THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[April r, 1890 
The history of the Great Moghul's diamond, 
identified by Professor Ball with the Koh-i-Noor, is 
far less sensational than the story told by Sii Edwin 
Arnold. It was found in the mine of Kollur 
" at seven days' journey eastward from Golconda, 
and was given in 1656, most likely less than 
hundred years after its discovery, to the Great 
Moghul, Shah Jehan, by Mir Jumla. In its rough 
state it weighed about 756 carats. It was after- 
wards cut by a Venetian named Hortensio Borgio, 
and reduced in weight to 268jf carats. Accord- 
ing to Professor Ball's theory, it was again cut in 
Persia to 186£ carats, and in England to 106 fa carats. 
Tavernier believed the Great Moghul's diamond 
to be the largest cut brilliant in the world. Next, 
in his opinion, came the Grand Duke of Tusoany's 
diamond; "but it is unfortunate," he says, " that 
its water tends towards the colour of citron." His 
commentator would identify this stone with " the 
Austrian yellow" now in possession of the 
Emperor of Austria, and valued at something 
between £40,000 and £156,000. Tavernier also saw 
in India a table-shaped diamond, with aflat surface 
about in. long and over an inch broad. Its 
owners wanted £56,250 for it ; and Taveruier seems 
to have thought it was quite worth the money. 
No one knows what has become of this beautiful 
stone ; but Professor Ball tells us it has most likely 
been broken up. The same fate has doubtless 
overtaken a diamond of 155| carats, which Tavernier 
purchased at Ahmedabad for a friend, — Pioneer. 
" 'T IS TEA." 
(The Song of the Present in Ceylon.) 
'T is tea, 'tis tea, 't is tea, that makes Ceylon go on— 
The dainty maiden, labour-laden, the highest hills she 
climbs ; 
And well she stands, in many lands, beneath earth's 
various climes, 
And lowly still, with ready will, on sea-bound plain she 
spreads ; 
Oh 1 she fills our isle with her flushing smile, but the cold 
north wind she dreads ; 
'T is oh, oh, oh, for the fragrant flav'ry tea, 
And ever may she grow and ever glorious be— 
For 't is tea, tea, tea, that makes Ceylon go on ! 
For 't is tea, 't is tea, 'C is tea, that makes Ceylon go on— 
The Arabian berry once wss king of our romance, but 
now he 's" at his grave, 
And no kindly hand can his weal command, no one his 
life can save; 
He 's dying and he 's dead, behold his haughty head 
low boweth to the ground, 
And lowly doth he languish in agony and anguish, for 
see he is uncrowned ! 
'T is oh, oh, oh, for the coffee that must go, 
But well for us yet, for we feel and we know 
That 't is tea, tea, tea, that makes Ceylon go on ! 
'T is tea, 't is tea, 't is tea, that makes Ceylon go on— 
The green green field that once would yield its wealth 
of berries red, 
It is doomed to the death, it breathes its last breath, 
and soon it will be dead ; 
And sad, sad, sad, was the prospect that we had, when 
first his death-knell rang, 
But now a joyful peal in our spirit deep we feel, with a 
gushing hopeful clang : 
'T is oh, oh, oh, for the coffee that must go, 
But well lor us yet, for we feel and we know 
That 'tis te-j, tea, tea, that makes Ceylon go on ! 
'T is tea, 't is tea, 't is tea, that makes Ceylon go on— 
The princess tea our stay shall be, for us the hope hath 
won, 
And in our need a friend indeed, the good to us hath 
done ; 
So on her wo will wail and both early yet and late we '11 
tend her with great care, 
So may she thrive and grow, and vanquish every foe, so 
we her wealth shall share : 
'T is oh, oh, oh, for the fragrant llav'ry tea, 
And ever may she grow and ever glorious be— 
For 't is tea, tea, tea, that makes Ceylon go on ! 
Alfred Q. Nicholas. 
