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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [January 2, 1882. 
Jaffna Irrigation : Setting a good Example. — 
While bo many of the Jaffna farmers arj bewailing 
their need of improved methods of irrigation, and call- 
ing on "a paternal government " to furnish the means 
and do all the work, one, more enterprising, has un- 
dertaken to solve the difficulty for himself. Notary 
Cathiravalupillai of Valvetty, has ordered from Eng- 
land a large double pump, which has already reached 
Colombo, and is expected to arrive in Jaffna in a few 
days. The pumps are capable of raising 3,000 to4,000 
gallons per hour. They are accompanied by a wind- 
mill, of the European style, with four arms, each 
10 feet in length, bearing sails. When the wind fails, 
the pumps will b» operated by two or four coolies. 
The two flywheels weigh 3 cwt. each, which will give 
great steadiness of motion. The whole will cost over 
P.S00. The well is expected to furnish alltlie water 
wanted for 150 lachams of land. This is a bold ex- 
periment, and we heartily wish it success, both for 
the sake of the one who has put his money into it, 
and more for the sake of Jaffna as a whole. For 
this experiment can determine whether expensive ir- 
rigation works will pay, and also whether windmills 
will work satisfactorily here. We believe the American 
style of windmill is more economical. That has, in- 
stead of four arms, a solid wheel, i. e. small slats 
fastened all over the surface of a wheel. Some how- 
ever prefer the other style. We hope to see many 
introduced before many years pass. All the work 
which the wind can be made to do is clear gain, but we 
are not very sanguine that manual power alone can 
in ordinary cases raise water more cheaply with a 
pump than with a tula. — Morning Star. 
Liberian Coffee Cultivation.— We have to ac- 
knowledge the receipt of a copy of a copy of Mr. J. 
P. William's pamphlet in Sinhalese on Liberian coffee 
cultivation. Iu thepre face the author says :--"It is to 
be deeply regretted that the natives of Ceylon do 
not posses any Sinhalese books, which treat of the 
subject of cultivation. The circulation of books bear- 
ing on this subject, amongst the natives of tho island 
will, doubtless enable many, who are ignorant of the 
importance of cultivation, to acquire such a practical 
knowledge thereof as may prove of material advantage 
to them. It has occured to me, that the time is not 
far distant when our Government should, with a view 
to encourage cultivation amongst the natives, under- 
take the publication of books in the Vernacular, 
relative to the art of cultivation, and circulate them 
in various parts of the island — a course, which if 
adopted, will tend greatly to enlightened the natives, 
and increase the public revenue. The cultivation of 
Liberian coffee ranks high in the list of many use- 
ful and profitable cultivations recently commence ind 
the island ; but no work in Sinhalese relative to its' 
cultivation, and its development, has yet made its 
appearance. For the accomplishment of this desider- 
atum, I have prepared and published, for the first 
time, this book intended as an incentive to new plant- 
ing enterprise amongst natives. I trust this little work, 
though not free from imperfection?, will prove useful 
to the majority of the natives. I have thankfully to 
state that the publications of Messrs. A. M. & J. 
!'<r_ son, the Proprietors and Editors of the Ceylon 
Observer have been of service to me in compiling this 
little book." Mr. William deserves great credit for his 
energy and public spirit. The following letter has been 
s-^nt^to him from Queen's House : — " Queen's House, 
Colombo, 28th October 1881. J. P. William, Esq. 
Sir,--The Governor desires me to thank you for your 
kindness in sending him your valuable pamphlet on 
Lib-riau coffee cultivation. I have also to thank you 
for the c »py you were kind enough to send me. — I am, 
sir faithfully yours, (Signed) A. Nevill Hayne, Capt., 
A.D.C." We iiro glad to learn that Mr. William's free 
distribution has been largely patronized from all parts of 
the island, and one application even came fromTravancore! 
Cinchona. — The Darjeeling News says: — The Java 
process of shaving the bark of cinchona trees, w hich 
was introduced into Darjeeling by Dr. Kin,', has 
proved a decided success. The bark renews itself 
perfectly, within about a year, and the trees do not 
appear to have suffered the least check. — Pioneer. 
Important Discovery of Rubber and Cin - 
chona Forests in Bolivia. — Dr. Heath's discovery of 
vast rubber Forests in the unexplored tracts bordering 
the river Beni, in the interior of Bolivia, bids fair to be 
productive of important practical results not only for 
that State, but for the world at large. This year the 
export of rubber is estimated at 750,000, and next 
year it is expected to exceed six million pounds. 
Cinchona forests have also been discovered in the 
region traversed. Dr. Heath proposes next year to 
extend his explorations to the larger and equally un- 
known river Madre de Dios, commencing from the 
ancient luca capital of Cuzco. — Calcutta Englishman. 
Bees and Coffee Blossom. — A correspondent writes : 
— " Regarding bees, &c, old Palliser writes : — ' In the 
old days, anything under 10 cwt was looked upon as 
bad. Is it not a very curious fact that the coffee 
crops have fallen off from what they used to be, even 
in good soil, and when free of leaf disease ? I can 
only attribute it to deterioration of seed from con- 
stantly using the same for such numbers of years, 
the almost total absence of bees from the destruction 
of the forests (in the olden times, during blossoms, ±hey 
were in millions), and over-draining and over-pruning.' 
Such are the words of one of the pioneers of coffee 
planting, and you can make what use you like of them. 
I myself put little or no faith in the theory of deteriora- 
tion of seed. I don't believe that 10 per cent of the 
coffee in Ceylon is grown from seed more ihan four 
generations in Ceylon. No man in his senses ever 
used seed from young trees, and if he did they must have 
been 3 or 4 years old at least from seed, so that the 
whole term of Ceylon planting is covered by some 
possible 10 generations. I doubt if a tree on my places 
is iu the 4th generation. About the bees I fully agree 
with Palliser. A coffee blossom is perfect in itself for 
fertilization. Darwin has pretty well proved that 
cross-fertilization by insects or otherwise is pre- 
ferable, and if you get rid of insects you probably 
won't set your crop as well as if they were about. On 
over-draining and pruning, I don't agree with him." 
The Forthcoming Brazilian Coffee Crop.— Ac- 
counts of the crops continue good from all quarters 
but trade is very dull, especially in the coffee pro- 
vinces, wherein the low rates and doubtful prospects 
of coffee have created a general depression, though 
large amounts of produce remain to forward. The 
promonotion of the projected coffee exhibition in Bio 
November 10th, is actively attended to by the Co- 
mercio e Lavoura Company, which has undertaken the 
labour, but the proposed municipal exhibition of native 
manufactures here seems likely to be still-born, the 
municipality having no power to divert funds to that 
object. A secoud meeting of coffee planters and con- 
signees took place on July 15th, at the Secretariat of 
Agriculture, with attendance of the Minister of Agri- 
culture, to treat of the coffee exhibition, towards 
which the Barao da Apparecida has promised to give 
£6,600. Senhor Bamalho Ortigao presented the com- 
mittee's report, and various opinions were emitted as 
to the best means of promoting the consumption of 
Brazilian coffee The Minister of Agriculture said 
that three Rio capitalists had forwarded by the last 
packet a credit of 100,000 francs to open a cafe in Paris. 
He also said that he coincided with the views of the 
Committee's report, and he promised the building, 
transport, &c, and would ask necessary vote for the 
purpose, and for practical echools of agriculture, from 
the next parliament. He hoped the first exhibition 
could open in November. — Anglo -Brazilian Times. 
