THF TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [October i, 1889. 
both to prevent the tree from dying and save it 
from future attacks. If an enquiry were instituted, 
we feel confident that it would be found tnat all 
the owners of coconut plantations invariably employ 
men of this kiud, and that their trees are duly pro- 
tected from attacks of beetles by the care and at- 
tention paid to them by those skilled iu getting 
rid of the vermin. It would be an extreme case, 
indeed, where they would resort to the necessity of 
cutting down a tree. Whenever they do so it i3 
simply to get rid of an useless tree, and with the 
object of protecting others, because the latter are 
looked after without reference to any injury a single 
tree may suffer from. Now in the case of these 
plantations, it would be unjust and unreasonable to 
require the owners to "forthwith" cut down a tree 
that may be attacked, because they would be com- 
pelled to destroy such a tree, although they might 
save it if they were not interfered with. 
We have said that the obligation imposed by the Act 
is also absurd. We say so because it does not neces- 
sarily follow that by cutting down the tree the de- 
struction o£ the beetles will be secured. The very 
act of cutting a tree down will induce the beetles 
that are on it to fly away to another, upon which 
they will commence their operations anew ; and, as 
a consequence, every tree on an extensive plantation 
would have to be cut down without any benefit to 
anyone, and without the proprietor receiving any 
compensation, as the owner of an important plantation 
cannot be considered to be " in needy circumstances." 
If there be any neglect in attending to the pro- 
tection of coconut trees from the inroads of beetles 
it must be, and, as far as our information goes, it 
is on the part of the Malays, the aboriginal natives 
of the place, who own small gardens with coconut, 
among other trees in them. These people are by 
nature too apathetic and indifferent to their interests 
iu other respects to care for a few coconut trees. 
They cannot feel the loss caused by the destruction 
of a tree or two, so long as they have something 
else to fall back upon ; and so far as they are con- 
cerned we believe it will not matter them a whit 
whether the trees are destroyed by beetles or by 
the subsequent action of the Government. We can- 
not, however, understand that either for the protec- 
tion of these or any others who neglect their plantations 
by allowing beetles to cause havoc in them with 
impunity, the owners of all coconut estates who do 
all that is necessary to protect their interests should 
be subjected to loss and annoyance by interference 
with their properties in the way the proposed Or- 
dinance intends to do, either as regards the cutting 
down of their coconut trees or the removal and 
destruction of "dead coconut trees or stumps or 
coconut timber rubbish heaps or other accumulations 
of dung vegetable refuse," wich the owners of such 
properties might have collected at considerable ex- 
pense for manuring the trees or other useful or 
necessary purposes. In one sense laws of this nature 
may be looked upon as attempts at interfering with 
the legitimate rights of Her Majesty's subjects. ■ 
It is very much to be regretted that prior to fra- 
ming Bills of the nature of the one which forms 
the subject of our remarks, steps are not taken to 
ascertain the views and opinions entertained by planters 
and other practical men competent to express an 
opinion on the subject at issue. As regards the pro- 
posed Bill under discussion, while we readily accord 
our Attorney-General and the Head of the Forest 
Department the possession of all the talent and 
qualifications which they are reputed to possess, we 
do not hesitate to say that the Bill would have been 
framed on other lines altogether if they_ had con- 
descended to invite an expression of opinion on the 
part of owners of coconut estates and others who 
by long experience in the management of their 
properties arc possessed of information. Such a course 
would have furnished those two gentlemen with most 
valuable information, of which they were evidently 
ignorant at the time they framed the Bill. With 
the present scare for fresh legislation, it would 
■ena as if our law framers had not the time to 
make enquiries or that th'iy think it beneath their 
dignity to be influenced by any other than their own 
particular views on maters calling for legislation, 
however uninformed and inexperienced they might 
themselves be on those matters.— Straits Independent and 
Penang Chronicle. 
PAPER MILLS IN INDIA.. 
The paper Mills industry in India is one of yearly 
growing importance in the considerable addition it 
makes to the extent of local manufactures, and the 
consequently diminished requirements from foreign 
markets. It is only under the present outlook of the 
relations of silver that any economic calculations can 
be projected from any data which can be made to 
show that the people of this country will need less 
of the manufactures and productions of other nations 
owing to enlarged indigenous productions, throwing 
a large weight in adjusting the balance of trade on 
silver imports and India Council's drawings. 
Paper manufacture by steam machinery was first 
commenced in India by the late John Marshman at 
Serampore. Working by a sort of rule-of-thumb process 
with anything but the most modern machinery — and 
no scientifically tested process — -the highest success 
scored by the mills was the well-known " Serampore 
paper." Even that was attained with great difficulty, 
owing to the effect of climate on the bleaching medium 
used. After various vicissitudes the mill was broken 
up, and the King of Bjrmah became the happy 
possessor of the machinery, lock, stock, and barrel. 
There are now nine Paper Mills — five in the Bombay 
Presidency, two in Bengal, one at Lucknow, and one 
at Gwalior. Three of these are under private, and 
the remainder under Joint Stock Association auspices. 
These mills manufacture blotting, brown, and white 
cartridges, white country paper, writing and foolscap 
papers, and colored coarse papers. The materials 
used are wheat and rice straw, rags, various kinds of 
grasses, o'.J jute, and hemp rope, or bagging, wood- 
pulp and waste paper. It is needless to say that the 
supply of rags is of too precarious a character and 
limited extent to admit of any extension of the 
quantity of any of the finer class of papers these 
mills can manufacture. The invested capital in these 
mills totals up to nearly £500,000. The largest mill 
is at Bally, and produces yearly about 3,100 tons of 
paper. The value of the yearly production of all the 
mills collectively is B/29,00,000, and they give employ- 
ment to about 3,500 people. Tne sale of the Indian - 
made paper is yearly increasing, and under more 
skdled superintendence, and the improved machinery 
which has recently been impor ed, the class of paper 
turned out is of a better quality, and commands a 
larger sale than hitherto. In the last five years, 
the value of the paper turned out from the Iudiau 
Mills has risen from R18,00,000 to E24,40,000. 
There is no apparent effect from the local industry 
on the value of the imports into India from foreign 
markets ; the expansion of the trade has been very 
great, and the consumption is now very large. Iu 1867- 
68 the value of the paper imports was K28,5O,O0O '. 
in 1877-78, R30,50,000, and in 1888-89. R40.26.921.— 
Indian Daily News. 
— — 
Tobacco Enemy.— Eead letter from H. Caine, Esq. 
Tobacco Expert, dated 13th April 1889. Abstract. Re- 
porting on the parasite "Bodu" Phelipjea Indica. Reso- 
lution— dated 3rd June 1889, No. 267. Mr. Caine's re- 
port, together with extracts from the correspondence 
which took place in 1883 and 1884 on the the subject 
will be published in the form of a bulletin for general 
information. Although no doubt the unfavourable con- 
ditions of soil to which Mr. Caine alludes may often 
predispose tobacco growing on it to attacks of bodu, 
there can be no doubt that the parasite is propa- 
gated by seed, and that it is necessary to remember 
this in making any suggestions for extirpating the 
pest. The matter will call for Mr. Caine's further 
attention when he next visits the Godavari. — Madras 
Board of Revenue. 
