^AY 2, 1904.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
759 
confidently affirm that he has seen a young trout. 
The cause for this curious and regrettable fact is 
not known ; it lias not been conclusively proved 
whether the adult trout spawn at all, or if they 
do, why the whole of the spawn proves un- 
productive. So.ne time ago a letter, signed 
" G. E. W." appeared in the columns of the 
Madras Mail, and it would be iuteie^ting to 
know whether the writer can give any reason for 
Salmo fario not breeding, for all the fry turned 
out by Major Grant were either Salmo jario or 
Salmo teverensis- Many large trout still exist. 
Very large ones are known to be in some of the 
smaller streams, but as regards the Pykara lliver 
no sign of them is ever seen ; and yet it is an ideal 
river for trout. It is possible that large trout 
exist in the Ootacamund Lake, for large fish 
are occasionally seen rolling over ; but it has 
never been possible to ascertain for certain 
what these fish are. So far as Burnfoot Lake is 
concerned, ic is to be feared that all the fish it con- 
tained were killed by the dirty water coming 
down into the lake during the construction of the 
Tiger Hill reservoir ; but Snowdon pond contains 
some melancholy trout of 31 or 41 lb weight which 
are of no use to anyone where they are, and cannot 
be got out owing to the depth of the water. In the 
years 1899, 1900 and 1901 Salmo irridens ova were 
imported, but in the first two years the whole of 
the consignments arrived putrid, owing to want 
of care on the voyage. In 1901, some 300 fry only 
were saved, and these were put into a " stew' 
pond near the Pykara Kiver, the idea being 
to allow them to increase in size before 
turning them out to face the numerous 
enemies which exist tor them in a stream. 
Bad luck followed this experiment, and gave its 
success or failure no chance of being tested, for 
au unprecedentedly heavy flood burst the dam 
of the pond, and the trout disappeared ; some may 
now exist in the Pykara Kiver, but nothing 
definite is known on the subject. This incident 
was mentioned in the Madras Mail in the autumn 
of 1902, when a correspondent from Ootacamund 
stated that traces of the trout having gone up 
stream had been found ; but such traces, if they 
ever existed, have, apparently, entirely vanished 
since. During the past season, two consignments, 
each consisting of 10,000 Salmo irridens ova, 
were received at an interval of a fortnight. 
THEY CAME via CEYLON, 
and this route is, for many reasons, the most 
convenient for Ootacamund ; but it is open to the 
objection that there is no steamerrunning from Co- 
lombo on Sundays, and on both occasions this 
necessitated the ova being stored in Colombo 
from Saturday to Monday evening. This natu- 
rally means both risk and expense. Many of the 
ova were hatching out when the boxes were 
opened, and it is believed that all of them died 
moreover, there was an initial loss of quite 50 per 
cent, owing to faulty packing, two layers of ova 
having been packed in each tray, divided by 
a heavy piece of canvas, which, having 
become sodden with iced water, pressed 
down on the lower layer, entirely destroying 
it. The Alevins developed very quickly, and 
were mostly " fry " after about a fortnight. 
But it is almost impossible to keep the fry 
long after they are developed, for they jump 
out of,the breeding troughs in the most surprising 
manner notwithstanding every possible precaution 
to prevent them doing so. The fry^of Salmo irridens 
are darker, and have larger heads than Salmo 
fario ; they also seem larger at first, and then 
decrease in size before finally growing. Altogether, 
some 
900 FRY HAVE NOW BEEN PLACED 
where it is hoped that they may be safe ; and can 
already be seen jumping at minute particles on the 
surface of the water. The chief reason for the 
selection of rainbow trout is that they will breed in 
the tropics. Ceylon has done right well with 
them, and is already able to charge a sub- 
stantial sum for a fishing licence, and, so far 
as can be seen, there is no reason why the 
Nilairis should not do equally well. There is 
one difficulty in connection with the introduction 
of rainbow trout, and that is that, other things 
being equal, there is no doubt that the 
OVA TRAVEL WORSE THAN THO.SE OF THE 
BROWN TROUT. 
But rainbow trout are grand fish, they grow 
quickly, are free risers at a fly, fight well and are 
excellent for the table. There are few sights more 
pleasing to a fisherman than a pond stocued with 
good-sized "rainbows." Their unceasing activity 
as they roll over the top of the water, with every 
possible colour reflected from them proves how 
well they deserve their name and makes a man who 
loves his rod spoil to "be at* 'em." One extraordi- 
nary development of Salmo irridens may be 
mentioned. In certain places in New Zealand they 
have adopted the habits of salmon, and may be 
seen ploughing about in the tide-way at the 
mouths of the rivers they were bred in.— B, A. B. 
THE INDIAN GREEN TEA BONUS. 
CIRCULAR TO ENCOURAGE MANUFACTURE. 
The Indian Tea Cess Committee have issued the 
following circular on the subject of a bonus to 
encourage the manufacture of Indian Green Teas — 
At the half-yearly meeting of the Indian Tea 
Cess Committee held on the 29lh January, 1904, 
it was resolved that a bonus of nine pies per pound 
be offered on five million pounds of green tea to 
be manufactured on Indian estates and to be 
exported by sea during the year ending 3lst March 
1905.— In accordance with this resolution the 
Executive Committee framed the following rules: — 
(1) The bonus will be paid on green teas made in 
India and exported by sea to foreign countries, inclu- 
ding any part of the British Empire outside of India. 
(2) The Committee reserve the right to refaao 
payment of the bonus in any case where fafter exami- 
nation of the samples drawn under Rule 4) they 
consider the tea unsuitable from coarseness of leaC 
error in manufacture or unsound consideration. No 
bonus will be paid on dust. 
(3) The Committee recommend those making green 
tea for the first time to submit samples of their early 
manufacture for examination. The leaf to be used for 
the manufacture of green tea should not be coarser 
than that ordinarily plucked for black tea manufacture. 
(4) When teas upon which bonus is claimed have 
arrived at port of shipment, samples mast be drawn, 
and sent to the Committee ; and on approval of these, 
and on proof of shipment, the bonus will be paid. 
(5) Proprietors or Agents of Gardens who are 
prepared to manufacture green tea during the season 
1901, should till up a form, and return it to the Secre- 
tary not later than 30th April. Should otiers be 
received for more than five million lb. they will he 
accepted in full from those who fulfilled their under 
