348 
TEt TROPICAL AGRIGULTURIST. [Nov. 1, 1901. 
but to everyone who is interested in Tropical 
Agriculture, be it in tlie Eastern or We^stern 
Hemisphere. 
General and Useful should be gone through, 
not for what you expect to find in it ; but 
for the unexpected. There is uinch useful 
information that one does not look for usually 
between the boards of a Directory, e q.. Method 
of Dressing and Softening Skins ; a Mon<jgraph 
on Ceylon Woods with matter of interest to others 
than those who only need planks for tea-chests , 
Snake-bites and Antidotes; Compass Variations 
and many other odds and ends of uselul knowledge. 
It should also be a happy hunting ground for 
those seekers after cjrious tit-bits of information 
with which some folks delight to astonish their 
friends. 
Statistics there are in plenty for those who 
iove to read in figures ; and these are relieved 
from their usual dryness by 25 very interesting 
pages on "Curiosities of our Customs." Here, 
for instance, we learn that in 1899, nine elephants 
valued at K15,750, and two cats value R210, 
were exported. But, what in the nauieof wonder 
is Benjamin? It sounds like the name of an 
American Bar Drink !— and was imported to the 
value of R16,715. As I suppose we are within 
almost measurable distance of adopting the 
Metrical system, I would with all humility suggest 
that the next issue of this really wonderful work 
should contain a comparison of British with 
metrical weights and measures. This rather comes 
home to one who sends away his produce in 
Kilogrammes, and gets account sales in Rilo- 
j^rammes, Piculs, or Cwts., according to the coun- 
try it is sold in ! 
The Directories, like all else in this volume, 
are a marvel of detail and accuracy. The Book 
itself is indispensable not only to Ceylon residents, 
but to everyone who has any interest or con- 
nection whatever with Ceylon, no matter where 
his domicile and, as I have pointed out above, it 
contains much information of great value to the 
cultivator of Tropical products, be he in the 
East or West. 
For ray part, whenever I am reading the London 
Times, Whitaker is at my elbow. Whenever I am 
reaiRng my Ceylon Observer, 1 have beside me for 
reference " Ferguson's Hand-Book and Directory." 
MADRAS ELEPHANT CATCHING 
OPERATIONS. 
The Report received from the Conservator 
of Forests, Southern Circle, on the conduct 
of elephant-capturing operations during the 
year ending the 30th June, 1901, has been 
submitted to Governinent. No elephants were 
captured during the year, as, owing to the 
additional work thrown on the department 
in connection with the supply of sleepers to 
the Madras Railway Company, neither men 
nor elephants could be spared for the removal 
of captures. The pits were accordingly kept 
open in South Ooimbatore and North Malabar. 
In South Malabar, three sambhur and one 
bear fell into the pits. Of these, the sam- 
bhur were all extricated, while the bear was 
shot. In his endorsement forwarding the 
report, the Conservator remarks that there 
is a want of suitable elephants for capturing 
Surposes in South Ooimbatore as well as in 
oitb Malabar. In its order, Mis. No. 2152, 
Revenue, dated 15th June, 1899, Government 
sanctioned the purchase of four elephants for 
this purpose from the Mysore Darbar at a 
total approximate coat of R 10,000; but this 
sanctioji was not acted on, as the elephants 
on inspection proved to be too old to be of 
use. The Conservator reported that he was 
in correspondei^ce with the Conservator of 
Forests in Mysore and the District Forest 
orticers of Nortli and South Malabar as to 
whether any good elephants could be hired 
or purchased, but the Board has no informa- 
tion as to what the results of this corre- 
spondence liave been. Mr. Gass will be 
requested to report on the ]}oint.— Madras 
Mail, Oct. 7. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Thk Date Palsi.— We attract attention 
to Dr. Bonavia's useful letter on page 
3S4. It may be a question whether 
date or palmyra should be the palm to 
plant in our unoccupied Northern regions— 
prob.iblj' the Litter will stand drought 
better, but the date should do well on the 
borders of coast " backwaters " and marshy 
places. 
Trout in New Zealand. —The number of trout 
hatched at the Masterton fishponds this year is 
approximately 450,000. This is one of the poorest 
returns for some years past. There are at presen 
at the hatcheries about 350,000 fry leady fo 
distrilnition. Of this number, 300,00^) are browt 
trout, and the remainder rainbow. About 150,000 
brown :iout fry will be liberated in the stream.'-^ 
in Wellington province this year. — Auckland 
News, Septt-uiber 19. 
Plant (NG in the Federated Malay 
States —The following is from a despatch 
dated 1st July 1901 from Sir Frank Swetten- 
ham, the High Commissioner for the Fede- 
rated Malay States to the Secretary ot State 
for the Colonies ;—" The direct interests of 
planters have never been neglected by the 
Residents of the Malay States, and, while 
the Government expended large sums, years 
ago, in experiments with Arabian CoSee, 
Indian Tea, Cinchona, Pepper and South 
American Rubbers, it is now, as already 
explained, constructing great works for the 
irrigation of 60,000 acres of Rice land, and 
last year appointed an Officer to superintend 
an Experimental Plantation and specially 
to advice on the cultivation of various kinds 
of Rubber and its extraction from the tree. 
I believ^e that the European Planters, who 
have hitherto gained but poor reward for 
their determined efforts in the Malay States, 
fully recognise that they have the warm 
sympathy of the Government which will 
continue to afford them all reasonable assis- 
tance. The planting of sugar, originally 
introduced by Chinese, promises great de- 
velopments with European capital under 
European management." 
TO KEEP THE BUYING PRICES DOWN. 
The Belgian Associations of Kassai, in the 
Congo, whose competition raised the buying 
prices of indiarubber considerably, have 
formed a trust to keep the prices down to a 
moderate level, and they are receiving the 
support of the Congo State in the matter. 
—Daily Mail, Sept. 12. 
