43° 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [November i, 1881. 
Arithmetic and Book-keeping, Mensuration and Build- 
ing set severally by Mr. Ganapti Iyer and Seetharatn 
Moodelly Garco, and have only to add by way of 
concluding remarks that the little volume contains 
matter which we would give the students of class 
I of the Agricultural Sehool the full credit of being 
thoroughly acquainted with. 
Here we have a model Agricultural School established 
for some years, at our very doors, giving instruction 
and guidance to the Ceylon authorities if they only 
choose to profit by the same ; and, seeing that the local 
Educational vote has been liberal beyond the ability of 
the Director to dispose of it, so far as the promotion 
of the all-needful elementary vernacular education is 
concerned, we would strongly advise Mr. Bruce to urge 
the commencement of an Agricultural School and the 
revival of the Model Farm. Inquiry has lately been 
made as to the position of the " Soyza Model Farm " 
enterprise, and during the present Session of Council 
•we have no doubt the whole question will be opened 
mp by one or other of the native members. "Whatever 
may be the result, Government cannot plead hupecuni- 
osity in respect of this matter, for ground, buildings 
and even lecturers may be said to be available. But 
we need not puisue this subject further for the present. 
To return once more to India we have as the crown- 
ing evidence of the interest of the Government in Agri- 
cultural Improvement, the re-establishment of a special 
department, and from the official resolution on the sub- 
ject, we repeat a portion for the information of our 
readers : — 
Agriculture and Commerce Department. The new 
Department will, as a matter of course, control all 
operations for the relief of famine; but tbat part of 
its functions will be necessarily intermittent, and its 
main work will lie in the branches of the public ad- 
ministration which most closely affect agricultural 
development and the interests of the agricultural popula- 
tion. In making the following distribution of work, 
the Governor-General in Council has therefore, been 
influenced by the desire to free the new Department as 
much as possible from unnecessary calls upon its en- 
ergies, in order to directed efforts, so far as present cir- 
cumstances admit, to the fulfilment of its most really 
essential duties. 
5. Having regard to these considerations, the Go- 
vernor General in Council is pleased to direct the all 
matters connected with the subjects noted below so 
far as they affect the provinces of British India shall 
come under the cognizance of the new Department, • 
'] . Land Revenue, including Settlments and Takavi 
advances. 
2. Surveys, including Geological Surveya, and ex- 
cluding Archteologicyl and Marine Surveys. 
3. Agriculture and Horticulture, including Fibre 
"and Silk, Fisheries, Cattle-breeding, and Cat- 
tle-diisease. 
4. Minerals. 
5. Meteorology. 
6. Famine, 
As a temporary arrangement, the Home Depart- 
ment will be charged with the superintendence of 
the Forest Department ; aud subject to reconsidera- 
tion, the Agricultural Department will temporarily 
conduct the whole business of the Government of India 
connected with Emigration. 
But it is not alone through a separate Department 
that the Government of India— thoroughly awakening 
to their true position as great land-lords— are prompt- 
ng agricultural development and improvement. Every 1 
Indian civil officer from the Lieut. -Governor down to 
the youngest Assistant Collector feels that no more im- 
portant duty can be undertaken by him than the task 
of aiding and fostering the beginning of new industries 
among the people, or through the occupation of waste 
and unoccupied districts. In some instances a rich har- 
vest has been already yielded ; for as the Pioneer 
remarks : — 
Our tea plantations and cinchona gardens furnish marked 
examples of what can, under judicious and energetic 
management, be effected in the direction indicated ; and 
cinchona will for years to come be pointed to as a 
blessing which official European enterprise has extended 
to a country where for ages fever held sway,and was but 
little less paralysing in its effect than gaunt famine. 
Tobacco may be pointed lo as another industry, which at 
the present time deserves especial attention; for although 
much has been already effected in the North- West 
Provinces towards establishing it in the market, there 
is still considerable room for further experiment, es- 
pecially with regard to the long-vexed question whether 
the leaf, as grown and cured in this country, cannot 
be rendered a remunerative branch of our export trade. 
But even if this degree of perfection be not attained, 
there yet remains, judging from the large quantity of 
tobacco which the trade returns show as imported into 
India and Burmah yearly, au immense sphere foi- local 
consumption. 
Then again, turning to the raw products and handi- 
crafts of India, where the aid of Government might 
be beneficially invoked, notwithstanding the extent 
to which machinery has in some instances sapped a 
wide field for manual labour, it is beyond doubt that 
the manufacture of paper, sugar, candles, furniture, 
and leather, is yet capable of great expansion. It is 
satisfactory to learn that paper mills are likely to be 
started before long in British Burmah , where a well- 
known London firm has during the early part of 
the year been prosecuting inquiries on the spot, with 
a view to ascertaining the best adapted fibre of the 
widely scattered bamboo for the manufacture of paper. 
The enterprise, which we trust will succeed, will afford 
another extensive industry for the absorption of native 
labour. 
Notwithstanding the vast and varied interests entrusted 
to their charge : the huge debt and the frequent polit- 
ical and military complications — from which our island is 
free — it must be admitted that the Government of India 
are far ahead of the Executive of Ceylon in their pat- 
ronage of agriculture and then- readiness to foster new 
industries. The time has now come when ' our local 
authorities should acknowledge the need for considerable 
changes in the attitude of the Civil Service towards 
this question. It may take some time to introduce 
marked iuiproveHients, but at least steps in advance 
should begin to be made ; and some more of these we 
shall endeavour to indicate on another occasion. 
DARJEELING TEA AND CINCHONA ASSOCIA- 
TION (LIMITED). 
Messrs. Schoene, Kilburn & Co., the Managing 
Directors, have kindly sent us a copy of the report 
of the above Company for the half year ending 30th 
June last. We r°ad :— 
The outlay, as you will observe, has been very large, 
reaching the sum of E61.525-8-5 ; but the quantity 
of bark cut has also been much larger than it was 
for the corresponding period of 1880. This increased 
outturn has been further maintained up to the present 
time, and the returns shew 834,158 lb. of green bark 
