THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, [November i, 1887; 
rente to Colombo ; and no sooner were the grapes 
gathered and weighed out, than they were put in 
wicker baskets of Navanture manufacture, provided 
with an amplitude of airing, which baskets being 
suspended to Pingoes, the coolies hastened on in their 
laborious and often hazardous journey, proceeding 
more at the pace of the lamplighter than either the 
tappal rwnner or the baggage bearer of the present 
day— the owner of the whole concern accompanying 
them and travelling like one of them. Arrived at 
Colombo, they often succeeded in realizing from 2 
shillings to 4 shillings per lb. The lower rate was 
accepted only when the grapes had signs of rot or 
decay about them. Otherwise they generally realized 
their 4 shillings, and at times even 5 shillings the lb. 
Is there anything equal to this exciting trade at the 
present time? We positively say no. In the first 
place the vine-bowers are no-where. They have dis- 
appeared as in a vision or a dream. Time was when 
the propritors of vine-bowers were themselves also the 
speculators, as in the case of the late Mr. Nicholas 
Bowdewyn. By small trade between Jaffna and Co- 
lombo he had acquired large wealth. Part of this he 
laid out in houses in the Pettah, of which he was 
possessed of less than 6 in different most eligible 
sites. In all these houses, there were vine-bowers. 
The average yield of each of these bowers was from 
£15 to £26 an year, which was capable of being tre- 
bled, if not quadrupled, by being sent to Colombo 
on his own account. Consequently, he often made the 
journey to Colombo, notwithstanding the terror of 
elephants and other beasts. But how many vine-bowers 
are there at the present day in the Pettah ? Not one 
worth the name. How is it in the several country 
villages where the red-soil predominates? There are 
less than nothing at all. Why then speak of other 
fruit trees, if the mango and the grape fare so badly ? 
There are oranges, pomegranates, pineapples, anonas, 
melons, cucumbers, and other fruits, which if only 
largely produced will find a ready market in Colombo, 
now that Colombo is being daily visited by the steam 
ships of all the world. — " Jaffna Patriot,'' Sept. 30th. 
— : ♦ 
CEYLON UPCOUNTRY PLANTING REPORT. 
Insect enemies — the drought and the cacao chops 
— bug — a model broker's circular. 
10th Oct. 1887. 
During the last few years the Ceylon planter 
has had his fill of vegetable pests. He has a 
wholesome horror of all kinds of blights, fungi, 
and creeping things, and when he finds an in- 
sect in any number feeding on a promising cult- 
ivated product, in the voracious manner which 
as a rule distinguishes that low-bred creation, his 
imagination wakens up at once. The less he 
knows of the new-comer, the more easily does He 
build up the record of its future, and foreshadows 
its conquering career. It has appalling potential- 
ities : down its greedy maw he can see disappear 
in mournful procession all the fruits of his 
labours and the hopes he has rested on : the crea- 
ture grows into a veritable " Jabberwock " and 
pursues him into the land of dreams. It has 
even a wider empire. A new poochie has been 
kno wn to flutter such calm surfaces as scien- 
tific authorities. This was especially notice- 
able during the cacao scare : for a man 
to appear at that time say at the Peradeniya 
Gardens bent on entomological enquiry, and armed 
with specimens, sent a shiver through the whole 
staff. Borers, sucking bugs, fly and other abomin- 
ations had been too much for the placid atmosphere 
of exact knowledge, especially when they came in 
with a rush, and an excited planter at the tail of 
each of them. Of late I have had my eye on an 
in.-ect whi' h, in those days, would have caused no 
t-nd of a stir. I have seen it on cacao, devouring 
the foliage at an amazing rate. I have also watched 
iti career on the tea bush, and I have heard of 
it infesting forest trees. It is a worm inside of 
a vegetable casing, a kind of house whioh it 
carries with it. When on the lower surface of a 
leaf it hangs straight down, when on the upper it 
stands straight up. It seems to be capable of 
spinning a kind of web, and it can riddle a hole in 
a leaf in no time. In appearance it is like a 
periwinkle shell — the long tapering kind — and it can 
move from place to place with considerable ease. 
In the " Lepidoptera of Ceylon" it is classed in 
the genus Aprata, and according to Moore 
it rejoices in the name of Manatha albipes. 
It spreads slowly, but I know of one tea estate 
where last year R200 were expended in keeping 
it down, which sum has had to be doubled this. 
It was that significant fact set me inquiring further 
into its manners and habitt, and how best to fight it. 
Those who ought to know speak rather highly 
of it as a pest. To destroy it, just give the infested 
tree a shake, that will cause the insects all to 
hang down. Then pass a lighted bunch of grass 
quickly through the branches, and as the vegetable 
coating over the worm is very inflammable it will 
readily take fire and the insect will be destroyed. 
This is the best time to operate ; but even sup- 
posing it is allowed to fulfil its mission and bursts 
into a moth, its natural enemies, in the shape of 
birds and other things would soon reduce the 
numbers, were there a tendency to increase beyond 
the normal rate. 
The croton caterpillar which so scourged that 
plant last year, as to leave in many places nothing 
but bare boughs, is hardly to be seen this season. 
The havoc which crows, birds, fowls, frogs, ants 
and other things made with the moth, with per- 
haps the addition of climatic effects, have certainly 
checked the increase. A similar result is con- 
fidently looked for of the lllanatha, albipes, should it 
multiply to the position of a pest. All the same, 
it is better not to give it the chance, and whether 
children be sent to pick the worm off, or the 
fire be applied, it will be the part of wisdom to 
keep the worm always in its right place. 
The drought, which happily has now broken up, 
has been especially rough on Dumbara. The cacao 
has suffered considerably, although perhaps not so 
much as might have been expected. Still it has 
been severe enough to affect the coming crop, and 
I have heard your estimate of this product for the 
coming year set down as much too high. 
Bug is retiring to an obscure life in the jungle, 
and let us hope it will stay there. Patches of trees 
can be seen perfectly black with it. All the same, 
it has not left the coffee, but hangs about it as 
unwelcome as " the man in possession." 
What a model circular that is issued by Messrs. 
Wilson & Co. the other day ? Planters and others 
are much indebted to that firm for the pains it 
has taken to make it so interesting and so com- 
pltte. Peppeecobn. 
♦ — 
DELI TAMIL IMMIGRATION. 
(From the Straits Times, September 24th.) 
The Netherlands Indian Government has once 
more taken up the subject of Tamil coolie immi- 
gration from India to Deli. The question has been 
under consideration for years, and the Deli plant- 
ing commuity has made no small stir about the 
matter, but, so far, without success. By last 
advices from Java, the proposals before the author- 
ities there to meet the end in view have at last 
taken definite shape. Suggestions have been for- 
warded to the Dutch Heme Government respect- 
ing the steps to be taken in British India for the 
purpose of concluding a convention 'regulating 
the emigration of Tamils to the East 
