August i, 1 88 1.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
233 
To the Editor of the Ceylon Observer. 
CEARA RUBBER. 
Dear Sir, Cau you or any of your correspondents 
form me how many Coara rubber seeds are contained 
. an oz. ?-I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, 
COFFEE ESTATE ECONOMY. 
loth July 1SS1. 
Dear Sir,— I am ghd to see that " Hard-up Pro- 
prietor ' ' has called attention to the question of coast 
advances. Many estates last year refused to make 
any reduction iu kanganies' and coolies' pay, and on 
many others the pay was not greatly reduced. 
1 think your correspondent is wrong in saying that 
"the coolies remained well satisfied." Numbers of 
them have left us and will not return till limes im- 
prove. 
Advances are now being given out by many estates 
which last year carried out the Colombo instructions, 
and many others are so short-handed that it is time 
the Cheap Circular Council began to procure the 
lab mr supply that wo are so much in want of. 
It would "be of great use to many of us if the 
number of railway coolies were published monthly, 
because there is no doubt that many of those who are 
not well-satisfied with their agents' little alterations 
seek easier employment on the new line. 
As regards the subject of coast advances, ex- 
perience shows that the agents were wrong in trying 
to suppress the system in toto. Admitting that many 
kanganies obtained their advances without any in- 
tention of using the money to procure labour, why 
should the honest be made to sutler with them? And 
what grand inducements can the agents offer to the 
coolies, ill times like the present, when necessity does 
not suggest their visiting Ceylon? 
Is it not possible for the Planters' Association (if 
properly supported) to appoint agents in the various 
labour "centres? — Yours faithfully, REFORM. 
American crops and prices the average crop being- 
put down at 2,000 to 3.000 lb. per acre and the prices 
from 12 to 26 cent3 (Ceylon coinage) per lb. These crops 
and prices would, if they can be realised, yield an 
enormous profit. I think juta should be tried on 
the Trincomalee side, sowing the seed at the com- 
mencement of the N. E. rains, but not in land 
liable to inundation. 
I intend sowing some 9eed here at the commence- 
ment of the N. E., and will be able to give it a fair 
trial then, which it certainly had not before. — I 
remain, yours faithfully, T. S. DOBREE. 
JUTE IN CEYLON. 
Udugama, July IS. 
Dear Sir,— On the 3rd of April last. I sowed 
some jute seed in showery weather at Ginnidomine, 
It was up within three days, but the weather being 
unusually dry much of it withered up. Out of about 
twenty thriving pluuts the stalks on the greater 
number of them ara now 3 ft. G inches long, and 
the seed pods ou the lower end of the stalks arc 
ripo. This growth of only 3 feet 0 inches is very 
poor, but 1 believe is cause'! partly by the seed 
Hiving been sow n too early and before the rains had 
properly set in, and partly by the ground not having 
been sufficiently dry and prepared for the reception of 
the seed. 
The juto seed sown was the "Corchorus olitorius" 
which has an elongated see l pod. 
1 bend jo«, by to day's post, a report on the culti- 
vation of jute made for the Indian Government 
which give-. all particulars as to cultivation and co<*t. 
The orops seem to vary from 1,000 1b. to 4.U0O lb. 
per acre, and the value in C.i cutt i lrom 3 cents to 
Gceuta peril"., i.e. iu 1871-72. What it is now I do 
not know. This price i. e. G cents per lt>. would yield 
very little profit, it' any, at 1,000 1b. per acre. At 
4,00(1 lb. per acre, tho protit should be at least R120 
per acre. It hast, however, still to bo shown what 
Crop the Ceylon soil cau yield. Iu tho appendix to 
tho report I send, there is a statement of the 
CINCHONA C A LIS AY A FROM MR. McIVOR'S 
SEED IN DIMBULA. 
Langdale, 21st July 1881. 
Dear Sir, — If the Yarrow trees were grown from 
cuttings and other plants from Mr. Mclvor's seed, 
then I have the same on Easdale, and I think they, 
are to be found on Abbot3ford also and other places. 
Speaking for myself, Mr. Mclvor, when here, gave 
me seed of all the kinds he had, and amongst this 
was certainly calisaya, which, as Mr. Christie says, 
he stated would be good, but would not make a big 
tree. My experience so far is that it did not make 
a big tree, and so far analysis .does not shew it any 
thing out of the way in quality. However, it is a 
good bark, and I fancy the elevation may have some- 
thing to do with the quality, and that the analysis 
may improve with age. I am sorry to say I have not 
raised very many trees, nor have I at present any 
seed or cuttings available, but I shall certainly now 
set to woik to collect these, and, if they won't do 
well up here, they may do as well as the Yarrow trees, 
if planted at a lower elevation. — Yours faithfully, 
E. HEEE1S. 
COFFEE LEAF DISEASE AND CULTIVATION. 
Wattegama, 21st July 1S81. 
Dear Sir, — I was glad to read from your Loudon 
Correspondent's letter of June 24th, that my statement 
that other trees, besides coffee, are affected with leaf 
disease, made some time ago, and to which I stead- 
fastly hold, has been confirmed by such men as the 
Commissioner of Agriculture at Bogota, and Dr. Cooke 
viz. : — " It also attacked the trees grown to afford 
shade to the coffee bushes." I can now, from par- 
ticular observation, go further, and state that where 
my coffee was badly affected with leaf disease, and 
I used my remedy, it left the coffee (you may say, 
like a swarm of bees, although not visible to tho 
eye), and settled on shade trees close to : ou del, 
jak, custard-apple, cashu-uut, or cinnamon, which- 
ever of these was nearest tho spot, and each one of 
these trees so affected died, unless, as soon as dis- 
covered by me, I cut off all affected branches, or 
even cut tho trees down to 4 feet above grouud : 
there have been otu«r trees, the orange mid eroton, 
which were ablo to shake off the disease and re- 
cover. Wo also have the disease in three forms : 
the pin-spot, the rib disease, and the black rot. 
The pin-spot i» tho worst (such is my humble opiuion). 
At the some time, lam not afraid of either. We can 
keep leaf disease from doiug us much damage by 
proper manures aud disiufectives applied in proper 
tune aud get good crops. More power must be given 
to tho superintendents who are on the spot; ami 
visiting ageuts should not bo appointed to go all 
over tho country, but each linn should have one 
manager in each district to look after their SUpor- 
iutendents aud estates in that district only, and one 
of tho linn should do the r,enerul visiting, say ouec 
every three or six months. — Yours faithfully, 
J. HOLLOW AN . 
