6 4 4 
THr TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [March i, 1890. 
NEW INDUSTRIES AND BOUNTIES: 
OUB FIBROUS PLANTS AND PULP0US OB TEXTILE FABBICS : 
A PAPER MILL — FIBRES — PEPPER GROWING. 
A gentleman who has given much intelligent 
attention to the question of the utilization of the 
fibres to be obtained from plants grown in this island, 
suggests that perhaps it may not have been wise 
to have limited the scope for their employment 
to the manufacture of texti'e fabries only. In his 
view there is a far wider field for the utilization 
of the very numerous fibre-producing plants already 
known to us in the manufacture of pulpoue 
material. There is no doubt that there are many 
sorts of fibre which, while unsuited for working up 
as a textile, are admirably adapted for such matters 
as papermaking, &o. from pulp. 
We have but very recently seen an instance of 
the kind referred to in the case rf the straw-board 
which the Stanley- Wrigbtson Syndicate are using 
for the manufacture of tea h>xes. But that is but 
one case out of very many that might be cited to 
prove how great a pity it is that so much valuable 
vegetable growth should be allowed to remain un- 
utilized. We have too often directed attention to 
the number and diversity of these to render it 
necessary that we should here make fresh reference 
to them. If the Stanley-Wrightson Syndicate 
carries out its proposals to their full extent and 
establishes Mills in Ceylon for the purpose 
of manufacturing straw-board for its own re- 
quirements, we feel sure a great impetus will 
be given to the further prosecution of industries 
of a similar character. The advance in science 
of but a very few years comparatively has com- 
pletely changed the conditions on which the manu- 
facture of solid pop.de from pulp used to be dependent. 
The enormous pressures which can be brought to 
bear through the agency of hydraulic machinery 
has rendered possible the treatment of many 
fibres which before the introduction of that machin- 
ery were necessarily regarded as so much waste 
material. 
There will be many of our readers doubtless who 
have seen in operation in different parts of the 
world, prr cesses which might be usefully added to 
the list of Ceylon Industries. Now that the Manu- 
facture of Cotton Goods has been introduced among 
us, and that having, as we believe, a prosperous 
future before it, — a start has been made which 
might readily receive development, and the erection 
of a Paper Mill might next be tried. Of course we 
do not suggest the attempt to rival the high-class 
papers of Europe. We only make the suggestion 
'that most of our local fibres are well adapted to 
the manufacture of those coarser papers, the use 
of which enters so largely into all modern trading 
concerns. If some of our readers can by their 
experience enlarge upon this subject, we feel sure 
they will be doing useful service to the Colony. 
But while thus advocating the establishment of a 
new and, as we believe, promising manufacture, 
we would still urge the attention of planters and 
others to the advantage of utilising Aloes for their 
fibres and of promoting an export trade for Ceylon 
such as has become so important in the case of 
Mauritius and Bahamas, &c. Here is an interesting 
communication which ha" 1 reached us by last mail 
from Mr. P. Cummins (formerly of our P. W. 
Department) who has taken so much interest in 
the subject : — 
Penryn, January 23rd. 
John Ferguson; Esq. 
Dear Sir,; — 1 forwarded to you a few days 
ago a parcel containing a sample each of 
.Manilla, Aloe and 'Sisal fibre. If the descriptor! 
giyep of the latter "a gieyish grown opiQiir with 
thorny spines on tho odgi s of the leaf" be comet, 
you will fiod it growing in the N.-C. Province. I can 
recall having seen a lot of it growing on the road- 
side at a village named Ratmaligahawewa lying be- 
tween Madawachchi and Horowa Potana. 
I am told that the price of a Si6al fibre extracting 
machine is £20 and is fold by Mr. "Van Buren, mana- 
ger of the Industrial Machine Works, Jacksonville, 
Florida. 
I hope to be able to seed you a plant or two of a 
rare species of Aloes of a dark green colour bordered 
with a broad bright band of yellow and thorny spines 
on the edges of the leaf. — I am, 6ir, yours truly, 
F. Cummins. 
1 think Mr. Davis's suggestion about Manilla hemp 
worth consideration. It is considered the best of all 
fibre for rope making and realizes the highest price. 
The samples sent by Mr. Cummins r can be 
seen at our office. We would suggest that 
one or other of our Ceylon Machinery Firms 
take steps about getting a Sisal Fibre-extractor 
or such information aB may enable th:m to 
judge of its usefulness. A bounty from the 
Ceylon Government for the fir-t ( ton of marketable 
aloe or sisal fibre might have a good effect, and 
prove money well spent in starting a new industry, 
—an industry moreover which would be cer- 
tain to benefit a large i umber of the natives. 
Bounties for the supply in quantity of new 
products is one of the simplest and moBt practical 
modes of helping to develop • fresh and suitable 
industries, which can be adopted by the Ceylon 
Government. The total outlay is known from the 
first and it is ridiculously small as compared 
with the cost of an experimental field on official 
account, or the average of irrigation votes. 
In this way, why should not the Assistant 
Agent of Kegalla be empowered to offer moderate, 
but sufficient bounties, to the villagers who will 
bring him appreciable quantities of pepper 
and so endeavour to revive an industry which 
led the Dutch over two hundred years ago 
to declare that pepper, far more than coffee, was 
likely to be the richest and most abundant product 
from the interior of Ceylon. The Three Korales 
was then the great pepper-growing district of 
Ceylon ; but the industry— a purely native one — 
has nearly, if not quite disappeared. Would its 
revival and prosperous extension— there is no 
tropical product for which at present there is a 
better market— not be as great a feather in the 
cap of Governor Sir Arthur Havelock as the creation 
of a new Province and the connected works, has been 
to any of his distinguished predecessors ? 
CEYLON TEA IN LONDON: 
Meeting of the Tea Committee of the London 
Association. 
(Copy) 4 Mincing Lane, London, Jan. 31st. 
A. Philip, Esq,, Secretary, 
Ceylon Planters' Association. 
Dear Sir,— Referring to your letter of November 2nd 
last I enclose copy of minutes of meeting of our Tea 
Committee beld here ou Monday last, 27th instant. 
In regard to the scheme for advertising Pure Ceylon 
Tea I need only add that I shall be prepared to carry 
out here any arrangements that your Committee think 
it aelvisable to make. 
I enclose copies of the circulars from the Indian 
Tea Districts Association in regaid to the regulation of 
supplies of tea for sale in London. 
1 also enclose copies of the letters that have appeared 
in The Times as to'the Tea Duty, and I may add that 
I have sent to that newspaper a copy of the resolutions 
of the To Committees on the subject. Tou wd! see 
that there appears in tie correspondence a ' wide dis- 
crepancy in rliH ti.,ur. s ^ivon for ti c Hem consumption 
of tea iii tho Umiod>£ ingdom, on tho one baud Sir R. 
