t)Ec. 1, 1903.1 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
397 
and waste of time that such a method incurs. A 
trial was made by Government of having a central 
recruiting A«ent in India, but this did not prove 
satisfactory, and now the authorities have reverted 
to the old system of recruiting by Agents in India. 
Both Mr Parry and Mr TunnicUffe are confident 
that there is a great future for the rubber industry 
in the Federated Malay States, especially in the 
upcountry districts where soil and climatic condi- 
tions are most favourable ; and when the espovta- 
tion of rubber begins properly, the Malay rubber, 
which will be of a fine clean quality, will fetch 
high prices in the home market. 
CEYLON PLANTS FOR THE GOVERNOR 
OF FIJI. 
The Botanical Gardens have sent per 
the " Ranadi " 12 cases of plants in glass- 
cases to H E the Governor of Fiji. The 
Heneratgoda Garden has also sent by the 
same vessel for Messrs Power and Rankine 
of Fiji a case of plants containing bananas, 
&c. The names of the plants are not known 
as they were put inside glass cases. They 
were all sent under the charge of the Captain 
of the vessel. Messrs E B Creasy were 
responsible for getting the plants shipped. 
INDIAN TEA ASSOCIATION. 
October 13th.— Letters dated 3rd, 11th, 18th and 
24th September from the Secretary, Indian Tea 
Association, London, having been previously circulated, 
were brought up : — 
The Louisiana Pukchase Exposition. — In the letter 
of SJ4th September it was stated that the Secretary 
to the Royal Oommisaion for the St. Louis Exposition 
had applied for apace in the Department of Agri- 
cnlture and had promised to provide India with the 
necessary space for her Exhibit. This official had 
also promised to do all iu his power to assist in 
promotmg the saccess of the Indian Exhibit and to 
locate it in a convenient positioo, so that all the 
Colonial EKhibita might be in close proximity to 
each other, — Application had also been made to the 
Directoi of Concessions, St. Louis, for a suitable site 
for erecting a Tea House in proximity to that to 
be bailt for Ceylon and also for the privilege of 
asUing tea on similar terms to those given to Ceylon, 
—Negotiations were also proceeding witn Mr. R. 
Bleubynden, who acted as Commissioner for the Indian 
Tea Exnibii at the Chicago Exhibit in 18ti3, regarding 
terms for similar services in connection with the 
Association's Exhibit at St. Louis. 
Proposed Manofactube in India of "Oolong" Teas. 
—With the letter of 11th September were forwarded 
three samples of Formosa Oolongs which it was 
stated had been recently sold in the London market 
at is lid, 23 241 and as 4il per pound respectively, 
The Brokers, ilebsrs. Stenning, Inskipp & Co., advised 
the making of only small quantities of this class 
of tea for irial shipments so that experience might 
be gained in the manufacture. — The samples referred 
I to were too small to admit of their distribution among 
j euqairera and the Secretary was iustruoted to ask 
for larger aamplea, 
British Impobt Duty on Tea.— In oomplianoe with 
' a request from the United Pkntors Association of 
Southern India, a copy of a Resolution passed at 
the laat Annual Meetlug of that body, drav/ing attention 
to the argent need of a reduction in the Bcitiiih 
Impjrt Duty on Tea, had been forwarded to the 
London Committee for saoh action as they might 
see fit to take in connection therewith,— It waa stated 
that the matter would receive due consideration, but 
the political situation at the moment w.ts not oppor- 
uao tor sending in a petition as the otidie of 
Chancellor of the Exchequer had just been vacated 
by Mr. Ritchie. It waa therefore very uoliksly that 
any change in the rate of duty would be made btfore 
April next. — The Secretary was instructed to advise 
the United Planters' Association accordingly. It 
appeared to the General Committee that the matter 
was certain to be taken up at Home in due course 
as the tariff question waa now ao prominently before 
the public. The London Committee were to be asked 
to take the matter up in good time before the 
introduction of the Budget. — /. T. A. Minutet.S., 0. 
Beqo, Chairman, H. M. Haywood, Acting Secretary. 
PLANTING OF FEUlT AND VEGETABLES 
IN EATNAPURA DISTRICT. 
{Specially contributed.) 
Bellwood. — The land I. have undertaken to 
plant is not an ideal locality for a coconut 
held. It is dense forest in the midst of dense 
forest. The lay is sharply undulating, with 
many stet'ii fac^s, and soinj mar. hy boitoras. 
There are here and there groups of boulders and 
very large single ones covering much ground. 
The soil is stony and coarsely gravelly, and 
varies in fertility, according to depth which runs 
from six inches to over a foot. We have planted 
about 20 acres with coconuts, which have done, 
on the whole, one better than I expected, but 
we have planted some on steep faces, that we 
may find it necessary to remove, and avoid plant- 
ing such spots in future. Some of the two. year 
old plants carry as many as 12 green leaves, but 
some have died from starvation on the poorer parts. 
Our chief dependauce, however, for tlie nmch- 
needed early return, was not on coconuts, but on 
PLANTAINS. 
We knew that this was a most voracious plant, 
and that no soil at our disposal could long keep 
it fruitful, but we believed in manure, and made 
up our minds to cultivate high from the first. The 
best soil was in the bottoms, especially the wet 
deniyas, chat is marshes that not only receive 
all the superfluous rain, that falls on the 
high ground, but there are springs all along 
the borders between the wet and the dry. 
There is a heavy cover, of course, vegetation 
of many kinds of grasses, shrubs and trailing 
plants. The first of those deniyas I tackled 
was about one- and-a half acres, a long strip 
averaging 100 feet in width, with a perennial 
stream entering at the head, and studded all 
over with open gem pits about four feet deep. 
The work to be done was a main drain 3x3 
feet, border drains about 2x2, and cross drains 
to carry the water from the borders in to the main ; 
the rank vegetation cleared away ; the gena pits 
filled in, and a uniform perforce esiablished. The 
accoinplishmenv of all this work cost about KlOO, 
but provided space for 500 plantain stocky, on 
a soil specially rich in organic matter, but though 
secured alike from surface fl )ad, and subsoil 
springs, continuues to retain more moisture lhaa 
is desirable. We began the plantain work in April 
1902, and have planted up-to-date between 700 
and 800 stock?, as plants and labour became 
avoidable, and we propose to go on in the samo 
way till all the other deniyas are reclaimed, 
and planted. They have been gradually coming 
into fruit, fot the past six months, but the bunchea 
born on the first stem, are generally poor and 
small, but we have had a few good bunches from 
second stems. In the way of manure, we propose 
to give a basketful of cattle-shed dung, and a 
pound of basic slag, for every buuch removed. 
