198 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Sept. 2, 1901. 
At the time of writing this report the arrangement 
of the [rest of the | staff is as follows : — 
Stock Inspectors.— D L Dias, Anuradhapura; 
T Mahamooth, Jaffna ; A M f'ernando, M D S 
Wijanayaka, E W Jayatilaka, Colombo ; Messrs. 
Fernando and Wijanayaka go out sliortly — one to 
Kurunegala and the other to Ratnapura — for work 
in the North-Western and Sabaragamuwa Pro- 
vinces: In this way the Central, ISorthern, and 
North-Central Provinces have been provided 
with assistance, and shortly the North-We&tern 
and Sabaragamuwa Provinces will be provided, and 
the others in turn. The inspectors work in the 
Provinces under the direct orders of the Govern- 
ment Agent, subject to ray general conirol and 
advice. 
RETURN OF HORSES, CATTLE, AND SHEEP 
IMPORTED DURING 1900. 
Port. Horses. Cattle. Sheep and 
Goats. 
Colombo .. 534 26,.535 96,329 
Mannar .. — 5 3 
Jaffna 15 3,793 5,865 
Galle ... — — — 
Trinoomalee . . — — 61 
GOVERNMENT DAIRY. 
Daily visitsare nsuallypaidwheninColombo. The 
health of the stock has been excellent during the 
year. There has only been two deaths— one cow 
and one calf — out of a total of 114 cows and 79 
calves and seven bulls, a total of 200 cattle. In 
November and December a disease appeared 
amongst the larger calves ; there were fourteen 
cases, and all recovered. The disease is specially 
referred to later on in this report. When I first 
came out I found the yearly losses of calves was 
very great, and there were a number of very weak 
calves on hand. Thirty-four died during my first 
year. Since then there has been very few losses, 
which shows, I think, that the changes suggested 
in cheir management and the preventive measures 
adopted have met with some success. 
IMPROVEMENT OF NATIVE CATTLE. 
Some time ago the question of the improvement 
ot the native cattle by the importation of stud bulls 
from India was under consideration by Govern- 
ment, and I drew up regulations for their manage- 
ment and service. On going into the question 
thoroughly it was found rather impracticable, and 
I suggested the sale of a number of calves from the 
Government Dairy in each Province in turn. This 
was not very successful, as it was found that the 
calves made more money in Colombo, and princi- 
pally native estate owners purchased them at the 
dairy sales and sent them out to their estates in 
the country. This plan, however, did not reach 
the small village owner, who could not afford to 
buy expensive calves, and I suggested that six of 
the best bull-calves bred at the Government Dairy 
should be specially selected and retained each year 
for distribution to the different Provinces, being 
sent as applied for by the Government Agents. 
Tiiis was sanctioned, and is being carried out 
successfully, I believe, so far. Six have gone to the 
Northern Province and two bulls are on Irana- 
tivu island where the native owners have got rid 
of all their native bulls and are breeding from them 
only. During the year three have been sent to 
Ratnapura, two to Kegalla, and one Anuradhapura; 
Beyond a tew Eurc))eau and native estate owners, 
there is no real attempt at breeding good cattle in 
Ceylon. Indeed, it would be pretty difficult to im- 
■ prove the breed by importing good bulls unless 
good pasture is provided, and I do not yet know of 
any pasture lands worth the name, although I be- 
lieve they could be made under good management. 
Under proper care and good feeding the native 
bull is a .strong, capable little fellow, well adapted 
for the work which his owner requires of liim, and 
he would be considerably bigger and stionger and 
better in every way if taken care of when young. 
There is anv amount of fresh blood bein^; brought 
into the Island year by year from Great 
Hiitain, India, and Australia, principally by 
planters, which should give to the native cattle 
all the fresh blood necessary for their improve- 
ment, besides the calves brtd at the Government 
Diary, of which an average of thirty to forty 
are sold every year. I once asked in a village & 
they would like a good stud bull sent to their 
district. The spokesman of the group, an old man, 
said "No, they did not want one, because if they 
bred better stock they v/ould want more feeding, 
and they could not afford that, as they could 
hardly get rice themselves ; their own cattle kept 
themselves mostly and required very little feeding. 
My advice lo most cattle owners here is, Keep 
fewer cattle and feed them better ; breed only 
from the best, and the cattle will improve. Take 
an average estate where cattle disease breaks 
out, and what is found ? I generally find three or 
four hundred cattle kept solely for the purpose of 
manuring coconut trees ; they are tied in groups 
round each tree in turn and manage to exist upon 
the poor and scanty herbage afforded ; no food is 
given ; the animals are lean and hungry ; a newly- 
calved cow has not sufficient milk to raise her 
calf. What is the use of putting a good bull on 
the place under circumstances like this unless 
there is better management to follow, and unle.ss 
there is some demand for good stock when reared ? 
With a meat-eating population this would soon 
change and good fat stock would be produced to 
meet the demand for food. It must be understood 
that these remarks are general. 
KUBBER FROM A MEXICAN PLANTATION. 
The San Francisco Neic-s Letter, in its issue of June 
15, 1901, said : — "La Zacualpa Rubber Plantation Co., 
on June 1, brought to this city 1050 pounds of clean, 
crude rubber. This is the first shipment of this year's 
crop, ihe largest single shipment received at this port, 
and the first from a cultivated' plantation. The ohip- 
ment is on exhibition this week at the plantation's 
general offices, Nos. 703-4. Claus Spreckel's building. 
This exhibit is of interest, as it enables the Z^cualpv 
company to declare itself the only company in the 
United States which has produced rubber to show to 
its investors. The Zacualpa company is shipping to 
London 30,000 pounds of rubber yearly, but the 
Bowers Rubber Co., which bought up the presept 
shipment, is competing strongly with other local firms 
for more. This rubber is so pure as to delight the 
hearts of dealers. The Zacualpa company now has a 
plantation of 725,000 rubber trees. Their plantation 
is situated on the Pacific coast within the department 
of Soconnsco, Mexico. Mr. J W Butler is president 
and managing director, and Mr. E Noel secretary. 
The economical management of the companv, together 
with its superior product, makes it a gib-edged pro- 
position for investors." — India Rubber World, July 1. 
A "CORNER" IN OPIUM. 
WEATHER AIDS THE SMART AMERICAN 
SPECULATORS. 
Even opium has not evaded the commercial 
octopus of America. English opium-eaters are now 
threatened with a corner in their favourite drug, 
