Oct, 1, 1899.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
245 
in. girth) to first class (Oft. girth). For the pre- 
sent therefoi'c, and until we can get more relia- 
ble data from sample plots, about one-fortieth of 
the area will be worked each year, taking only 
such first class trees as can be spared for ex- 
ploitation. Before long I hope that a reconside- 
ration of this system can be made. It is inten- 
ded that cleanings and seed fellings sliouLd pre- 
cede tlie principal fellings by a few years. The 
fuel reserves will be worked on a rotation of 
twenty years. 
On the subject of sample plots further inter- 
esting information is supplied. The measure- 
ment of these is, we are glad to learn, be- 
cofliing more universal in the different 
Provinces; but uut'ortunatelv several that 
were started have been left neglected. On them 
the different species of trees have not been 
sufficiently represented and deductions as to 
rate of growth have been rendered unreli- 
able. Valuable material is expected in a few 
years; but, meanwhile, as Mr. Broun says, 
•'ten years have passed during which most 
important data might have been got together." 
The reorganisation of the superior staff 
has now come to pass, and effected a reduc- 
tion in the number of officers — a course 
■ which is to a certain extent satisfactory to 
i Mr. Broun, since, as he points out, it is a 
one which he has advocated as far hack 
as 1891. Even with the 31 rangers, which 
form the executive staff — at salaries ranging 
from Rl,500 to R360 — under the new scheme, 
the staff, including 17 rangers, under the 
Conservator, it is shown, is still somewhat 
small, considering that some 10,000 square 
miles have to be administered ; and this fact 
will scarcely be affected if more than half 
the total area is given back to the Provincial 
Administration. The Conservator very wisely 
remarks, however, that it is better at !;he out- 
set not to overman the Department, but to 
add to it as fresh requirements are proved. 
The review of the plantations for Artificial 
Reproduction shows everj^ promise and a 
rebuke is duly administered for the previous 
disparaging remarks on them, made by 
Mr. Fisher, apparently without personal in- 
spection of the plantations. This portion of 
the Conservator's report we shall reproduce 
in full. The indiscriminate issue of free 
grants in the little populated districts of 
the North-Central Province and Trincomalee 
is also deservedly condemned as tending to 
foster unthrift and a want of self-reliance. 
Nor is it, we may add, likely that the native 
estimation of the value of land in the 
neighbourhood of the Northern Railway 
likely to be increased by these doles from 
the Government landlord. 
With regard to the financial results the 
surplus has fallen short of what was antici- 
pated partly because of the value of 
plumbago lands leased, (the rents R20,105 
not being put down as forest revenue) and 
partly because the value of timber on lands 
in the N.-W. Province (R20,000) was not 
credited to the Department in actual cash. 
The net surplus (R14,738) would, with these 
addditions, have attained R54,843 or more 
tha.n double that of last year. In 1898 it was 
R9,605, but in 1897 we are at a loss for 
the correct figure ; for Ln Mr. Fisher's 
Report for 1897, it is put down at 
R23,573 and in the comparative table in 
Mr, Broun's statement for 1897 and 1898 
it is given as R27,372. This is entirely due, 
we notice, to the surplus for the Eastern 
Province Ijeing given in the former table 
as R15,368 and in the latter as R19,167; 
similarly the total Eastern Province and 
receipts differ in both cases. In conclusion 
we have the following paragraph accounting 
for the delay, upon which we were about 
to comment, in issuing the report : — 
There is again delay in the submission of this 
report on account of the lateness in receiving the 
provincial reports. This is due to the precipitate 
hurry with ^vh'cli officers were transferred to 
new headquarters just before my return from 
home, the consequence being that the record, 
are in one place with the Government Agents 
and the Assistant Conservator and liis clerical 
staff in another. The result is delay in obtaining 
necessary data and in submission of reports. 
In view of this we do not see how any 
blame can attach to the Conservator himself, 
and further we have to thank him for % 
peculiarly interesting and succinct account of 
the Department under his charge — one which 
stands in the first rank of public import- 
ance to the people and colonists of Ceylon. 
— 3-- 
SCIENCE FOR AGIilCULTCRE. 
We have ofteii noted the backwardness 
of British Colonial Governments, in recog- 
nising the importance of providing scientific 
help for the furtherance of - agriculture, as 
compai'ed with Continental Goveriiments. 
In the case of German and Dutch Colonies, 
a staff of scientists is always attached to 
public institutions, so that their services 
might be available to planters and others ; 
and specially is this the case in Java. We 
need not go far back to recall the official 
refusal at first to enlist the services of Mr. 
E. E. Green for the benefit of the Island, and 
his subsequent appointment as Honorary En- 
tomologist ; and then the confession, or 
rather pretence of inability to find a crypto- 
gamist to incjuh-e into the cacao disease, 
which led to the engagement by private 
proprietors of Mr. Carruthers, whom the 
Government afterwards consented to sub- 
sidise. The lesson taught the nation in indus- 
trial and commercial matters, in which 
Great Britain is paying the penalty of a 
narrow conservatism which has enabled 
American and German goods to oust Br tish 
goods even in British Colonies, ought lo be 
laid to heart, and applied to matters agri- 
cultural, if there is to be progression, rather 
than stagnation and retrogression. We refer 
to the subject just now, in view, of the 
movement to secure Mr. Carriithers' return 
to the Island as a Government servant, and 
of certain correspondence which has come 
under our notice between the Government 
of Bengal and Dr. Watt, the Reporter on 
Economic Products with the Government of 
India. Dr. Watt, in a letter bearing date 
the 17th May, from Calcutta, in replying 
to inquiries in connection with grants of 
R5,000 a year sanctioneU by the Liert." 
Governor of Bengal, and R2,500 a yenr for 
three years by the Chief Commissioner of 
Assam, towards the cost of employing an 
expert to study and report upon the culti- 
vation and manufacture of Tea in Assam 
and Caciiar, writes to Sir Patrick Playfair 
in very explicit terms which have some ap- 
