gemming Company. 
Mr. A. C. Dixon, no mean authority on such 
subjects, writes in reference to this part of the 
country: — "I visited the rich gemming districts of 
Everton and Batakanda, collecting rough and cut 
gems as well as their associated minerals. I saw 
other districts not far away as yet unworked, which 
I have reason to believe will prove richer than the 
Everton deposit." 
Perhaps it may be urged that as sapphires would 
constitute one of the principal sources of profit to 
a Gemming Company in Ceylon, any large quantity 
thrown on the market might cause a serious de- 
cline from present value, and on this point the 
testimony of Mr. A. Phillips is of special value. 
He says : — " About 1830 sapphires began to rise to 
exorbitant prices, which were maintained until 
six or seven years ago, when the large quantities of 
rough stones brought from Kashmir and Siam liter- 
ally glutted the market. If the supply be fifty times 
greater than at the beginning of last century, the 
demand created by the very cheapening of sapphires 
is practically certain to stay further decline in value. 
As an illustration of the plenteousness of sapphires, 
I recently received, in one consignment, 1,300 
stones weighing 4,626 carats, the sterling value of 
which was £16,680 or an average per carat of 
£3-12s-l£d." This indeed is evidence of the profit 
that would accrue on the operations of a Company 
producing large quantities of sapphires, and the 
statement that the average per carat value of 
sapphires is £3-12s-lid contrasts in an extra- 
ordinary degree with the miserable " one farthing 
each " of the 1,800 carats of rubies which were 
produced from the Burma mines as mentioned in the 
last article. Mr. Streeter writes :— " Fine sapphires 
under the carat in weight, if English out, vary from 
£4 to £12; if foreign cut £2 to £5; those of 
a carat weight £12 to £25. It must be taken as 
established beyond all doubt that the material 
for profitable working exists in great quantity and 
it remains now to show how it can be made 
available for the capitalists of Europe. There can 
be no difficulty whatever in instituting communica- 
tion between such capitalists and parties in the 
island, who are both willing and able to acquire 
the necessary ground for the venture, either by 
direct purchase, or by lease for a term of years, 
on annual rent or per acre. Native headmen and 
holders of temple lands as well as Europeans are 
alike ready to meet any demand that may be made, 
and the choice of favorable areas is at the moment 
probably more extensive than for some time past. 
In the districts of Eakwana and Morawak Korale, 
as stated above containing the richest gemming 
lands in the island, the estates which passed into 
the hands of Europeans could be purchased at 
favorable rates. They consist not only of land 
opened for cultivation of tea and coffee, but with 
considerable areas of jungle land attached, and these 
in many instances are more suitably placed as re- 
gards gemming than they would be for agriculture — 
being comparatively flat, wet, localities at the foot 
of the slope. At one time or other in the long 
past these were flooded no doubt by the streams 
from the hills, bearing in the d6bris brought down 
by the water, the precious stones which had lain 
hidden on the mountain sides. 
It would probably be considered necessary before 
deciding on any particular locality for gemming 
operations to thoroughly prospect it and ascertain 
from actual experiment what can be obtained from 
it. Here again the capitalist is met half-way by 
the landowners in Ceylon, several of whom have 
already expressed their entire willingness to allow 
their properties to be prospected, under certain 
conditions with which there would be no difficulty in 
complying. 
Such a prospecting party could be equipped and 
complete its work for a sum of £150 to £'i00, 
unless of course, it is considered necessary it should 
be accompanied by an expert sent from Europe. 
This would naturally be at the option of the capi- 
talists, who would otherwise be able to secure the 
services of sufficiently competent persons in the 
island, at comparatively a moderate cost ; and per- 
haps it would be as well if the organisation of 
such prospecting party were left to the parties in 
Ceylon who take the matter in hand. But as has been 
said before, this is at the option of the supporters 
and promoters of the venture in London, who no 
doubt would protect their own interests in a prac- 
tical form. And this protection of their interests 
as well as the organization of prospecting parties, 
with the ultimate possession of suitable land for 
their purpose, would be mere child's play in Ceylon, 
compared to what it would necessarily be in Upper 
Burma. That this is really the case needs no 
further demonstration and would only be a repetition 
of what has been previously advanced in former 
articles, and it will indeed be something inexpli- 
cable, should such a scheme meet with anything 
but the most favorable reception by capitalists in 
Europe who interest themselves in such enterprise. 
COFFEE AND GEEEN BUG; AND THE 
KEROSENE EMULSION. 
Mr. G. A. Dick of Eagalla, Udapussellawa, ex- 
presses the opinion that — "There is no doubt that 
the kerosene emulsion is a most effective remedy 
for green bug and that the latter can be driven from 
field to field and kept in check. Iam very hopeful 
that the bug will soon die out altogether." 
