THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST, [March 1, 1904. 
j,^,^^5iAME PRESERVATION IN ASSAM. 
•"'•''I A' -CLOSE SEASON TO BE ESTABLISHED,' 7 "' 
315! -nDItfil 
In response to a comiimnication from the Assiarh 
brann.h of the Indian Tea Association, the Chief 
Conjmissioner of Assam has agreed to a proposal 
to establish a close season for game in the province, 
says the Indian Daily Telegraph, and has asked 
the AssociatioQ for their views as to the time of 
the year which should be held to be the close season 
in the case of each quadrnped and bird which it is 
considered desirable to protect. At the same time 
the Chief Commissioner adds that the question of 
legislatipg to establish a close season by penalising 
the destruction or possession of game out ot season 
iiag been often considered in Assam but has 
hitherto been found to be impracticable. Thej 
Governmeur, however, recognises t^iaj; ,!^ is. jP^ly 
by such legislation that the , .' / '.■, - (^\l^,'u^ 
^A)i<5!,,?V"jTEi^ GARDEN COOLIliS OF DEER KILLED 
.-jS":.:.' V> O',^^'.; OUT OF SEASON 
could be penalised. This is done in the Central 
Provinces, where bye-laws penalise the im- 
portation into municipal areas of animals killed 
out of season. Although authority to make 
such bye- laws is not given by the Municipal Acts 
in force in Assam, it eould be conferred upon 
Municipalities without much difficulty but the 
amount of game sold within town limits in Assam 
is believed to be inconsiderable. The Assam Go- 
vernment has under cansideration a scheme for 
afforesting certain tracts as game preserves with 
the object of protecting the rhinoceros from exter- 
mination, the area of reserved forests in Assam 
being small in proportion to that of jungle or to 
that of reserved forests in the Central Provinces, 
The Chief Commissioner does not think that the 
deterioration in sport in Assam is altogether due 
to the possession of guns by the village popula- 
tion, as animals are killed in large tiambers by 
being snared or clubbed, and disease has worked 
havoc amongst them in some tracts. Still he is 
prepared to agree with the Association that 
licenses have been distributed with unusual libe- 
rality, and that these should in the majority of 
instances be confined to licenses for the protection 
of crops only. The Chief Commissioner is also 
willing to try the experiment of enforcing a con- 
dition in such licenses by which the gun barrels 
should not be allowed to exceed six iriches, as 
they are only required tor a local purpose, and is 
making enquiries as to the results of this experi- 
ment in other provinces where it has been tried. 
The establishment ot a close season for game will, 
ib is pointed out, have the result of investing 
the police with a great deal of power, a? they will 
be concerned with seeing that the rules are carried 
out, this may not be altogether a matter for con- 
gratulation, bub this decision of the Assam Gov- 
ernment will delay the extinction of the wild fauna 
of the ^xov'inQQ, — M Mail; "a'" fit* 'o. 
PRIZE fiSSAYS ON TROPICAL DISEASE'S. 
The prizes in the gift of the Journal of Tropical 
Medicine for prize essays on subjects connected 
with tropical diseases have been awarded ss 
follows : — The Belilios Prize of £10, presented 
by the Hon. E K Belilios, C M G, for the best 
article on " The System of Drainage and Sewerage 
(Oomeatic and Municipal) Beet Suited for Tro' 
pical Cliraatea," has been awarded to Captaip 
J W Cornwall, IMS, and Major F Smith, D S 0, 
R A M C, who divide the prize between them, the 
papers being adjudged of equal merit. The Lady 
MacGregor Prize of £10, presented by Lady 
MacGregor, for the best article on " A Critical 
Examination of the Practical value of Anti- 
Typhoid Inoculation," has been awarded to Major 
F. Smith, D S 0, R A M C. The Sivewright Prize 
of £10, presented by Sir James Sivewright, for the 
beat essay on " Intestinal Affections in Warm 
Climates," was not awarded. The judges of the 
essays were Sir W Roe Hooper, Colonel Kenneth 
MacLeod, and Sir Patrick Manson,— London 
Times. " ■ ' ■ 
' " NiEW INDIAN TEA 'COMWif"f. '''' 
Kacha-Rioaton Tea Co, Ltd. (79,806) Re- 
gistered January 21, with capital £32,000 in £10 
shares, to acquire the lands and tea gardens 
thereon known as the Kacharigaon Tea Estate, 
in the Durrung District of Assam. The subs- 
cribers are :— Shares. 
G D Patton. Avonaide, Barford, Warwick, gent 1 
G J Moore, Burton-on-the-water, GIos, gent ... 1 
R B Magor, 133, Leadenhall St, E C, merchant 1 
R Lyell, 138, Leadeuhall St, E 0, merchant .. 1 
G P Butler, Glenaldyn, Caterham Valley, . ' 
Surrey, acot. .., i'' 
R Magor, 138, Leadenhall St, E 0, merchant, 
H Soutt, 2, Worcester Road, > imblcdoDj acct 1 
No initial public issue. The first directors are 
A Y Thomson, G F Moore, G D Paton and R B 
Magor : qualification £1 share ; remuneration 2 
guineas each per meeting attended. Registered by- 
Sanderson, Adkin, Lee and Eddi', 46, Queen 
Victoria St, E C. — Investor^'' Guardiant, ,.f ■ , 
THE CEYLON PE.\RL FISHERY. 
Contrary to the report made by Capt. Le^ge 
on his return from the Pearl Banks last year, 
a pearl fishery this month, though it may^ 
be on new lines, is now an assured fact. 
In connection with the working machinery 
to be used (Mr Dixon's), Mr Dixon himself 
is to return before long to put up the machi- 
nery. The exact details of the app-vratus 
we cannot describe as yet. Mr Hornell, who is 
leaving for the Pearl Banks— will first makean 
inspection of the oysters on the West Gbeval 
— conducting also some dredging for oysters, 
concurrently, Mr Edwards and his mate, work- 
ng the dredger apparatus on the iZearti!/ under 
his directions. They will continue dredging 
all the time that fine weather continues and if 
a larger number of oysters be found than the 
steamer can lift, the Government will no- 
doubt proclaim an open fishery on the usual 
lines. vVe understand that there is every 
hope of this proving to be the case. The 
oysters which Mr Hornell found in Decem- 
ber proved to be very rich in pearls. Th6 
prices, therefore, should be much better than 
at last year's fishery. There ia good hope o£) 
a windfall. .y-n-.i. i l '<<■> nndj a to\ 
Later Details. ^Oo '^oing to press we 
learn that the fishery commences on the firat 
favourable day after March 13th. The Gov- 
ernment has advertised the fishery as an open 
one, 13,000,000 oysters being oa the S, W, 
Cheval Paari ' t--"^ ' >„■., ti..,ibj 
