November i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
455 
Mr. Fraser responded in a few appropriate words, stating 
at the Bams tirno his linn opinion Lhab the Indian teas 
would soon hold the foremost position in the Australian 
trade. 
The Chairman proposed the health of the Press, by 
whose advocacy alone they could hope for a successful de- 
velopment of the industry just started ; and after the 
toast had been suitably responded to tho company separated. 
SILK-GROWING IN CEYLON. 
With referenco to Dr. Vanderstrnaten's paper on 
this subject, we may call attention to the following 
extract from our "Review of Agriculture and Plant- 
ing Enterprise in Ceylon " published in our Hand- 
book for 1876-78 :— 
"There is a spot on the banks of the Kelani river 
3 or 4 miles above the Bridge of Boats en route to 
Banwela 'Orte Saide ' or Silk Garden where the Por- 
tuguese are believed to have fed silkworms. The 
Dutch unsuccessfully attempted to propagate the Silk- 
worm and ' produce Silk at Jaffna. In the British 
period silk has been tried more than once, more 
particularly by a coffee planter (Mr. H. C. Bury,) in 
Haputale, on whose produce a favourable report was re- 
ceived by us a few years ago, from a Coventry firm, but 
the difficulty of securing careful skilled labour and the 
injurious effects of thunderstorms on the silkworms 
prevented the continuance of the experiment. Sir 
Wm. Gregory took a great interest in Silk-giow- 
ing, as in all other experiments with new products. 
In 1872 he reported that the ' mulberry tree grows 
quickly and vigorously in Ceylon, and the worms are 
reported to be hardy and to thrive well, but the 
difficulty was to find patient and skilled hands to wind 
the silk.' Accordingly he recommended the dried 
cocoon to be sent to Europe to be spun, but the 
cost of female labour in England is another difficulty. 
Sir Win. Gregory introduced and distributed Japanese 
silk-worm eggs in Ceylon." 
Dr. Vanderstraaten writes to us in reference to 
his paper : — "I was indebted to Mr. Alex. Geddes 
of Moratuwa for tho floss silk exhibited. The white 
is from the Bombyx mori, a Chinese silkworm ; the 
brown is from the Tussur eillc moth (Anthercea 
Mylitta, or A. Paphia). Mr. Geddes finds that the 
Tussur moth cannot be domesticated. Mulberries are 
plentiful all over the- island, and can bo freely culti- 
vated from cuttings ; in two to three years each 
tree will supply 5 lb. weight of leaves. As 
a new industry mulberries can be cultivated 
with tea. It is a profitable and interesting amuse- 
ment for women and cnildren. Every year about 
£1,500,000 is sent from Europe to China and Japan 
for eggs ; principally from Italy, where mulberries 
are plentiful. It is introduced into orphan schools, 
reformatories, prisons, leper aud lunatic asylums : 
supplies of eggs can bo sold to tho general public. 
The early history of Ceylon from Valentyn in 16(>3 
to Tounant has been consulted. In 1663 the Dutch 
cultivated it in Colombo and Jaffna. When the Eng- 
lish came to Ceylon a garden of mulberries aud 
buildiugs for the rearing of silk worms were found 
at Orto Scdd (Portuguese for silk-garden) near the 
Bridge of Boafs at Kelani The silkworms exhi- 
bited at the Polytechnic Exhibition were from Father 
alll'as' supply. It ought to bo tried more largely 
now that the experiment has been successful as 
shown yesterday." 
We are glad to learn that an experiment is being 
conduetod so far with success in "silk-growing" in 
lower Dimbula, and wo learn from another gentle, 
man, who has taken considerable interest in tho mat- 
ter, that, though his experiment in Colombo was a 
failure, ho is trying again with more chances of suc- 
cess, and is inclined to experiment with tho very 
abundant "lettuce" (Pisonia alb'a) tree leaves instead 
of those of mulberry. If the silkworms thrive on the 
leaves of this plant, the industry ought to prosper 
in and around Colombo. 
CINCHONA CULTIVATION IN JAVA. 
LETTER FROM MR. MOENS :— SIKHIM LEDGERIANAS THE 
SAME AS THOSE IN JAVA. — PROSPECT OF A 
GOOD COFFEE CROP IN JAVA. 
By all cinchona planters in Ceylon, the following 
letter addressed to us by the able Director of the 
"Government Kinakultuur. Java" will be read with 
much interest : it is of great importance to know that 
Mr. Moens consider the Ledgerianas in British Sik. 
him to be the same as his own, seed having already 
come from Northern India freely to Ceylon : — 
Bandong, 22nd Sept. 1881. 
Dear Mr. Ferguson,— I have to thank you 
very heartily for your kindness in sending me yo-ir 
Directory, which contains so much valuable informa- 
tion about Ceylon and its Planting Interest. And, by 
the last mail I also received from you Owen's Cin 
hona Planters' Manual, which appears to me to be- 
a good book, giving a great deal of concise and useful 
information about cinchona. 
On some chapters we would not have the same 
opinion. I am quite opposed to uprooting or coppic- 
ing, as long as there is any chance of stripping or 
shaving the trees with success. Of course, I under- 
stand that with trees, living only five or six years, 
all attempts at stripping would be vain ; and then 
nothing is left, but uprooting with an experiment 
to replant. 
I found coppicing not a great success, neither in 
the Nilgiris nor in British Sikkim : many of the stumps 
failed to make shoots or died afterwards. With 
us, as a rule, coppicing has answered much better, 
but, as I said above, I prefer stripping. The 
gardens at Neddivuttum which had been stripped 
seven times, looked quite healthy, and I think Dr. 
Bidie has seen them formerly in a bad time, and that 
they recovered afterwards. 
From my last report you will have seen the analysis 
of tho socalled " pubescens." It does not cont iin 
much quinine, but will be improved a great deal by 
stripping or shaving. C. Pitayensis, which ought to 
be called C. Trianae, is a valuable kind, as it con- 
tains, besides a good percentage of quinine, as great 
a quantity of quinidine. Cross has told already that they 
have only about 50 old plants of this kind in Doda- 
bett 
privato planters, Mr. Lie 
^Th* ' Led " 8 in 
the same as ours, and : 
upon there than here, ! 
bo easier to get from \ 
plantations. We have ha 
about 3 mouths with vc 
have a good crop of see 
large crop of coffe 
ittum nor in Sikhim. But 
dell and others, have 0. Pita- 
ntities 
•itish Sikkim I found quite 
s drought enn be more relied 
regular supply of seed will 
r. Gammie, than from our 
1 a normally dry season, with 
:y little rain, and I expect to 
1 in 1882. There will also 
, for the same reason. Tho 
small crop of last year was nol caused by leaf disease, 
but by tho continuous wet weather. 
I brought some "hard Carthageua " plants from 
Gammie, but they have died. I do not think it a 
great loss, aud fear that it will be found a very poor 
bark. 
With groat pleasure 1 sco that Ledgeriana is found 
to grow so well in Ceylon, and that there are many 
more trees of thin kind than people knew. Tho more 
I see of it, the more I find that wo gcuerally plauted 
