kABOH 1, 1899.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
645 
ALL ABOUT CEYLON, 
There is not inncli in tlie statistics and inform- 
ation wortli repe itint; locally ; but an exception 
must be made to the expression of opinion which 
follows on reading the Governor's Opening Speech, 
tlms ; — 
It records a programme completed and in progress 
for the government of the island, and a grasp of the 
whole situation by the Goveriur himself, which appears 
to me to be as near perfection in c iloiiial goveromeut 
as cau be : and after passing through other countries 
where intelligence — as in the United States a;id 
Canada— is tempered witli various shades of corruption 
and after experiencing the bar to progress which 
exists in the want of straight forward dealing 
in J '.pan, and the corrupt conservatism of China, 
it is delightfully refreshing to realise what 
a capable Governor, a throughly representative 
Conncil, and a trading population of English 
gentlemen can do in the way of suoce-r-.fal 
Government. And yet there are somethings wiiich 
take one by surprise. Certain matters are submitted 
to the home Government by a united Council, on 
which the Colonial Secretary puts bis veto. As an 
illustration, the address of the Governor contains the 
statement that the Colonial Secretary has not given 
his sanction (and this in the face of a unanimous 
recommendation from a body who ought to kno // 
what is best for the country) to a new and important 
railway. Of course the Government has some trou- 
bles, and, as ac home, there are plenty of '' birds ot 
prey " who look out for the surplus, A reduction 
of railway rates to help the tea inrhistry, and the 
removal of the duty on imported rice and on kerosine 
oil, are asked for by the Chambur of Commerce. This 
is objected to by the Administration on the ground 
that the home Government urges that the surplus 
should bo devoted to meet part of the outlay to which 
the colony is committed in 
EXTENDING THE RAILWAY 
to the north of the i.-land. The view I have formed 
on this question is that the duty on kerosine and rice 
should be mamtained, as the easiest form of enabling 
each class of the c jramunity to take its shares in gene- 
ral taxation; but that so far as railway rates are con- 
cerned the Government, in view of the fact that a 
number of the tea plantations are now not making 
ends meet, can safely afford to make soms conces- 
sion in rates, especially in districts where, through 
the inferiority of the land, or becattsa of distance 
from the paint of shipment, the tea-planter is 
placed at a disadvantage. I had some conversation 
with Mr. Pearse, the general manager of the rail- 
ways, with the President of the Chamber of Corn- 
merce, and with the editor of the Cnylon Observer 
(whose remarkable Directory of Ceylon is such a 
valuable compendium of all the information avnilable 
with respect to the island that it scarcely leaves an 
opening for any question to ba asked). Talks with 
these gentlemen, and especially with the Governor, 
who showed ub great kin iness during our visit, 
gave one the conviction that the island has a great 
and lasting future. The success of the railways 
quite justifies the Government in being bold 
in extending the system, and there should 
be no deliiy in constructing the lino to Mannar, 
to meet tbe extension which the South Itidian 
Railway Company are making to the point nearest 
to Ceylon, and the effect of tlii.s double extension 
will be to connect the railways of Ceylon and India, 
if a bridge is built over the narrow strait. The 
railway will also be extended to the northern extremity 
of the island at JaiSni, but Mr. Chamberlain has 
made a miataUe in o lUing this tho main linn of the 
colony. 1'hib will only he a branch lint-, »>hich ought 
to bp built on a narrow gauge ; and i* branches also 
on the narrow gauge extend to Trincomaleo to the 
east and to Puttalani to the west, the systoni will 
be fairly complete. Tho homo Govornment has shown 
some rclnctancc to sanction the outlay of new capital 
on railway schemes, on tho ground that thero is 
daui^er of saddling- posterity with debt, but when the 
8i 
railway surplus (after paying interest and redemption) 
equals an amount sufficient to pay five per coat, on a 
sum of thrfc millions sterliog, it seems to me tiiat it 
would be sjund finance to issue 
PBKJIANENT DEBENTUEES 
on the railway of one or two millions, at, say, four 
p.n- cent., whic'i monpy C5uld be immediately used for 
extensions, the profit on which would increase the 
present surplus and niake it available for useful 
purposes. 
Mr. Rainbridge gives a curious reason for keen- 
ing on a partial, unjust rice-tax —and so far he 
failed to protic by our Directory and conversation ! 
We are glad, 'lowever, ta see that lie favours 
the freeing of salt from duty, for agricultural pur- 
poses, and also :— 
Vv'e have something to learn from the Dutch colony 
of Java; and we should do well to follow the example 
of the Dutch Government, who compel the Civil 
Service candidates who go to the colony to study (as 
p ut of their preparation) agi'iculture for two years, 
thus turning the mind of the student into a groove 
which IS likely to be of service to the communitv to 
which he will be attached. One of the products of 
the coconut is the arrack spirit, which, unfortunately 
is likely to be a bane to the natives ; and here again 
we find the Javanese Government enacting laws' for 
the limitation of the sale of the liquour :o the natives. 
Here is something curious : — 
Bo far, the only mineral discovered and woi ked is 
plumbago ; but the island yields a quantity ot beautiful 
stones of the topaz, amethyst, and sapphire kind as 
well as some excellent rubies, one of wliich was pur- 
chased by an American firm in my presence for 
.£475. Another precious stone of value is the '• Alex- 
andrite," which has the singular characteristic of 
being greeu in daylight and red by can jlelight. 
TEA BUSHES AND THEIR ENEiMIES. 
Travelling a few weeks ago with a 
planter of much and varied experience as 
proprietary Manager and Visiting Agent, 
and the conversation turning on liow best 
to cultivate tea and ward oft" its enemies, 
he testified to a certain estate in tlie Agras 
(witli which he had no connection) being, in 
his opinion, among the best managed in the liill 
country of Ceylon. Meeting a still more ex- 
perienced Visiting Agent, we put the ques 
tion to him with the i-esult of another but 
much larger estate near the Agras being 
named ; but when he heard of the one just 
specified, he agreed as to the close at'ten* 
tion and great care with which our old 
friend Mr. W. B. Jackson performed his 
duties as estate Manager. The special point 
under remark had reference to the entire 
freedom of Hanteville tea from fungoid or 
insect pests of any kind. At this time 
when there i.s so much talk of occasional 
blio;hts appearing in certain districts, gene- 
rally lower do^^^^ than Dirabula, it "is of 
importance to know what an experienced 
manager does as a safeguard against the 
approach of such enemies and .so we As iote 
to Mr. Jackson who has kindly replied as 
follows : — 
"After pruning I remove all gormandizing 
sterns, and roots with ^Jiarp .jn^^is : 
(2.) 1 bury all primings green in holes, one to 
every four trees in every alternate line, and 
in certain soils supply unslaked coral lime 
with the uia.ss of green pruiiiii.tjs : (.i) I re- 
move all moss on tree, and jjiouiid and 
wash the ti'eo.s with keroslnt; oil .md soap 
