July i, 1893.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
15 
WHAT IS DONE IN THE MADEAS PEESI- 
DENCy EOE THE IMPEOVEMENT OF 
AGEICULTUEE. 
The Repoit on the operations of the Department 
of Land Records and Agriculture in the Madras 
Presidency in 1891 92 bae reached our hands. We 
learn by it that the amount ftdvaBced to agricul- 
turists by the Government during the year aggre- 
gated Rl,688,481 against R271,504 disbursed in the 
previous year. This large increase is said to be 
due to the great impetus to well-sinking given by 
the drought which prevailed in several of the 
districts, as well as to the favourable terms under 
which loans were granted. Irrigation works seem 
to have received a good deal of attention during 
the past year. On two projects, which when 
completed are expected to protect an area of 
292,400 acres, a sum of about 61 lakhs of rupees 
was expended; while another extension, to irrigate 
6,000 Botes, has been made. In addition to this, 
the improvement of two river deltas, increasing 
the protected land by 277,100 acres, cost about 30 
lakhs. Sanction for further improvements and 
extensions have been accorded by the Government. 
Under the heading minor irrigation we read that 
an allotment of 472 lakhs of rupees was sanctioned 
for the repair of minor irrigation works, atid that 
the sum was subsequently raised to it540,092, this 
amount having been fully expended. 
Under Agricultural Education, it is announced 
that the mmor department of Saidapet ollege 
has been abolished ; and by way of compensation 
it is proposed lo establish five " Fakm Schools " 
in different districts, in which Agriculture and 
Veterinary Science will be taught. A new 
scheme is also about to be introduced in 
the curriculum of the College. An exeellsnt 
idea in connection with the establishment of the 
Farm Schools is that the Inspectors who are to 
take charge of them have been deputed to make 
themselves acquainted with local agricultural 
practice prior to enteriog upon their duties. 
In connection with "Dairy Experiments'' the 
Director refers to the successful introduction of 
modern dairy machinery into the Bombay Presi- 
dency and to the fact that by its use the cost 
of supplying wholesome milk for the use of troops 
and in hospitals has been greatly economised. 
An attempt is being made to establish a Trade 
in Kitul and Palmyrah Fibres in the presidtrioy. 
Kitul is, by the way, spoken of as the fibre of 
the sago palm (Caryoift wrsns). This is misleading ; 
the real sago palm is Metroxylon sagu, the kitul 
being sometimes known as the "bastard sagj." 
It will be read with interest that the experiments 
made by the Madras and South Indian Eailway 
Companies in the use of Eucalyptus leaves as 
disencrustators for locomotive boilers have been 
reported to be very satisfactory. A proposal to 
revive the investigation of hemeleia vastatrix has 
been wisely abandoned, as it is not expected that 
anything of practical utility is likely to result. 
The Agri-Horticultural [society of Madras is said 
to receive a Government firant of K4,0u0 per 
annum, and collects about E3,0ij0 in subsoripti^me. 
Large losses of cattle from starvation are reported, 
owing to the scarcity of fodder and water. Let 
our correspondent " Agrioola" know that a Supe- 
rintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, has a 
subordinate staff consisting of 14 Stock Intpeotors to 
aid him in the Euppreseion of Cattle Disease. Full 
statistics are supplied in the body of the Beport 
of the number of animals (cattle, sheep, g' ats 
and horses) that died during the year, the causes 
of death being also noted. Cattle are said to 
have enjoyed comparative immunity from serioua 
disease (rinderpest, diarrhoea and dysentery, anthrax, 
foot and mouth disease, variola), the total re- 
ported loss being 87,000 or 58 per cent of the 
average losses and 15 per cent less than in the 
previous year. Einderpest (even including under 
this head deaths due to dysentery and diarrbces) did 
not cause one-third the average number of deaths 
that it had done in the previous four years. Only 
10.359 deaths were registered under rinderpest. 
Snakes and wild animals are said to have caused 
some 12,000 deaths 1 The season for cultivation 
i« described as hi ving been " most unfavourable :" 
the results being shown in a considerably reduced 
area of crop and in poor average yields. 
AN IMPEOVED METHOD OF TEA MAKING. 
We have received from Mr. A. Rajasingham an bo- 
count of a modification of the Japanese teapot, which 
he has devised with the object of preventing aa much 
as possible the extraction of tannin from tea leaves 
when making tea. For that purpose, he suggests that 
lea should not be infused and left "to draw" for a 
cfrtain time, so as to " take the strength cut of it," 
but that the leaves shou'd only be enbjeoted to a rapid 
percolaticn with hot water. In carryiug out this plan 
of making- tea, the leaves are placed in a cylindrical 
cup with a perforated bottom, and, while this ia held 
or 8upp^rted in the mouth of the teapot, bob water ia 
poured upon the leaves. The difference between this 
arrangement and the ordinary Japanese teapot con- 
^iBts chiefly in keeping the leaves from contact with 
the infusion after this hag passed throueh the perfor- 
ated bottom of the strainer. The advantages of this 
method of making tea are (1) the freedom of the in- 
fusion from excess of tannin while extracting all the 
aroma ; (2) eimulioity and expedition as well afi the 
inexpensive nature of the apparatus nsed. Mr. Raja- 
eingbam haa sent a statement of the re-ults obtained 
in a number of experiments in which the tea made by 
thia process and by the old-fashioned method of in- 
fusion was tested as to the amount of tannin present 
in it; and the difference in this respect was fiund to 
be very marked in favour of tbifc made by the per- 
colation. Of course, the tea made by percolatii-u ia 
very much paler in colour than that made by iufasion ; 
but with moderately good tea it has a delicate aroma 
and a pleasant taste, without bitterness or the astrin- 
genoy caused by tannin, so that it can be drunk without 
either milk or sugar. — British Medical Journal, April 22 
UPPER MASKELIYA ESTATES CO. LD. 
At the general meeting held today (Mr. W. D, 
Gibbon in the chair) the report of the Directors 
and accounts for the past year v?ere unanimously 
adopted. 
The retiring Directors were re-elected. 
The following was the report of the directors : — 
The Directors have pleasure in submitting to the 
shareholders the accounts of the Company for the nine 
months ending Slst December 1892. 
The yield of tea during this period was 135,6861b. 
which realized an average net price of 51 cents per lb. 
The bulk of the crop was sold in London and but 
for the disappointing prices obtained for the later 
shipments of the season which arrived when the 
market for tine teas was greatly depressed, this average 
would have been better. 
The profit shewn on tea manufacture account and 
from rents, Ax-, is satisfactory and as will be seen be- 
low, the Directors anticipate good returns from these 
sources during the current year. 
After making ample provision for depreciation of 
buildings and machinery, the net balance of profit 
is K29,81S'j1 out of which a dividend of 10 per 
1 cent on the paid-up capital has been paid, absorb- 
ing R27,000. A balance of K2,S18-51 therefore re- 
mains, which would permit of a fiurther dividend of 1 
per cent, but the Dkectors recQmmeinJ thtU this 
