598 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[February i, 1892. 
Indian tea man need not bug the delueion prevalent 
among the planting oommunity there that our 
production is only a flash in the pan. As for our 
China friends, they " are not in it," Sir Andrew 
Clark to the contrary. Improved machinery and 
withering accommodation are everywhere being 
placed or provided in our tea factories ; so that we 
shall not have such terribly low averages as we had 
in 1891. 
Labocb, which at one time was so scarce (in the 
beginning of 1891), is now more abundant. 
Coffee for the last 3 years has been exported 
up to 80,000 cwt. It will probably run down to 
70,000 in 1893. The coffee in fields of tea over 3 
years old has no chance. 
Cinchona went down 3,000,000 lb. in 1891, and 
for all it brings to the owners in the way of cash, 
it might cease to be an article of export. No one is 
doing anything in the way of planting fresh 
supplies, excepting, perhaps, a few plants of 
Ledgeriana. 
Cocao has jumped up 5,000 cwt. in 1891 over 
1890, and it may run up another 6,000 cwt. in 1892, 
as judicious shade is being cultivated and fields that 
were previously barren are now yielding 1 cwt. to 
2 cwt. per acre. Continued wet weather has done 
harm to the fruit-bearing in the last half of the year, 
but moisture in the long run must tell on this 
product for good. 
Tobacco. — The less said about this product the 
better. It has been a regular " will o' the wisp." 
Cabdauom is not a general cultivation, being 
mostly confined to the dwellers in Bangala and 
Medamahanuwara. 
TiMBEB cultivation has received great attention 
in 1891, and the fruits of it will be seen in a year or 
two in the improved appearance it will give tea 
estates, compared to what ooSee estates presented. 
THE CEYLON FOREST DEPARTMENT. 
The following brief notes will give an idea of some 
of the operations in which this department has 
been engaged during the past year : — 
(1) Surveys of forest by the Survey Department 
have been made, coniined chiefly to the fuel reserves 
near Mirigama, the forests near Battuloja, North- 
Western Province, and the Ealngala forest in the 
Karunegala district, North-Western Province, &o. 
(2) Keservations of foreeta and village forests have 
been published in the Govei-nment Gazettes, 
(3) Forest Ordinance. — The draft of the amended 
forest ordinance only requires one more reading in 
CoQQcil. The chief feature is that the Qoveroment 
may place tbe Conservator in. direct charge of re- 
served forests. 
(4) Plantations.— (a) Ralway fuel plantations at Gal- 
boda about 300 acres : — Qrevillea, eucalyptus robusta, 
pithecolobium dnicis, pterocarpns indious, hal, hora, 
pitbeoolobium saman, &c. 
(b) Strip plantations at Nannoja planted with bine 
gum, eucalyptus robusta end others, acacia melacozylon 
and decurrens, some oryptomeria japonica and pinus 
longifolia. 
(c) Badnlla. — Patana plantations have been ex:tended, 
grevillea chiefly. Hapntale.— Strip plantations have 
been extended, chiefly eucalyptus robusta. 
(d) Puttalam. — Teak plantations have been extended 
and the older portions trimmed. 
(e) Eastern Province. — Teak chenas have received 
attention, and cumething baa been done in the way of 
weeding and refilling; 
(f) Kitnapnra.— The Pari rubber plantation? hive 
bcea extended. 
(5) Timber Operations :— Supply to public depot. — 
Ohief worki,lia(lulla Kachoberi and hoepital, Anuradha- 
pura hospital, &o., sltepers of red doon from Sahara- 
gtmawa and kumbuk iiota Central Province and North- 
western Province, supplied to public. Local demand 
met. Also felling of ebony in North-Central Province for 
China market, only a small quantity aoctioned, but 
fetbced excellent prices. Saticwood txport to Eng- 
land has been started, witii a brisk demand. Halmilla, 
export to India reduced. 
(6) Miscellaneous.— (a) Chena cultivation was brought 
under further control. 
(b) Steam saw-mill received and sent to Battioaloa. 
(c; Elephant establishment started ; there were three 
elephants, one difd. 
(d) Very complete and interesting collections of 
timber and minor produce exhibited at the Agri- 
Horticultural Show. 
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN 1891. 
The work at the School of Agriculture has been 
most satisfactory, to judge from the report read 
by the Superintendent, and the comments made 
by the speakers, on the occasion of the prize giving 
in November. The classes consisted of 26 students 
— all resident pupils except two day scholars. Six 
of these passed out at the end of the year having 
gained certificates of merit after a two years' course 
of training at the School. The labours of the 
Agricultural Instructors have also been attended 
with good results, as is evinced by the fact that 
applications for their services continue to be made 
by Government Agents and Assistant Agents, while 
the Government has sanctioned the employment 
of six extra men during the present year. An area 
of 40 acres of land adjoining the School was granted 
by the Government for experimental cultivation, 
and a good type of stud bull was imported from 
India, to be stationed at the School. It is likely 
that the matter of improving the native stock of 
the island will be taken np in a more active way 
in the future, and that during the present year a 
veterinary surgeon will be added to the staff of the 
School. Schemes are also in contemplation whereby 
a technical branch will be grafted on the School, 
and the various establishments for training teachers 
will be centralized at the School of Agriculture. 
^ 
THE FISH LEAF. 
I am much beholden to "KilrolyFiirdo" for his friendly 
and instructive notice of my abort paper on this germ 
leaf, or birthoase, or navel of the tea flush. He has 
given us quite an interesting lesson in Tamil, more 
about which further on. 
Seeing my ' diecourse ' in print, I observe one or 
two expressions that may draw upon me adverse 
criticism. For instance, " the whole art of plucking " is 
a large order, and may be misoonstrned. Neverthe- 
less it correctly describes the revelation that flashed 
into my mind, in -'an instant,"— and not only the 
whole art of plucJcmg, but the whole art of prunhig 
also. By this I merely mean the fundamental law 
underlying both operations, independent of age, soil, 
jat, climate and coudition of the bushes. How each 
of these things affect both operations in actual 
practice, is another matter, and might easily be told, 
if that were my obieot, which — being only the name 
and nature of the Fish I/eaf — I have nothing to do 
with. 
That part of my paper where I attempt to fix Min-elei 
(fish-leaf) upon Mun elei (first-leaf) was rather a.jeu-de- 
jno^s than a serious inteution, because- asl explained, 
Tamil came loo late on the field. I never heard the 
coolies call it " Mun-elei " (though I have po nted 
out to them it would not he a bad name for it), 
and, frankly, I do not bi^lieve it has anything to do 
with it. After re iding «'Kilroly Fiirdo's" note minmin 
pootchi (glow woim), minnal (lightening) van min, 
(stars) and Minatchy (fish-eyed maiden^ will remain 
fixed in my memory, and also tbe root " min " to 
