May r, 1882. J 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
979 
the plague, is progressively destroying the coffee trees 
and is assuming alarming proportions without the 
cause of the evil or tho means of combating it being 
discovered. 
As the municipality has excellent lands for sugarcane, 
it would seem to bo of great advantage for the Go- 
vernment to encourage the planters, whore the coffee 
trees are being destroyed by the plague, to plant 
cane by giving an interest guarantee for the estab- 
lishment of one or more central sugar mills. With 
100,000$000 there might be established a mill with 
American machinery with a capacity of 400 arrobas 
per day, since the Finueia mill in Campos, belong- 
ing to Jose Pereira Pinto, with a capacity of 200 
arrobas per day, cost 50,000$. 
It would also be advantageous for the Government 
to encourage the planters by means of diplomas and 
money prizes, to establish free labour and to givo at- 
tention to the cultivation of cereals and stock-breed- 
ing, especially the breeding of swine, indepen- 
dent of coffee and cane. By reducing to the 
lowest possible figure the railway freights on 
these products, the Government could also con- 
tribute in favor of the division of labor. 
There aro many obstacles to the development of 
agriculture iu the municipality which, although due 
to various causes, may be summed up in two prin- 
cipal ones : lack of roads and schools. 
With the exception of two kilometers of the Barao 
de Araruama railroad belonging to a private Com- 
pany there are no railroads iu the municipality. We 
have not even waggon roads which will enable us to 
abandon the pack mule, "our best vehicle." This 
lack, which ill a rich municipality can only be en- 
dured through ignorance or extreme resignation, 
prevents our varying products or attempting a divi- 
sion of labor which must be our means of obtaining 
the maximum production and perfection of agriculture, 
ami which might lessen for some years to come the 
lack of laborers that is already beginning to be felt. 
Roads are a prime and inherent necessity in a 
mountainous and eminently agricultural municipality 
such as this. Your Excellency will pardon tho 
frankness, born of tho confidence that the good 
judgment of the president of tho province in. 
spires iu the municipal council, with which we 
say that the attention of the Government has not 
yet been awakened to the roads of this municipality 
The same may be said of our people who appear 
to ignore the fact that private enterprise is an in- 
dispensable factor in tho prosperity of any country. 
No one knows better than Your Excellency that 
the people must have insi ruction in order to under- 
stand their duty as citizens and to labor best in the 
interest of^Sooiety and in their owu private interest. 
Our capitalists although possessingabout 8,000,000$000 
of available funds prefer investment in Q per cent, 
government bonds, to embarking their capital in 
industrial enterprises, and thus the spirit of associ- 
ation, which might contribute powerfully to the de- 
velopment of tho industries of the municipality, re- 
mains unproductive. 
Tho stock-raising industry is here very backward 
and of limited proportions. Tho cattle aro neither 
good for work, milk, nor beef. All the carne secca 
consumed, ami the quantity i- not small, is imported ; 
and fur tho last six years the price has varied between 
6 and 9 milreis. Butter-making is almost unknown, 
aud the snmll quantity of cheese Unit is mode is of poor 
quality and not readily salable. 
Only a few amateurs, and these rare, have attempted 
to breed n horse or eo, of a badly made and degoiiorato 
race. Porhaps this neglect of horse- breeding is due to 
our bad toads tor which mules are more suitable. 
Shoop-broodiu;; is almost unknown. Tho few sheep 
that we have are of very ordinary 6tock and only serve 
as food for invalids, the wool and hide being thrown 
away. 
Bee culture is only carried on by a few for their own 
use, and silkworm-breeding is entirely unknown in the 
municipality. 
Our best public establishment, although it has not 
the necessary accommodation, is the municipal hall. 
The churches of this villago and of Sao Sebastiao 
do Alto are in ruins, although this last has 
been somewhat improved at the expense of the parish- 
ioners, The few schools that we possess are in 
houses without sufficient accommodation aud with- 
out furniture. There is no benevolent institution 
in the whole municipality. A small jail is being 
constructed in Sao Sebastiao do Alto : the jail of 
this village is intolerable. 
Such is the state of this municipality, its agricul- 
ture and industries, its drawbacks aud its moat 
pressing reeds. 
Santa Maria Magdalena, Nov. 23rd, 1881. 
INDIAN TEA DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION. 
The annual meeting of this Association was held at the 
offices, 14 St. Mary Axe, on Feb. 22, Sir Douglas For- 
syth, K. C. S. I,, 0. B., president of the Association, 
in the chair. There was a good attendance of mem- 
bers, including Col. R. H. Keatinge, V. C, vice- 
chairman ; Mr. H. Wimshurst, of the Assam Com- 
pany ; Mr. W. Roberts, Mr. Burkinyoung, Mr. Parke 
Pittar, and Mr. Sangster, of the Jorehaut Company; 
Mr. Carpmael, Noakacharee Company ; Mr. R. Lyell, 
of Mesars. George Williamson & Co., representing 
the Borelli, Dejoo, Luckimpore, and Mungledye Com- 
panies ; Mr. D. H. Sefton, of the Land Mortgage 
Bank of India ; Mr. A Lawrie, of Messrs. Alex. Lawrie 
& Co, ; Mr. J. H. Williamson, of Messrs. Wil- 
liamson, Magor & Co.. Calcutta; Mr. Samuel Ward, 
of the Lebong Compony ; Col. Probyn ; Mr. George 
Setou, of Mesesr. Octavius Steel & Co. &c. The no- 
tice convening the meeting having been read by the 
Secretary, the Chairman briefly introduced the report. 
Commenting on the law relating to the inland emi- 
gration of labour to the tea districts, the speaker 
congratulated the meeting upon the result of the 
labours of the Commission appointed to inquire into 
the matter — viz., tho passing of the Inland Emigra- 
tion Act (1882), on January 5th. lie thought that 
this Act would promote the interests both of em- 
ployers and labourers, although it had been unfa- 
vourably criticised by the native population of Cal- 
cutta. The Chairman said that, by a minute of the 
Governor-General referring to the Act us a whole, 
the Government of India observed that it was of 
necessity a measure inteuded to meet a transitional 
.stau of affairs. The maiu reason for maintaining 
at this date a special law was that communications 
between most of the labour districts and the rest 
of India were still imperfect. Tho improvement of 
communication with Assam was engaging the earnest 
atteution of the Government, and, with the gra- 
dual attainment of this objeot.it was hoped that 
it might become practicable to leave both the em- 
ployers and tho employed to settlo their relations 
iu all cases under the ordinary law, as they do in 
other parts of British India. Stepa might be taken 
under tho fourth section of the Act leading to this 
result. Local Governments are empowered, with the 
previous sanction of the Govtracr-Qeueral in Coun- 
cil, to declare that any labour district within their 
respective territories shall ecase to bo subject 
to all the provisions, or any spuciliod provision of 
the Act. The su.cessful introduction of a s»s em of 
I ireo emigration will fuilil tho wish of tho Go- 
