864 THE TROPICiLL AGRICULTURIST. [Junb 1, 1901. 
EXPERIMENTAL AGRICULTURAL 
FARM AND SCHOOL, 
We are much interested in learning that 
the historic estate first opened in coffee by 
Governor Sir Edward Barnes, and for many 
years leased and worked by Mr. E. Jeffries 
in cocoa, coconuts, pepper, and arecanuts, has 
been sold by the proprietrix, Mrs. Horsford, 
subject to the lease, to the Ceylon Govern- 
ment; and for the avowed purpose of making 
it the site of a model or experimental Agri- 
cultural Farm or Plantation— or both com- 
bined—with School, &c. Our information 
goes to show that Gangarawa estate, situated 
near the Botanic^ Gardens, has been pur- 
chased by Government for £8,000, and when 
taken over will be in charge of the Director 
of the Gardens. It is purchased subject to 
Mr. Jeffries' present lease which terminates 
about two years from now. This will give 
great scope for experimental work in con- 
nection with our Scientific Staff ; for, in the 
Gardens, there is at present no room for 
such. We also believe the Agricultural School 
will be once more started at Gangaruwa— 
that is, in 1903 or so. We cannot too highly 
commend this latest step of Sir West Ridge- 
way in the Agricultural and Planting in- 
terests of the Colony. Mr. Willis, when he 
takes possession, should change the name 
and call his model plantation and farm after 
the Governor who has done so much for his 
Department and for Agricultural interests in 
the widest sense. 
COFFEE PLANTING IN SUMATRA. 
We are always pleased to hear from our old 
friend " W.T. McK." wlio, after leaving troops 
of friends behind in Ceylon, has been so many years 
now in Sumatra without making a fortune. He 
sends us as usual a graphic letter with some useful 
statistics, showing that his district of " Serdang " 
has about 10,000 acres uder Liberian coffee. The 
photograph he sends shows magnificent giant 
cofifee trees (backed by Albizzias) laden with 
crop ; for, of course, the soil is superior to any- 
thing we have in Ceylon. But then the market 
price of "coffee" has, for along time, been even 
more disappointing than that of tea ! 
(By an ex-Ceylon Planter.*) 
NOTES FROM SEEDANG, EAST COAST OF 
SUMATRA. 
Some time ago I promised you Liberian coffee 
figures from here : and now, by the kindness of 
the Chairman of the Serdang Kofiie Planters' 
Vereeniging, I am enabled to send you a copy 
of the official figures of the District. By this 
post I also have the pleasure of sending you a 
photo, showing coolies picking coffee on Greahan 
Estate from trees not yet four years old. The 
gentleman in the hat is the Javanese Head 
Mandor, a much bigger swell than the head 
kankani in Ceylon. The lady with the cane is 
the picking mandor, and the other figures on the 
ground and up the ladders are members of her 
picking gang [plump-looking females, not unlike 
Sinhalese women in size and dress.— Ed. T.A,] 
The box .she is examining is a framed kerosine 
oil tin, which, oddly eno ugh, is our standard 
» Omitted by printer's carelessness from page 552 
TJ.< of February, 1901 —Ed. T.J.. 
measure. Our coffee pioneer here, (a genial 
Italian, rest his soul ! his house is like Sheriff s 
in the old days at Helbodde), discovered that 
60 kerosine tins of cherry gave one picul of clean 
coffee, and that standard has been universally 
adopted in Serdang. 
To practical planters the figures will speak for 
themselves. When I came here early in 1895 
there were three small estates, aggregating about 
200,000 plants. The bulk of the district has been 
planted from '97 onwards. Planting distance 
varies ; but an average may be calculated on of 
400 plants to the acre, so that the 4,000,000 
plants shown in the table represent roughly 
10,000 acres. Three small estates give no return. 
Transport is our great difficulty. The far end 
of the District is 40 kilometres, close on 25 miles, 
from the railway, over mud roads, which, through 
they harden well enough in the dry season, pull 
the legs off cattle in wet weather. From where 
I write it is three hours' driving to Loba Pakam 
in fine weather ; ana seven hours if the roads 
are heavy ! ! Four years ago we were assured 
we should have a railway within six months. 
But at the present rate of progress, the trees, 
from which the sleepers are to be cut, have not 
yet started to grow. 
Apropos of the coffee figures, it is perhaps worth 
while repeating the following paragraph from my 
last notes : — " The old trees of Tanah Abang were 
planted in 1880 and are 20 years old. They 
were abandoned for seven years when Giovanni 
took them up, and all that is now left of the» 
are bearing about four to five katties a year 
each. Enormous." One katti«»lj lb. Avoird. 
The following para is from p. 346 of the Graphic, 
September 8, 1900; — "The Germans have been 
quick to recognise the possibilities of this region 
(Uganda), and their enterprise in East Africa 
is remarkable. Five years ago the home Govern- 
ment appropriated 800,000 marks for the establish- 
ing of a coffee plantation not far from Tanga. 
The first year, I was told, the yield paid expenses ; 
the third year it equalled half the capital ; fourth 
year, the entire capital ; and in the last twelve 
months the plantation has made a profic of 
400,000 marks." The italics are mine. The 
Oraphic correspondent is careful to cover him- 
self with "I was told." As to the letter, the 
wonder is that the young men did not arise, 
wind him up, carry him out, and bury him. 
Each of the years is accurately accounted for, so 
this wonderful plantation must have paid ex- 
penses while the plants were still in the nursery ! 
A planter in this district (Serdang), who went to 
German East Africa two or three years ago, 
returned here. I hardly think he would have 
done so if he had realised the prospects as 
described in the Graphic. 
A friend recently pointed out to me what he 
called a "strange omission" in Ballardie's and 
Owen's, "Buildings." " There are no stables" 
said he, and I had to draw him a plan for 
stabling six horses, two carriages, harness-room, 
and quarters for three syces. Horses and ponies 
are a necessity in this country : and I think 
many estates in Ceylon might be better worked 
if the assistants had ponies to help them from 
point to point, or to bring them home from work 
at mid-day after a stiff four or five hours on foot. 
Here's to a good New Year to Ceylon. May 
prices rise, and all proprietors renounce the 
aweating system ! W, T. McK. 
