Aug. 1, 1902.] THE TROPICAL AaRICULTUEIST. 
99 
THE NORTHERN PROVINCE (CEYLON) 
IN 1901. 
( Extracts from Mr. levers' Administration 
Report. J 
TOBACCO CULTIVATION. 
Next to tood supply, this industry rauks highest 
in this Province. Tlie following is the statement 
of tobacco exported beyond sea and coastwise :— 
Beyond Sea. 
Qnantity. Value. 
Cwt. qr. lb. Bs. c, 
1900 ... 42,519 0 17 , . 981,665 05 
1901 .. 28,269 2 i ... 673,061 68 
Coastwise. 
Quantity. Value. 
Cwt. qr. lb. Rs. c. 
1900 ... 25,932 2 12 .. 602,070 25 
1901 ... 51,220 2 12 . . 583,660 60 
It is important to note that the export to 
Trayancore has fallen, while the local trade 
to Colombo and other parts has more than doubled, 
The Travancore trade has fallen of? from the suc- 
cessful competition of Coimbatoie tobacco, and the 
price has fallen. It is a matter for the serious 
concern of the local producer to tind ouclets for his 
tobacco. This can only be done by improvement 
of the procflss of manufacture. It will, I hear, 
take a long time before the grower realises this, 
and meantime he must be content with less profit 
and reduction of crop. During the close of the 
year Jaffna was visited by Mr. MacD. Gibson, 
who i« said to have large experience of tobacco 
growing in Sumatra and elsewhere, and he ex- 
pressed his opinion that the locally-grown leaf is 
of excellent quality, and the methods of planting 
and irrigation are sound ; but the plucking is 
erroneous, and the curing injurious to flavour, 
The leaf is actually made rotten, and hence the 
difficulty in keeping the cigars for any length of 
time. He was unsuccessful in inducing any local 
capitalist to take up new methois. The idea here 
is that, when such methods are introduced by 
other people's money, the local grower and manu- 
facturer will learn the methods without expendi- 
ture. Meantime I am rather discouraged at the 
prospects of this important branch of trade. The 
great increase in export coastwise cannot be 
maintained without a heavy fall in prices, for the 
market is now glutted, and there is little or no 
possibility of local expansion for the class of cigar 
now produced. 
It is possible that Government may grant a 
concession of land in the Vanni for experimental 
cultivation of tobacco under proper guidance. I 
think this would be useful, for, if the people see 
that tobacco cured in the modern methods fetches 
& higher price, it may induce them to follow these 
methods and obtain a more extensive market. 
But no initiative can be locally expected. 
CATTLE. 
The following is an account of cattle in the 
Jaffna division ; — Buffaloes 3,552 ; Black cattle 
163,911 ; Sheep 77,236 ; Goats 57,284. 
There was no cattle disease in the Jaffna Dis- 
trict during the year, and the condition of the 
cattle was on the whole good. An experiment 
was made, through the local Agricultural Asso- 
ciation, with fodder seeds obtained from Queens- 
land. I regret to say it was altogether a failure, 
as the seeds did not germinate. 
Another attempt will be made after request for 
special care in selection of fresh seeds. An irri- 
gatioH wheel, which can be easily made locally 
13 
and worked by a pair of bulls, was procured from 
Cyprus. It has not been tried experimentally, 
pending receipt ot some information wliich has 
been asked for from Cyprus. 
IMMIGRATION, 
The immigration route continues to be closed 
from the early part of January, 1900- But during 
the year a relaxation of the pittgue regulations was 
made in respect of the coolies for the Giant's 
tank works, and 42 coolies were landed at Pesalai 
from South India, the number of emigrants 
being 15. 
The whole question of immigration and the 
best route for coolies into Ceylon must soon be 
well weighed and considered. This consideration 
will be forced on the local Government when 
the South Indian Hallway .system has been ex- 
tended from its present terminus on the mainland to 
the proposed harbour on Kamisseram island. It 
will then be a question whether the steamer 
lines are to run direct to Colombo, where the 
Ragama Camp is used, or be taken to a similar 
camp on the mainland of Mannar and on to 
Madawachchi Railway Station. A road tram 
line would probably afford the best means of 
transport from the landing-places to the camp and 
onwards. The camp would probably be formed 
somewhere near Murunkan, and between the 10th 
and 11 miles from Mannar, for a sufficient supply 
of good water for a large camp is not procurable 
nearer to the points of landing. 
A steam ferry would probably replace the 
sailing ships in conveying the coolies to Vengalai 
and Pesalai according to the monsoon seasons. 
Possibly a road-tram from Dutch Bay to some 
convenient point on the Kurunegala-Auuradhapura 
section of the railway might be better. No 
doubt the two routes will be considered in the 
view of cost, convenience and time of transit. 
But any reversion to the old system of road 
travelling for coolies is to be most earnestly 
deprecated. 
DESTRUCTION OF WILD BEASTS. 
This item is more important in the Vanni 
and Mannar Districts. For the Jaffna District 
rewards were paid for the destruction of ten 
leopards and three bears in the mainland divi- 
sions, But since more is paid by traders for 
skins than can be obtained in the official reward, 
the figures in no way represent the actual killing 
of these animals. 
HORSE ESTABLISHMENT, DELFT. 
The following figures give the statistics of the es- 
tablishment : — Eeveuue 111,675; Expenditure R832"97 • 
Nett Revenue 842-3. 
There were 32 births during the year, of which 9 
died, chiefly of weakness caused by the mothers 
being old. Eight brood mares died during the year 
of old age, and they have been replaced by young 
fillies from Iranativu. 
There were at Delft on the 31st December- 
Stallions 2 ; Brood mares 60 ; Foals 33 : and at Irana- 
tivu under three years old 26. 
From the commencement of the experiment in 
189S the total expenditure has been R5,I40-36 
and the revenue 1I7,S."J9 SO, giving a nett profit 
of R2,699'44. The expenditure include, besides 
the annual staff expenses, the building enclo- 
sures and the purchasing of stallions. The 
experiment has so far been a success financially, 
but I do not so much regaid the making of 
revenue as the protection and impro\ emeut of tliese 
ponies, which are so hardy and useful in a climate 
like North Ceylou, where Australians cannot 
