June i, 1882.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
1005 
ing experiments. The theory and vi 
grafting ore easy enough to com 
whittling of the wood sufficiently dc 
cess is another matter quite ! I wr( 
the Peradeniya gardens suggesting 
aware if any trials have been made 
jungles are crowded witli several wi 
per over a considerable acreage has 
on the most approved fashion in v 
Chinese at the Straits. Small forest 
now shewing up here and there ; a 
extent of the ground has been terrac 
system, and di aw trustworthy concl 
as to the return that may be safely < 
Straits. Wild pepper of several varieties are to be found 
growing in profusion everywhere in the jungles, and 
numbers of fine vines of the best kind grow at the 
villages .spontaneously, and quite untended ; though 
the crops are gathered carefully and sold in Ualle. 
Ccara rubber, arecas and sapan have been put out 
extensively, and all shew good growth. But carda- 
mom planting (Malabar) is the industry, above all 
Others, that seems to mo to promise gn at things here. 
Numbers of bushes not two j ears old yet, and though 
raised from small seedling plants, (said to take a year 
or more longer to come into bearing than bulbs) are 
10 to 12 feet high, covering the ground in a most 
luxuriant fashion, and now throwing out a mass of 
dower stems. A splendid success though the enterprise 
is shewing itself to be upeouutry, worth if report speaks 
true of its nett profits from HI, 000 per acre there, I 
have iho authority of a man interested largely in it, 
both here and there in the quarter of the country 
it has hitherto succeeded best in, for saying that, in 
the matter of rapid growth and early yield, we havo 
hero at least 12 months the advantage. And no one 
who has seen the presont vigour of the bushes will 
go away in doubts as to this being maintained fully 
a* long und profitably. Here again the surround- 
ing jungles are crowded with two indigenous kinds, 
indiscriminately collected by the natives for sale; 
and, I am under an impression, peculiar to this part 
of the country. The Sinhalese call it 1 cardumon ' 
and the common Ceylon kind, from, which it differs 
greatly in appearance, ' Ensel'. It is a much smaller 
plant than tho latter, the leaves a deep red behind, 
and the fruit smaller. 
There are a number of other products being at- 
tempted, but none at present worthy of mention, 
unless it bo cinchona, of which, plants of Ledger and 
calisaya are both doing well in the open, but seem 
impatient of natural shade, probably owing to excess 
of moisture. 
In the matter of roads, the Provincial Hold 
Officer has just been up expressly to report for 
Government on a trace through the heart of tho 
district connecting the two cart roads of Kottoa and 
Udugama. His report being entirely favourable, this 
road will, I suppose, be constructed forthwith, complet- 
ing a complete system of communication on both 
side*, and apart from the cheap transport closo by and 
available at all timos and seasons via river to Gallo, 
within \ of a mile of our rico storo on the Oodugama 
road. Uut wo look to tho moans of transport being 
further facilitated, good as thoy at present are ; nnd 
the subject is already under discussion ; one reputed 
capitalist having ah ■« .id y offered when the tune arrives 
to supply the needful for tho construction of a 
light steam line to Hallo ; or may be, if the main 
lino from Colombo is completed so far, to \'« ntota ! 
It is but a few thousand acres in bearing that are 
needed to dooido tho question aa to a 10 per ceut 
dividend favourably, tor such a line going through 
tuch au easy country need co»t but little, aud would 
also absorb and create, as steam communication always 
must wherever there is a sufficient population, a 
considerable amount of native traffic. They are already 
taking to cultivating Liberian coffee in the province 
and this will extend, believing, with good reasoD, 
that the district is destined to ran ' c h ,st favorite 
come a very extensive one, for there is ample scope 
as regards available land. Another five years hence, 
if Government will give their sanction, will probably 
see the line commenced, if not compl-ted. 
In conclusion— whilst able to speak favorably of tho 
natural capabilities of the district — it would bo 
ungracious not to add how much is due for 
what is now to be seen here— and the thing to 
do is come, see, and judge personally ! ! —to the 
untiringly energetic way Mr. Dobree has pioneered 
the district, his choice, and tho practical knowledge 
of planting he has been able to bring to bear ; for 
I will back all the estates, with the exception of the 
few bits opened during a temporary absence from 
the island, to hold their own as regards go id work and 
good order with any estate or clearing, in the island 
or out of it. UDUGAMA. 
P.S. — I am forgetting to say that our fust lady 
resident, Mrs. Pickthall, has just arrived in the 
district from home, with her husband, the proprietor 
and manager of Daphne. 
THE NORTH BORNEO COMPANY AND 
CHINESE IMMIGRATION. 
The latest accounts indicate that affairs are pro- 
gressing in North Borneo and that the Governor of 
the new British Settlement hoped within a month or 
so to remove his headquarters from Labuan to Mamda 
Bay. Stores of coal were being arranged for at San- 
dakan Bay (a very noblo harbour), lor passing steamers. 
Mr. Robson, the Company's Surveyor, had been 
poorly, but was all right again aud working hard at 
the survey of Sandakan. From this place, however, 
Mr. von Donop had shifted the Botanical Gardens 
to Silam, as the neighbourhood of the latter is more 
adapted to the commencement of planting operations 
on a large scale than is the former. The soil at 
Silam is also reported to be first-class. 
It is interesting thus to watch and record the begin- 
nings of an enterprize, the end of which no man can pre- 
dict, except that it is morally certiiu to result in changes 
of great magnitude aud equal benefit to the region 
over which British influence has commenced to spiead. 
In an area equal to that of Ceylon, conditions of 
soil and climate are to a large extent all that could 
be desired for the cultivation of tropical products. 
But if the old Ceylon, with 2$ millions of popula- 
tion, is compelled to import labour, we leave our 
readers to judge what the great wont must bo of 
tho New Ceylon, with but about 100,000 inhabitants 
(or less than tho population of Colombo) lor 2">,000 
square miles of territory. Tho Directors of the Com- 
pany arc turniug longing looks to the cooly regions 
of India, but their chief dependence must rest on 
the chances of attracting Chinese to North Borneo, 
as they have been attracted to Batavia, Singapore, 
Penaug and Malacca. In sendiug Sir Walter Med- 
hurst to China, the bett possible step has been taken 
to this end. Sir Walter is perfectly familiar with 
the language aud peculiar (rery peculiar) customs of 
tho people, aud a great admirer of tho race which 
