December i, 1888.) THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
385 
♦ 
To the Editor. 
INTERCHANGE OP PLANTS BETWEEN 
JAPAN AND CEYLON. 
Yokohama. 7th Sept. 1888. 
Dear Sir, — I was much interested in the re- 
mark!; made by Dr. Trimen about Japanese plants 
in Ceylon. It can be quite understood I think 
why plants from here are not likely to bo suit- 
able to Ceylon, when it is remembered that vege- 
tation in Japan has a distinct period of rest 
during the dry cold winters. The climatic oon- 
ditionH of Japan again vary very much, more 
so in fact, than most countries. For the same 
distance in latitude you have a greater difference 
of temperature than can bo found in most countries. 
This is owing to Japan's position being placed 
between two opposing extremes of climate, viz. 
that pertaining to the northern part of China, 
Kamsohatka and Behring's Struitt- and the well known 
" Kuso Siwa" or Gulf Stream that bathes the shores 
of the south and south eastern part of these islands. 
It is for this reason that almost- every mile 
of latitude combined ' with the distance from 
this warm stream has its distinct influence 
on the vegetation of the country. It therefore 
occurs that many plants that are hardy and 
flourish in one part of Japan will not grow in 
another part. This peculiar geographical position 
and consequent variety of climate should always 
bo takon into account, when the hardiness or 
otherwise of Japanese plants is under consideration. 
I see no reason however why many Japanese 
plants should not grow and even thrive in Ceylon, 
particularly those indigenous to the southern 
portions of these islands. 
Dr. Trimen mentions the " koya-maki ;" the 
conifer howover that goes under this name is the 
wtll known umbrella pine, Sciadopiti/s verticillata. 
The Pilocarpus macrophijlla is the " rnaki" of the 
■Japunese. I have some fine specimens of the 
former in my garden that are now full of cones, 
and shall bo glad to send some of the seeds for 
trial. 1 don't think Dr. Trimen will have any 
diffionlty in raising plants from them. 
With reference to the cycad family, tho Gycas 
rtvoluCa is porfectly hardy as far nortli as 
Yokohama. It is one of tho handsomest of the 
group and many specimens are 20 to 30 feet 
high and much branched, immense quantities 
have of late been shipped from the Liu Kiu 
Islands and Province of Kiushiu to Europe and 
moro particularly to Germany. The Ceylon species, 
t'. circinalis, is not cultivated here, even if it 
is known yet to tho Japanese growers, but it 
should be as hardy as its congener. Neither tho 
" hinoki " (Thuya outu*a) nor T. pisifera 1 think 
would thrive in tropical countries. 'I ho Magnolia 
hupoteuca that Dr. Trimen mentions under its 
.lupuiiofo name of " honoki " is a deciduous species. 
It is very common on the hills around Yokohama; 
it is a very fast growing tree, and attains a height 
of HO feet or moro. 
Has tho Cinnamomum Uamphora been tried yet 
in tho hill districts of Ceylon ? — as boing the source 
. of tho camphor of commerce, it might bo worth the 
j attention of planters. It grow.-, principally in 
the warmest parts of Japan, and is getting scarcer 
every jear, I should strongly draw the attention 
of experimenters to this tree. Tho solid stearopten 
of tho oil and known os tho ordinary camphor of 
commerce is an article that will increase in demand, 
vrhilo it is now known thai tho oil itself, that is 
tho liquid portion of tho crudo camphor, con i t < 
of many valuable components that aro now being 
used for many purposes. S. COCKING. 
[Note by Dr. Trimen.— The camphor tree was 
introduced to Ceylon over 30 years ago, and grows 
fairly well, but the climate generally is too wet 
for it. Cycas revoluta can live anywhere, from a 
wet tropical garden like Peradeniya to the dry 
and dusty staircase of a Gorman hotel, or the 
saloon of an ocean steamer. Seed of the curious 
and pioture.-que Nciadupitys would be very accept- 
able, though I fear no part of Ceylon will prove 
suitable for its full growth.— Henry Trimen.] 
SINHALESE v. TA.MIL LABOURERS ON 
ESTATES ; AND THE SETTLEMENT 
OF SINHALESE COLONIES UNDER 
RESTORED TANKS. 
Dear Sir, — The letters in your issue of the 
27th on " Sinhalese labourers on plantations in 
the Kalutara district " are most interesting. Still 
more so, and more important, is the result of 
Mr. De Soysa's importation of Kandyan villagers to 
his lowcountry estate, as recorded in the same issue. 
As regards the former, it seems to have been 
forgotten of late that tho original coffee estates 
were all opened and cultivated with Sinhalese 
labourers. The objection urged against them was 
their pronenes3 to return to their villages con- 
tinually without due regard for their obligations 
to their employers. The proximity of their homes 
to the plantations where they worked was a great 
temptation to them, and their frequent absen es 
were a serious inconvenience to their employers. 
Hence, when Tamils offered their services, they 
were eagerly taken on. Moreover, tho demand for 
labour, which arose when the rage for coffee 
planting fairly set in, soon exceeded the local 
supply, and this went on diminishing just in 
proportion ai the demand increased, because the 
money of the planters Uowed amongst the 
villagers and made them more independent. Thus 
it came to pas3 that all the regular work of the 
estates, which required resident labour, fell to tho 
Tamils, and the heavier works of felling and 
carting as well as the skilled work of carpentry, 
masonry, &c, were performed by Sinhalese, who were 
ever eager to undertake these more laborious pursuits. 
Tho fact is that Tamils in their own oouutry 
within reach of their own ullages are even worse 
than the Sinhalese for running away to them 
from their employment on estates. Planters in 
S. India complain of them more bitterly than 
the Ceylon planters of bid had reason to do of 
their Sinhalese coolies. Bt sides, Tarni's are not 
the only race who behave belter in all respects 
abroad than in their own country. 
It is satisfactory to find that planters of today 
are discovering the valuo of the local supply of 
labour, and to know that henceforth the wages 
they pay will circulato for the good of the island, 
instead of being carried away to onrieh the southern 
provinces of India. 
.Mr. De Soysa's splendid experiment affords reason 
to hope for results ttill more beneficial to the 
country, oven than tho employing of Sinhalese 
labourers on the plantations. His success shows 
th« fallacy of the only excuse the ruling powers 
have ever been able to allege for not settling the 
people from overcrowded villages upon the lands 
under restored tanks. The lands so reuderod cul- 
tivable at the public expense ought to be let, not 
sold; but the Government, whilst admitting tho 
want of fuch a resource foi tho uiany destitute 
villagers, always allege that the people will uot 
leave their homes! In vain is it shown thai 
numbers of them actually do loavo, and loo often 
betake themselves to courses that are not crtditablu 
either to themselves or their country. In vuin has 
it been shown, in answer to the alleged unwilling, 
noss of villagers to leave their homos, that the 
