Feeruary t, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
S6S 
first-class order." With reference, therefore, to 
the Ceylon railways of the future, rolling stock 
and supplies of lasting sleepers, there is, we sub- 
mit, encouragement for the cultivation of the Aus- 
tralian timber trees in Ooylon. From the later 
experiments of the railway authorities it was found 
that a specimen of red gum, E. rostrata, (pretty 
common in Ceylon, a more beautiful tree than 
blue gum, with clean stem and drooping foliagi , 
growing well near water), 8 feet, 0£ inches in 
length, nearly 3 inches in depth and breadth, and 
weighing 31 J lb., resisted breakage until (distance 
between supports 8 feet) cwt. 12-2-15 were placed 
on it. But one specimen of blue gum actually 
bore a strain of cwt. 26-0 22. The length was 
the same as the red gum specimen, but the depth 
and breadth, respectively, wore 3J and 3 inches. 
Stringybark, which nas been introduced into Cey- 
lon, and of which very large and handsome 
specimens exist on Abbotsford, bore a strain of 
owt. 17-1-1, same length, but 2J broadth and 
depth. Still more severe tests were applied to some 
red gum which woighed 62-00 por cube foot. Speci- 
mens 11 inches deep, 7i inches thick, and 14 
feet 8 inches, between bearings, gave, in one 
oase an ultimate deflection of 2J inches before it 
gave way to a weight of tons 9-19-1-14, or not 
far short of 10 tons; the other 34 inches deflec- 
tion with a breaking weight of tons 12-18-3-17, 
or not much below 13 tons. 
These technical details tell their own tala to those 
who know anything of carpenter work and building, 
and it is, besides, absolutely true that some of the 
best timber trees of Au9trali 1, the blue an 1 i d gums, 
the blaekvvood (A. mulanor.yloii) and Grdi/lca robusln, 
for instance, grow much more rapidly and como 
to maturity at a far earlier period in Ceylon than 
they do in their native habitat. The blue gum, 
in favourable positions, yields good timber at 10 
years old, improving rapidly up to 15 and being 
fairly mature at 20. — We may have something to 
add on this interesting subject. 
THE COOLY DISTRICTS OF SOUTHERN 
IN DIA. 
It will bo interesting to our readers to have before 
them at ono view the extent in square miles and 
the density of population of the districts in Southern 
India whenco Ceylon mainly derives its supply of 
cooly labour. We take the figures from the extract 
on page -185, in which the material condition 
of the population in the various districts of the 
Madras Presidency is reforred to. That condition 
is on a scale low enough to render emigration to 
Ceylon, the Straits and other places where the attrac- 
tion of rupees in return for labour is held out, 
curtain for many years to eome. The districts and 
figures are as follows : — 
DisriiiOTs. Auea in siq. If, Population. 
Madura s.llll L'.ltis.ii >n 
Tmijore 3,(*>u-J 2,130,000 
Tmuuvelly 6,381 i,7uo.uoo 
Triohiuopoly 3,561 1,215,000 
Totals 20,047 7,213,000 
Population per squaro mile 311 against 109 in Ceylon. 
Hero on an area nearly a lifth less than that of 
Ceylon, a population equal to very nearly 2J that 
of our island is crowded, most part of the people 
poor far below the standard in most parts of Ceylon. 
Such improvement as has of lato years taken plneo 
in the districts indicated, as writ as in the native 
statu of Travancoro (whonoo also a considerable 
ooiuingunt of our labour oouics), is largely duo to 
Hi" influence of a profitable labour market in Ceylon 
S1MAL WOOD IN TEA BOXES. 
From the Proceedings of the A.-H. Society of India ) 
Allusion was mado at the Lst meeting to sampler 
of wood supposed to be Simal which had been taken 
from Tea boxes and sent to Mr. Fisher, Officiating 
Director of the Forest School, Dehra. Mr. Fisher 
favoured the Society with the following report: — "I 
have to acknowledge receipt of your letters of the 
lOtb and 13th iustant, and of the specimen of wood 
referred to, aud have already telegraphed to you my 
opinion about it. I have also hearl from the 
Commissariat, Store and Shipping Officer, Cuoutta, 
probably on the same subject, namely, whether the 
wood is suitable for Tea boxes, and what is its species. 
Hut the specimens referred to by the latter as sent 
by rail, h ivo not yet reached nie, although certain 
wood specimens, sent by mistake to my address at 
Roorki, and without any instructions, have come to 
hand. I have doue my best to identify the wood, 
by comparison with the specimens in the Forests 
School Museum; but these are chiefly the numbered 
specimens given toward the end of Gamble's Manual 
of Indiau timbers, and are not, by any means a 
complete collection of Indian woods. The specimen 
greatly resembles Simal i Borribax Malabaricum 1 , but 
according to Gamble, this wood never has a brownish, 
heartwopd which occurs in your specimen, and none 
of our Simal wood have such a heartwood. I note 
that you give the Indian name of the wood as Kaura, 
but are uncertain whether it comes from Moulmein 
or Assam. The wood is certainly not that of Iloiarrhcna 
antidysenterica, locally named Kaura which is largely 
used iu Sabaraupore for carving the plates, ornamental 
brackets, etc., and sold at the Railway Station there. 
Kaura is therefore, probably, the name of some 
woodin another vernacular than Hindi. You refer 
to slightly unpleasaut smell. This had quito 
disappeared since the wood has become dried 
from exposure; and I would here suggest that, pro- 
vided any wood is thoroughly dried, it is not likely 
to have an injurious effect on the lead lining of Tea 
boxes, — such injury being generally due to green wood 
being used containing some acrid juice. I think that 
the wood is that of some Malvaceous spocies ; and 
I have published a note on the subject in the -'Indian 
Forester, as our Museum, if complete, would afford 
a ready means of identifying any doubtful kiud of 
wood, and would thus be much more useful to the 
public than it is at present. If Forest Officers and 
others would kindly send me, from time to time, 
well authenticated specimens of Indian timbers, not 
given in Gamble's numbered list, our Museum might 
gradually contain a complete collection of Indian 
woods. I append copy of a note about the wood 
by a First Student from Ceylon who has been a Tea 
planter there." 
In the note appended to Mr. Fisher's letter, Mr.Fatham 
['rTa'h'im. — En. L. A'.] identifies the wood with that 
of Valeria indica, a wood known to be bad fur build- 
ing purposes but uow in demand for Tea b>xes. 
Mr. Fatham mentions that he is informed that large 
shipments of this wood have recently been made to 
Indian ports. If the wood is of a quality to resemble 
the samples sent to Mr. Fisher, it can hardly he con- 
sidered fit for Tea boxe*. The Society is greatly in- 
debted to Mr. Fisher for the trouble ho has taken ; 
there does not appear to be any other place in India 
where there are organised arrangements for indentify- 
ing timbers from samples, ami Mr. Fibber'-, aid is, 
therefore, of great value, and is enhanced by the 
courteous aud ready attention be gives to the references 
made to him. 
THE CULTIVATION OF USEFUL PLANTS 
IN HAINAN. 
A verv interest ing report on agriculture in Hainan 
(China; Anting the year lt\S7 has recently been n*uo.l 
from the Foreign Office, The report deals in detail 
with the prine p»l articles of culture, especially food 
plants, and i» of a most practical ami useful unture. 
N ilurnll) it commoners with » coiitiidu's.liuu of Kmc. 