Dilioya, 
IRRIGATION WOEKS IN THE HAMBAX- 
TOTA DISTRICT, CEYLON. 
Iukigation — Walawe Works. — The large and im- 
portant works connected with the Walawe irrigation 
system are now approaching completion. The huge 
anicut across the Walawe river at Liyangahaela, which 
was finished at the close of the year, looks a grand and 
imposing structure, well worthy of prominent notice in 
the history of the Province for the important part it is 
destined to play in the future well-being of the people. 
Its dimensions are fully described in a report furnished 
by the District Engineer in charge, and attached to 
my Administration Report for 187. Some additional 
work is necessary in the shape of wing walls below the 
anicut for the protection of the banks against erosion dur- 
ing heavy floods. Two masonry spill wallsatBarawakum- 
buka are also required for the escape of cross streams. 
I had hoped that the close of the year would have wit- 
nessed the commencement of cultivation in the first 
open piece of ground below the head works, but the 
unexpected discovery of rock in three places has de. 
layed the cutting of the main channel. This obstacle 
will however be overcome and the channel may be ex- 
pect d to be opened at an early date. With the ex- 
ception of the rock cutting and the masonry work 
alluded to, the main channel has been completed as 
far as the Mamadala valley, where a block ot about 
3,000 acres is available for cultivation. The section 
to Etbatuwa ha6 yet to be cut to bring the water into 
the Kachobigal-ar valley. Subsidiary channels are now 
being traced down towards Tawaluwila end Ambalan- 
tota, which, when cut, will complete the whole scheme 
for the irrigation of 9,000 acres on the western side 
of the river. It is perhaps too soon to press for the 
irrigation of all the fine stretch of land on the eastern 
side of the river in Magam pattu, but it is bound to 
force itself on the attention of Government at no 
distant date, owing to the comparatively small 
expenditure required and the great demand for 
land that will arise when the scheme on the other 
side has been developed. The same anicut will 
divert the water, aDd the old channel is there in 
a fair state of preservation, only requiring to be 
deepened in some places. 
The additional scheme of bringing water to the town 
of Hambantota by a branch channel from a point above 
Ridiyagama is also worthy of consideration, if only for 
the sake of furnishing the townspeople with a good sup. 
ply of water. It will fill three tanks on the way — 
Ridiyagama, Koggala, Uda Beragama — and some natu- 
ral depressions capable of being turned into paddy fields. 
One of the ideas in connection with this soheme was to 
fill the Karaganara salt lewaya with fresh water, and 
keep it so all through the year. The presence of a large 
body of fresh water near the town is no doubt commend- 
able on hygienic principles, but it remains to be seen 
whether the water can be kept fresh. 
The trace of the Hambantota channel has been com- 
pleted up to a point near Hondawalpokuna within four 
miles of the town of Hambantota. Its distance so far 
is 32 miles, but I cannot help thinking, after referring 
to the plan, thnt a shorter way can yet be found, as the 
distance from the Walawe anicut to Hambantota in a 
straight line is not more than 15 miles. When nearing 
the town the trace ought to be carried along the ridge 
dividing the Karagan-ar from the Maha lewaya, so as 
to fill the fresh water ponds at the end of it. 
Tissamaharama. — The cultivation under the irrigation 
works at Tissa was an undoubted success this year. 
Two crops were sown and reaped from an extent of 
900 acres, producing 36,000 bushels of paddy. The ex- 
tent cultivated for the present maha season is com- 
puted at 1,000 acres, the largest on record. The 
quality of the paddy is so good that producers find 
no difficulty in selling it at remunerative prices in 
Hambantota, Tangalla, and Matara to which towns it is 
almost all carted. 
The three tanks referred to in my last report have 
already been so far repaired by the upkeep coolies 
as to enable a reserve supply of water to be stored 
in case the main tank runs short. Attention is now 
being direoted to the restoration of another large tank 
