402 
THtil TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Dec. 1, 1963. 
FishingClub areserioiisly contemplating the lenioval 
of the present ancient-looking sheds which nre 
greatly exposed to the snn up to the Pedro Range 
where the hat^ehing out of the Brown Tir,ut-ova 
and rearing of the fry would be possible ouing to 
the colder water nt the higher elevation, and 
the extra shade. The Ceylon Fishing Club, when 
tbey remove the hatcheries to the new site, 
mean to do it on a big scale— as they will make 
provision for the breeding of trout during the 
spawning season — so as to secure their own ova 
for the supplying of streams Upcountry, beside 
preserving ova, for shipment to India and other 
tropical climates— where its success is bound to 
give better results than ova imported from Eng- 
land as the fry from the ova preserved in the new 
hatcheries will be of a hardier type, peculiar only to 
the tropics, and, therefore, better able to stand the 
temperature of water which is not so cold as that 
of the streams in England. The venture, if suc- 
cessful, would mean a big income for the Ceylon 
Fishing Club, beside reducing its present annual 
expenditure greatly. Early this year we recorded 
that the removal of the hatcheries from the present 
site to one up Pedro was contemplated but that 
ir could nob be thought of for sometime owing 
to the amount of money which would be involved 
in its removal. The suggestion there was to 
remove the hatcheries to the plateau on the summit 
of false Pedro where any one of the three streams 
could supply the water necessary for the hatcheries. 
The objection there was to its being rather 
out of the way, and it would, therefore, 
not be able to receive the constant and careful 
attention of Messrs. E M de Coney Short and 
H D Elhart. It is now stated that the hatchpries, 
when removed, will be to a site on the slope of the 
road up Pedro, just above Keena House Hotel and 
a little distance below the present reservoir. 
The object of the new selection is to turn such 
quantities of water as may be required from 
the Pedro-Oya stream, after the reservoir has 
been served, into the hatcheries. Here is an 
abundance of shade and a wealth of gigantic trees 
at the spot. All the cold necessary for the hatch- 
ing of the ova and the rearing of the fry i« ensured, 
lb would also be within an easy distance for the 
supervising of the hatcheries. The importance of 
the speedy construction of the new hatcheries is 
one deserving of the attention of all members 
of the Ceylon Fishing Club. Given success it 
would mean the reduction of fees and a larger 
supply of trout to fish for. Acclimatised ova 
must give good results. The streams would 
be more plentiful today, had there been some 
means of protecting the large shoals of fry 
observed by many towards the latter eiid of last 
year— but now alas too few, as the young fry 
were attacked vigorously by the older trout. It is 
presumed that barely j of the fry bred in the 
streams at Nuwara Eiiya passed into the size 
required for the anglers' rod. 
The stream offered by Mr Piat6 for experimenting 
to the Fishing Club runs from the Single Tree 
Range dividing Mr John Hagenbeck's land from 
St Edward's School. ThU property, it will be 
lernenibered, was purchased late last year by Mr 
John Hagenlienk at a fiscal sale on a v/rit takeu 
out by the Apothecaries Company. Mr Fiate, 
'wbto'is a great angler, secured Mr Hagenbeck's per- 
mloslon-^we are told— to ofter the exchisive use of 
the stream to the Ceylou Fishing Club, 
WHAT AMERICA DOES IN RICE AND TEA. 
The United Spates Board of Agriculture is real 
business T!ie United States imports great quan- 
titif'S of rice. But the Dep' i tnient liought more 
could be pr-^'duced at home and it iniroHuced and 
distributed Japanese rice. The impetus tliuspiven 
is shown by the fact that in 1901 the Uriiied t^tates 
grew 65,000 OHO lb more rice than in 1900. Consider 
the case of tea which is of more direct interest to 
India. Indian and Ceylon tea — especially the 
latter — is to be pushed at the St Louis Exposition. 
The effort comes not a moment too soon as America 
is thinking of growing her own ten. Several kinds 
are produced already and experts have pronounced 
them to be very good. The profit lias been estimated 
at 30 01 40 dollars an acre and a machine for the 
manufacture of green tea has been perfected and 
placed under the control of the Department. The 
United States imports 10 or 12 million dollars' 
worth of tea a year. It would take a long time 
to cultivate such a quantity, but the Secretary of 
the Board of Agriculture wrote two years ago that 
" there are thousands of acres of land and thou- 
sands of idle bauds that might be made available 
for this work, and our possibilities in this field 
should not be neglected." — Madras Mail, Nov. 4. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Fruit and Vegetable Cultivation in 
Ratnapura. — A bpecial article on the plant- 
ing of fruits and vegetables in the Hatnapura 
district appears on nnother page i he 
land brought under cuitivaticn vs'as virgin 
forest, and of the diffeient crops pbintains 
appeared to have done best. The long wet 
season was niuch against the success of the 
vegetables grown . but the article is well 
worth perusal, itu^ ,x''> '■ 'i-nu'.;-^t-'',Tv 
Cardamoms in Germany.— While little 
has been heard of Mr. Spence's work in 
Australia, owing to the delay incurred by 
his illness, Cardamom-growers have today 
something to go on with in the report to 
hand from Mr. Renton. But why has it been 
kept from the public so long? "Bremen 
2na June; Hamburg 13th June"— are the 
dates given. The demand in Germany is 
not extensive, but what there is is peculiarly 
varied. In Brunswick and Hanover, one or 
two pounds a year are wanted by oilman- 
store dealers. In Russia it is not large 
enough for the product to be pushed alone, 
but information is to be got from Colombo 
Russians. Hamburg is the leading centre : and 
indeed the hope of the Ceylon growers. But 
at present the Malabar product holds prt'fer- 
ence. The remedy lies not— it is urged— in 
artificial means. Here we once more have 
our views borne out, that to push a product 
properly you must advertise, advertise, 
advertise. That is what we have so often 
urged in the case of America ; and on the 
Continent there is not less need. Of course 
the cost is great— but mainly by these means 
steadily and patiently pursued will tangible 
results come— as come they nmst, unless 
there is any slackening -in their own good 
time. Cardamom sales in Colombo would be 
an innovation add the Chamber's vei'diet 
will be awaited with interest. 
