Dec, 1, 1902.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
succeed, to be able to create a race better able 
to resist disease. Cultivators would once more 
take courar;e. 
'' It appears that, in the neiohbourhooJ of 
Colombo, tiiere are different kinds of silk- 
worniM, notably one called Attacus Taprohanis, 
living upon the cinnamon bush. The cater- 
pillar of a green colour gives a large open 
cocoon in the shape of a pear, greyisli brown. 
Could I obtain some eggs or some living 
cocoons, of these difleient kinds of siik-worni, or 
it not all, then of one of them, and would it be 
possible at the same time to inform me on what 
they feed ? By lending me this help, you would 
enable to complete my work and would render a 
{<reat service to science, which, so far, Icnows 
"nothing whatever of those Ceylon kinds of worm. 
Of course I shall be happy to pay those who 
take the trouble to collect and send these," 
In our Review of Agricultural and Other 
Industries in Ceylon, we notice "Silk-worms" 
and give a summary of what has been 
done in the past :— 
"There is a spot on the banks of the Kelani river 
3 or 4 miles above the Bridge of Boats en route to 
Hanwella called ' Orta Seda ' or Silk Garden, 
where the Portuguese are believed to have fed silk- 
worms. The Dutch unsuccessfully attempted to 
propagate the silkworm, plant nml'berry trees, and 
produce silk at Jaffna, (See Tennent, vol. 1, page 
265 ) Tennent also notices the presence of t!ie 
Tusser silk.noth whi?h feeds on the country 
almond (Terminalia Catappa) And v^ij com- 
mon Palma Christi or castor-oil plant ; but 
nothing has been done with the Tusser to make 
it a commercial success. In the British period 
Bennett takes credit for introducing the white 
and digitated mulberry (as well as the opium 
poppj), and on 21st September 1829 a Government 
regulation was passed to encourage the growth of 
' silk and opium ' among other agricultural pro- 
duce. He thought the Northern Province eminently 
adapted for the silkworm and mulberry plant being 
the least humid part of ihe island ; as Tennent 
thought it best adapted for the Tusser silk and 
castor-oil plant. Bennett gives instructions (page 
217) for the information of mulberry nurseries, and 
he quite hoped to see silk a staple of the north of 
Ceylon. He proposed shading the mulberry plant 
with plantains and afterwards to grow an under- 
crop of Indigo." 
We have never heard of the Ceylon silk- 
worm that feeds on the cinnamon bush ; 
but our Entomologist. Mr. E. E. Green, will, 
we feel sure, tell us all about Attacus 
Taprohanis : whether it is likely to suit our 
Algerian friend's purpose, and, if so, the 
best way in which the Consul can secure 
and forward the needful supply of eggs. 
THE CURRENCY QUESTION: 
BANKING AND MERCANTILE 
OPINIONS. 
In view of the interest centered in the 
Currency Question at present, we have sought 
and obtained the opinion of some of the 
leading members of the Mercantile Commu- 
nity, and of some members of the staffs of 
our Banking Offices in Ceylon. We submit 
them as received : — 
A leading Fort merchant and an old resid- 
ent writes :— 
" Most of the large rice and other business 
pow-a-days is financed by bank drafts, or 
' boondies.' For rice from some of tiie small 
Indian ports, rupees may be shipped, but I don't 
think to any important extent. The rupees taken 
to the Coast in quantity are taken by the Tamil 
cooly, I don't see why in a little time he should 
not take sovereigns and half-sovereigns instead. 
" As regards local currency, what the local 
'Times" correspondent said the other evening is 
nonsense, i e.:—' Tlie latest idea is to force small 
coins on the public. The public have not demanded 
small coins and do not require them ; it is merely 
another attempt to retain the Gold Ordinance in 
force, for the benefit of the Banks. If a large 
quantity of small coin is minted it will merely 
lie in the vaults in company with the sovereigns." 
Most people in Ceylon would be as well satisfied 
to receive two 50 cent pieces as a rapee and, if 
Governmenc would expedite the issue of these 
largely, the pinch would soon be relieved. At 
the same time I do not see any objection to a 
Ceylon rupee, coined so as to be easily distin- 
guished from an Indian rupee, being put into 
circulation here; it would meet local requirements. 
" It would not, however, be current in India and 
we need never ask the Government of India to 
permit it, for the maintenance of the value of 
the rupee is partly regulated by their restriction 
of the coinage of it in India. A Ceylon rupee 
would have to be exactly of the same fineness 
and intrinsic value as the Indian one. We don't 
require a mine for this ; they can be coined where 
the present subsidiary coins are turned out." 
A very different view is taken of the situation 
by a Banker as follows : — 
" Run on its present lines this Gold Ordinance 
will never woik, and the sooner it is repealed 
the better for all parties. It is absurd to attempt 
to force the sovereign on the public, who not 
only don't want it, but it is an absolutely use- 
less coin for n.any purposes. As well make the 
American dollar or any other foreign coin legal 
tender. The Treasury are at a deadlock and will 
not part with a single rupee ; a disgraceful state 
of affairs. Let them ship off their gold to India 
at once and import rupees ; it is not for the 
public to do this, and as matters stand it is really 
the public in the long run who have to pay the 
cost of importing, 
" A Ceylon Government rupee would lead to 
many complications. If the 'Treasury are unfit 
to supply small coins, how much worse it would 
be if they ran short of their own rupees." 
Per contra, a merchant in a big way thinks, — 
" I cannot see why our Bankers should be 
exempted from obligation to hring some rupees 
from India, any more than that Government 
should be. Suppose I sell a sterling bill to a 
Bank here, the Bank agrees to pay me for it at a 
certain rate of exchange, so many rupees; presum- 
ably the Bank has them, but, if not, why should 
Government supply the Bank witk these rupees? 
I am unable to see why a Ceylsa rupee should 
lead to any complications. Bankese should pay 
for sterling bills with them such as I refer to 
above. The only person for whom Indian rupees 
are wanted seems to be the Tamil cooly, bu6 
surely it would aot be much of a hardship to 
