May i, 1882.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
995 
b een told that these last yield from R. 50 to R. 
100 per aor , hut L think even R. 201) would not be an 
excessive estimate. These form the sources of the 
wealth of Coimbatore, ond ore dependent on water for 
their permanency. But whence does the water oome ? 
Not from the rainfall, which is very small, but from the 
Noyel river. This river bo called, though really it is 
ODly a small stream, is the source of fertility, pleasure 
and happiness to Coimbatore and its people. It is a 
most remarkable stream. As you are aware, it takes its 
riee in the Bolampatti Valley, and it is on the rain 
■which falls there, and on the mountains which sur- 
round it, that the prosperity of Coimi atore depends. I 
examined the valley the other day with mixed feelings 
of grief, disappointment and pleasure : grief ut the 
destruction of forests, which I saw on every side ; dis- 
appointment that such wholesale alienation had not been 
prevented; and pleasure that there was still something 
left, and that the damage was not irreparable. The 
effects of heavy rain falling on hillsides devoid of 
fore -ts is well known ; the water rushes off as it falls, 
causing disastrous Hoods, and none is retained to ensure 
a moderate and permanent supply. The certain result 
of the destruction of the forest remaining in the Blum- 
puttc valley would be that the water in the river 
Noyel during the dry months would become gradually 
less and less, and Coimbatore would becomo a desert, 
It is a very pretty, I might say, a grand sight to 
see tho hillsides round your towns lit up at 
this season each night by forest fires, a lovely 
sight, but ruinous to the forests. The fires 
gradually t ut surely, eat into them, destroying twenty 
trees this year, tcu tho next, and killing all youth 
till the sponge, which retains the moisture, will 
gradually cease to exist. These fires are supposed 
to be necessary, and have becomo an annual institu- 
tion. It is said that they are necessary to enable 
the cattle to get fresh fodder. There is a good deal 
to bo said in favor of the argument, but I think we 
can effect the same thing in another way Forests 
in other parts of India have been protected from lire, 
and the food for cattle has improved both in quality 
and quantity. The great difficulty which is every- 
where experienced in this, as in most other matters, 
is that the piescnt has more weight with us than 
tin? future, nud it is not easy to forego present gain 
for future beuctits ; but you have children and I 
would ask you to think of them, and what will bo 
their condition, if this lovely Coimbatore of yours, 
with its fertile fields and palm groves, be reduced 
to a desert, with tho tanks, which are reservoirs in 
which tho water from tho hills is stored, empty 
and the river dry ! It is necessary to put up with 
a little temporary inconvcuienco for tntitr.i benefit, 
and the permahi nt welfare of yourselves and your 
descendants. I would next call your attention to tho 
benefit of trees in a hot and dry country. I hive 
seen forosts which formerly consisted of only a tree 
here nnd thero, become thick, close, a»d moist. 
Tho effect extended to fields in the neighbour 
hood ; where formerly only one poor ciop has heen 
obtained, two good crops were obtained after the 
protection of tho adjoining forests, Tho tempor- 
ary inconvenience was well n paid by the per- 
manent advantage It has boon said that forestry 
is an exotic, nnd not necessary or snitablo for 
India. Ibis is not tho case. 1 have seen forests 
in other parts of India, which ham be, q carefully 
protected and improved by nativo ohiefs with the 
best results. I would instance Keshilgbnr, in Raj- 
putann, whoro tho resorves yielded a plentiful sup- 
ply of grass and leaves for fodd ir during the dis- 
astrous famines of 18B7-68 and Y.'.l, whilst tho Mir- 
rounding country was devoid of tho scantiest veget- 
ation. Besides conserving tho existing forests, great 
bouolit would result Iroin planting tho drier and 
higher parts of tho district between the rivers 
Noyel and Umravutti. A man who plants a tope, 
or even encourages the growth of trees and shrubs 
on his graz ng waste, confers a lasting benefit on 
the community. You are doubtless aware that jour 
collector has proposed a svs.em of 'fuel and fop let" 
reserves' throughout the district, and I know of 
nothing more likely to promote your ha: pine.-s and 
prosperity, and to mitigate, if indeed it d >es not 
prevent, the effect of future famines. The Noyel 
river already irrigates a very large area, considering 
the small exient which it drains; but 1 have little 
doubt that, with careful conservancy and extension 
of tho woodlands, that area might be increased, 
and the water-supply rendered more certain. MTy 
visit to Coimbatore has afforded mo great pleasure, 
and T hope you may continue prosperous and happy. 
Mr. Stuart on behalf of the audience thanked 
Mr. Brandis for his interesting lecture, the gist of 
which he trusted the native gentlemen preseut would 
not fail to communicate to those who, through want 
of knowledge of English, had been unable to under- 
stand, and to the people of the town and district 
gonerally. 
COFFEE ADULTERATION AND MIXTURES. 
Tho following is the Memorial got up in London 
and the reply received :-- 
To the Lords Commissioners of H.M. Treasury. 
Loudon, 6th February 1882. 
The attention of your memorialists has been drawn to 
a minute of Treasury dated 20th January, 1882, which 
directs HM. Board of Customs to permit the importation, 
under a duty of 2d per lb., of coffee or chicory, roasted and 
(/round, mixed, without reference to the proportion of the 
mixture; and the permission to extend to any other vegetable 
matter applicable to the use of chicory or coffee. 
Your memorialists beg to submit to the consideration 
of your lordships the following objections to the above 
order : — 
1st. — That it is most unwise to give such sanction to 
practices which tend to deteriorate so valuable and whole- 
some a beverage, so well fitted to advance temperate 
habits among the people. 
protecting the food of tho people from adulteration, and 
that the order just issued by the Treasury is in contra- 
diction with the letter and the spirit of the Acts of 
Parliament 38 aud 39 Victoria, chap. 03, clauses (5 and 8. 
3rd. — Tl'at the substances which it i> proposed to admit 
in a mixed slate with c ffee would of themselves find uo 
favour, b' ing of comparatively small value ; audit is ouly 
becau-o thov assume the 1 ame of coffee, or are foun 1 in 
association w'tn this name, that they become saleable. 
4th. — that no good reason cau be shown why coffee 
should not desorve as fair a treatment as other articles of 
Iiuliau or Colonial produce, such as lea for instance, where 
regulations prohibit the sale of the pure ni tide, with any 
nrxturo whatsoev- r, ond even with "exhausted tea " 
5th. — That the chief reason why eofl'.-o has fallen into 
disfavour in this country, is the systematic way in which 
it has been adulterated, and the tou-equent difficulty ex- 
perienced by the great mass of population in obtaining 
not merely a pore art cle, t ut a Wholesome and pafsttabta 
beverage suitable to their inea s. The pt >r olaAxas, pup- 
cbosing cofTeo in small quantities, will always usk lor it 
ready ground. 
Cth.— Tl at coffee is grown in the Hritish Posses- 
siuns in India, Ceylon, Jamaica, and other Colonies, nt 
tho cost of many millions of linglibl) capital, its 
cultivation and preparation giving employment to 
ninny thonNinds 'f ftrtish subjects; that <'• foi 
in W7 export, .! 108,000,00 1 lb. of coffee, nod British 
India about 60,000,000 ik; that h v tar th • larger of tfaosa 
crops UM-d to find their way to this eon: ri. which eoii- 
Mini. chiefly Ceylon and Indian coffuo; tlint London is 
gradually losing n portion of its trade, 10 tho crops are 
shipped now more aud more to U10 Coutiu ut direct, to the 
