MaV 1, 1903.] THE TROPICAL AGRlOtrLTtJRIST. 
743 
in all material points with my own exporiments, which 
thotigh dealing with only a few trees have been spread 
over a much longer period. The extensioi) of planta- 
tions is pushed on, especially in the Native States, 
and it is proposed to commence tapping thia year on 
two Estates that I kuo-v of, bat I fear that iho return 
from very young trees will bo disappointiiig after 
deducting cost of collecting. 
Ramie. — A .^hort note on Kamie in the Agricultural 
Bulletin somewhat revived the interest in this fine fibre 
producing plant, and has resulted in eiioiling some 
information that may be of practical value. A 'corre- 
spondent in Scotland who is thoroughly conversant with 
the methods of cleaning and preparing this fibre, and 
to whom a parcel of ribbons was sent for Ireatment, 
suggests that the kind we sent and which I believe to 
be the same tha.t has been planted on the two or three 
estates in which the cultivation on ramie has been 
attempted on any considerable scale, ie a very inferior 
variety which ho terras black ramie. It is a very strong 
and quick growing form and on this account it has 
no doubt been selected in preference to others, but if 
our correspondent's views are correct this is its sole 
recommendation. We have in cultivation in the 
nursery here a smaller and shorter variety with hollow 
stems which will, I have little doubt give more than 
double the v^eight of fibre from an equal weight of 
stem? as compared with the large growing kind. The 
nature of the stem too, I think, simplifies the decorti- 
cating process, for instead of stripping the bark from 
the wood which is never a complete process, there 
being always a certain amount of fibre adhering to 
the wood that cannot be removed with the bark, by 
simply beating the stems while in a green state and 
washing in water, every particle of fibre is obtained 
from this variety two pounds weight of green stems 
without leaves gave 4 oz, of roughly cleaned fibre 
which has been sent home to ascertain what further 
loss occurs in completing the process of prepa,ring the 
finished article ana the approximate value if shipped 
as per sample. 
GuTTA Peecha. — Gut*a Percha trees growing in the 
Waterfall valley, from which a good crop of seeds was 
obtained in 1901. produced not a single fruit this year 
though one tree flowered freely. Import saplings 
both from Jiorneo and Sumatra are decided failures, 
and until seeds are obtainable the cost of forming large 
plantations is too great to justify the undertaking. 
This, however, is a matter to be dealt with more lUUy 
in a report on the Forest deparlment which I have 
been asked by the Chief Forest Officer to write, and I 
merely refer to the subject here as the preparations of 
Gutta Percha plants for planting in the Forest reserves 
has hitherto been done in the Botanic Gardens. 
0. CURTIS, 
Superintendent of Gardens and Forests. 
1 ^ 
KANAN DEVAN HILLS, NORTH 
TRAVANCORB. 
About 12 years ago, there was an account of a 
visit to these lul!s in the Pioneer. The country 
was then comparatively unknown and only a few 
estates had been opened out, principally with 
cinchona. This District known as the "High 
Range " is situated in the northern coiner of Tra- 
vancore near the Bi iti-sh boundary, and is a portion 
of the Western Ghats from which it is separated 
bj' a barrier of precipitous mountains — the peaks of 
which are about 8,000 feet high, one of them, 
Anaimoody, being tlie highest point in South India 
— 8,827 feet. These mountains shut in an area of 
about 300 square miles, consisting of hills and 
valleys ranging from 4,500 feet to about 6 500. 
Hidden aniongsr. iliese hilts* are extensive forests, 
which until ic-cently were the haunts of elopiiants 
and bison, whilst on the summiis of llie hills there 
are still large herds of ibex, Altogether there mast 
be between 30,000 to 40,000 acres of forest, the 
remainder consisting of undulating grass lulls and 
high mountain peaks. In every valley there is a 
small stream and the rainfall varies from about 250 
to 100 inches, the portion lying to the west getting; 
the full brunt of the south-west monsoon. AboUfc 
twenty five years ago a concession for this District 
was obtained from the Travancore Uovcrnmeub 
and was formed into a small company, A few 
experimental estates of 
TEA, COFFEE AND CINX'UONA 
were opened out in diflerent parts by the Company, 
and two or three independent planters also settled 
there, but owing to the iiiacces.^ibility of the place 
— it is even now 70 miles from the nearest railway 
station, — but few persons were attracted. Seven 
years ago, the whole of the concession was pur- 
chased by Messrs Finlay Muir and Company for a 
very small sum, about 65 per cent of the capital 
of the, pioneer Company. A new company was 
then formed with a capital of £1,000,000 and 
operations were commenced on a very large scale. 
Altogether more than 13,000 acres have been 
planted out during this period, of which 11 000 
acres consist of tea. The great drawback is the 
want of faciiities of comnuiuication with the low 
couutry. Looking at the map the naturKl port 
of egress would seem to be C iciiin, and although 
the western slopes of the Ghata present many 
engineering ditficuitie?, it would have been quite 
possible to constiucl a road on that side. Tlie 
Travancore Government, however, were not at fiist 
prepared to open a roail, and have thus lost all 
chance of benefiting from the produce traffic which 
n >w finds its w.'-y toBriti-h territory. The twootliir 
points of egrt-ss from the planting district are to 
the north in the Coimbatore District, and to the 
west towards the Soutli Indian Railway, runiiing 
from Tiichinopoly to Tuticoriu. Ey the former 
route it is about 50 miles to the nearest town in the 
low country, Udamaipett, and from there as far 
again to the nearest station on the Madras Railway; 
whereas to the west it is only about 70 miles to 
Annuaiuiyanaikanur, a station on iiie South 
Indian Kailway. In both directions the only 
means of conveyance is by pack animals and 
cattle and the eastern slopes of the hills are so 
precipitous that it will probably never be po.'-sible 
to construct a cart road. By the route to the north 
it will be possible, and the Tiavanccre Govei iimenb 
has at last sanctioned and commenced a Gliab 
road to Udainalpett, to which town 
THERE WILL SOME DAY OR OTHER BE RAILWAY 
COMMUNICATION 
by means of a branch railway from the Madras 
line to the South Indian K''.iiway. Some years 
however, must elapse before tiiis project is carried 
out and in the meantime the produce is for the most 
part despatched by the eastern route. The hills 
are almost entirely uiiiiiluibited- excejit by 
Maliyalies, and the whole of the labour emploj-ed 
has to be brought up from the Madras side. 
Altogether about 10,000 coolies find employniont 
on these hills for nbout 10 months in the year. 
The produce seat down a'uounts to about .^,000 
tons ' annually and probably about an equal 
amount of rice and food siuil has to be brought 
up for the consumpiion of the coolies. To onrry 
ail iliis trntho by head leads and pack animals 
would be well nigh impossible, and therefor^ at a 
very heavy cost ti.e Compmy has consiructed a 
tramway from its headquarters station Munuar to 
