THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[July 2, 11*94. 
Borneo 
New London") 
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don Bor- V 110,000 \ Share- \l H 
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Bay (Borneo) 90,000 1 H 
Tobacco Co. ) 
of British V 110,050 5 
N. BorneoJ 
COCONUT CULTURE AND LEGISLATION. 
May 29. 
Dear Sir,— I have seen old Planter's letter on 
the Kandapanuwa. Trees can be saved, and have 
been saved here, after ettaoks of the Kandapanuwa; 
but the chances are against suooess, as generally 
the enemy it disoovered oDly after serious mis- 
chief has been done. Only very olose scrutiny 
will disclose mischief at the earlier stages. The 
absolute destruction of all trees attacked without 
giving them a ohanoe would cause widespread 
disoontent, and even hardship, and induoe opposi- 
tion to the proposed legislation, and evasion of the 
law thereafter. It should be required of proprie- 
tors or lessees and their agents that they should 
report to the local headman or " the local autho- 
rity" to be speoially created by law, the preeence 
of Kandapanuwa. The omission to do so, whether 
due to disregard of the law or neglect of the 
property, being equally mischievous, should be 
punishable by a fine. The headman or local 
authority, with assessors if necessary, should 
decide between cure and destruction, and be au- 
thorized to act promptly. In case of destruction 
proprietor to be compensated for each tree aocording 
to growth, say from 50 cents to R2. As for 
regulating the distanoe between palms aud other 
fruit trees, however desirable the measure might 
be, it is not practicable I fear. Even if inter- 
ference with the liberty and judgment of the 
eubjeot in the management of his own property 
be defensible — and exoept where such liberty in- 
juriously affects others interference cm scarcely be 
justified — how is the machinery to be providel 
for so stupendous and inquisitorial an under- 
taking ? What would the remedies besides ? 
Would you root up and replant a young olearing 
and at what age ? If a fine be imposed, how 
will that benefit the overcrowded plantation or the 
country ? 1 
I do not agree with " W. B. L." as to the 
necessarily diverse operations of the Kandapanuwa 
and Kuruminiya. He is right as to their distinct 
operations generally ; but I have found them in 
the closest proximity in the same stem, practi- 
cally in the same hole ! There is nothing im- 
probable in the suggestion that, if the weevil 
finds the stem bark too stiff for his operations 
from below upwards, he should seek the succulent 
interior through en aperture made by the beetle 
which generally begins at top and works hori- 
zontally, if not downwards. I have not assisted 
at any obsequies in three feet of earth after 
cremation, but I believe in the efficacy of a well 
directed fire, and there is little danger in first 
seeking to save a tree, beoaus9 when the final 
ediot of destruction goes forth, the enemy ought 
to be secure within his entrenchments. There is 
greater satisfaction in slaying numbers than in 
extirpating a solitary foe ! PROPRIETOR. 
THE NILGIRIS AND CEYLON COFFEE 
AND TEA. 
The Nilgiris, May 31. 
Dear Sib,— You are so well ioformed on Nilgiris 
topics now from odc source or auotber that I find 
a difficulty in telling you something Dew. There 
are not many things that this coautry is ahead 
of Oeylou in tut for that reason I must draw 
your attention to one or two that it certainly 
can give you a "stone aud a bcatiug" in. 
First and foremost oomes the climate. Tbe resi- 
dents on these Hills have, I am informed, no direct 
say in this matter, but eveo if they bad it ootill 
not have been better arranged. Nuwara Eliya can- 
not "hold the proverbial I alf parmy dip caud e" to 
it. The atmosphere is much drier, but »ben it dees 
rain it comes down ••proper," and Lai done with it. 
The raiufall would be looked on in Cejlon as rather 
short f< r tea, but about right for coffee. The month 
just ended has been a grand one for flusbitg and 
though we don't n< ar to 7b lb. arcrages (was this oa 
KanangamaP) the leaf has simply "rowled in." 1 am 
credibly informed by a resident of 12 years' fund- 
ing th ,t the Monsoon boret last night. The borxliog 
consisted of tome vivid lightning, lond peals of thunder 
and '85 of au inch iu the rain gauge this mc ruing. 
These astronomical pheucmeua lead me to believe 
the aforesaid resident who is a kren oLserver ot 
thing* meterolagical aud otherwise was correct in bis 
surmise. 
This letter would be of little interest to the 
Ceylon publio if I failed to give them au idea 
of what the tea and coffee on the Nilgiris is 
like. Well, tbe tea is on a par with tbe climate if 
"very fine" and all I can say a';out the coffte 
is that if a Ceylon man hid it, be wonld sit 
up all night to watoh i'. I must uow tell you bow 
these valuable tropical products are cu t vale d. But 
no ! on second consideration. I wou't. 'J h»rc a'e some 
big men up here, luckily they are a long distance 
off, and I am a Nilgiri planter myself Auotber 
thing in which this district is miles ah<ad of 
you ii (heir Game Liws and Game Association. I 
s'rongly recommend the former to the attention 
of those gentlemen who are at present forming an 
Association for tbe protection of game in Oeylou. 
Some years ago this must have been a sports- 
man's paradise and is I understand good in some 
parts still. 
I bad intended writing you on tbo subject of tbe 
Labor Laws here, but I find there are not any. The 
planter does not receive tbe paternal attention 
f»iD Government that be does in Ceyton for 
several reasons. Bed-tapeism is carried to an 
extreme, and a Forest Karuger, a highly paid native 
offioial drawing K8 per month, " has the honor ' 
to inform yon in an illegible band on a huge 
sheet of official paper with about bali-turued down 
as a margin, that you have transgressed sect'on, 
chapter, and act of so and so. while he is quietly 
pocketing rupees from catives who flagrantly 
transgress Government regulations on all sides. Tne 
probability, however, is that the Foresters' report never 
reaches the Collector who is an unapproachable kind 
of being surrounded by obsequious myrmidons who 
sorape and bow to bim bnt harass tbe planters about 
trivial matters and walk into your front verandah 
with hoots on (if you allow them). The combination 
amoDgst the planters themeelves is not strong enough 
— what is wanted is a Central Ae-sociatun such 
as you have in Ceylon with district affiliated Asso- 
ciations al! over Southern India. Eeprestntations to 
Government from such a body must cany weight, 
and the Conference at Bangalore last year was a step 
in the right direction. The district is scattered and 
planters are at a disadvantage themselves in being 
unable to discuss matters of common interest except 
on rare occasions, but I regret to see there is dis- 
senFi m amongst the men themselves as regards tbe 
undoubted benefits to be derived from unity which as 
yon know means strength. 
