July 1, 1902.J THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
RAINBOW TROUT FOR EVERY RIVER 
AND STREAM IN CEYLON. 
We diiecb attention to a very important sug- 
gestion made by " Piscator " in a letter which we 
publish elsewhere. We would ask the Committee 
of the FisbinfjClub at the earliest possible date 
to lay tiie subject and proposition — if they approve 
— before His Excellency the Lieut. -Governor. It is 
a matter of tjreat importance to the whole commu- 
nity of Ceylon to add to the local Food Supply, 
and especially to make such a welcome addition 
a.s that ot rainbow trou'". "Piscator," who must 
know what he is saying, insisfc.s that they can be 
acclimatized to sea-level, so that every " ganga," 
" oya," and even '' ella" in the island, may have 
the benefit of the introduction. We need say 
nothing in regard to ihe very welcome and enjoy- 
able sport the fishing of such trout should afford. 
We put the matter at present, entirely on a 
utilitarian bisis, and we trust the Fishing Club 
will induce the Government to take the needful 
action. If the Legislative Council were sitting, a 
nntion could be made by one of the unofficial 
members. But, in any case, a matter of such 
genera' advantage and utility, must not be over- 
looked. 
CEYLON AND ECONOMIC PRODUCTS. 
At last we are to have a reliable haud-book on 
the Vegetable Economic Products of Ceylon, 
whether they be native or imported. The Supple- 
ments, which are now being issued with the 
" Annals of the Royal Botanic Gardens," Pera- 
deniya, are being compiled by Messrs. J. C. Willis 
and Herbert Wright, and appear to contain all 
available information resiarding the various pro- 
ducts wliich are dealt, with. The latest 
Sui)plement dealt with Gums and Resins, 
and will be followed by an account of our Caout- 
choucs Guttaperchas, Oils aud Fats, Dye Stuffs and 
Tanning Substances, Fibres, Drugs and Medicinal 
Products. EJi'ile Products, Timbers, Miscellaneous 
Products and Useful Plants, This is a great work 
and if we mistake not, sho\ild form a volume which 
for accuracy and detail will compare favourably 
with that of Dr. Watt on the "Economic Products 
of India" — one of the most useful compilations in 
our library of reference. 
TROUT OVA. 
BROWN TROUT OVA. 
Of the first consignment of Brown Trout Ova 
which turned out so very successfully, and of 'ivhich 
we gave our readers a statement as to the 
manner in which they had been distri- 
buted in various streauis and shewing 1,500 
fry as being still left over in th« stew ponds, 
6ome few commenced to die in twos and threes, of 
some disease, daily. Health having been cona- 
pletely restored in the hatcheries, the balance of 
the fry were late last week put out in the streams 
in aud aboiit Horton Plains, while the remaining 
683 were placed out in streams and about the 
town, 
BAINBOW TROUT OyA. 
Both consignments, owing to bad jiacking, a? is 
known have proved failures. The actual result of 
the turnout, of two consignments, is estimated as 
early 1,600 fry, of which some died in larger 
umbers than the Brown trout fry during the 2ud 
and third week in M ly. Thesa fry are now 
healthy and are sj,id to be doing very well. 300 of 
the fry hive been sint to Mr G G Rois Clarke 
early this week. Mr John Fraser is expected to 
remove 200 other fry during the present week. 
THE BREEDING OF R.\INBO\V TROUT IN 
NUWARA ELIVA STREAMS. 
Mr J Wickwai's letter having finally established 
the fact, any "doubting Thomas" who would 
like to satisfy his doubts would do well to visit the 
little tributary stream branching off in a curve 
from the main stream running parallel with the 
drive into Saint Andrew's Hotel. Here the writer 
who had been in quest of proof, had his attention 
drawn to a shoal of little fry barely i inch long.— 
Cor, 
THE BEGINNING OF THE INDIAN 
TEA SEASON, 1902-1903. 
Yesterday the new tea season, 1902-1903, was 
fairly inaugurated. What is it to bring forth ? 
That is the present question. The days are past 
when tea producers and merchants entered upon 
each new season with light hearts and pleasing 
interest. The interest is there still, but it is of 
a much more anxious order than formerly. No 
longer is it, in the majority of cases. What are 
we going to make? but. What are we going to 
save ? No longer do we look forward with pleasure 
to a big crop, in the sure and certain hope of 
clearing som^ more China tea out of our way and 
making room for our produce. 
At present there is no reliable indication of 
what the present season will bring forth in the 
way of quality or quantity. The first teas are 
of the usual non committal order. Those that 
were offered yesterday were neither very good nor 
very bad, though on a slack market they wjre 
depreciated. Cachars were perhaps a bib bolder 
than last year aud it may be that this mark 
a return to the manufacture in vogue before the 
movement for turning out a finer tea took hold 
in the Surma Valley in 1901. If the Surma 
planters found last year's alteration did nob pay, 
they cannot be blamed for returning to their old 
style of tea making, and at all events there are 
none to dictate to them. Each district is entitled 
to adopt its best gait. Of the all-important A^sam 
there is little opportunity at present of judging. 
But few invoices are on the Calcutta market aud 
there is nothing particular in these. Terais are 
a bit disappointing after the one or two nice 
teas that came from the sub-Himalayan district 
and were snapped up as soon as they reached 
Calcutta a fortnight ago. Darjeelings are plain, 
but the hill teas will improve as usual with the 
May flash and no judgment can be passed on 
the firs; plucking. — Indian Gardening and 
Planting, May 22. 
» 
AUSTRALIAN COFFEE CULTIVATION 
Among the future industrial possibilities in New 
South Wales is that of coffee cirltivation on a 
remunerative basis. It has already been success- 
fully introduced into Queensland, where it f urnishea 
employment to about a couple of hundred workers. 
Nearly a ([uarter of a century ago encouraging ex- 
periments were made in the Clarence Kiver distiict, 
iu the northern portion of the pareut State, when, 
