50 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[July i, i8qo. 
dark-coloured boulders are about as good as could be 
found. Koofing tiles, and less so roofing slates, are 
excellent means of drawing roots to the surface, when 
laid down pretty close together over the soil. This 
was recognised by our forefathers in growing the 
Strawberry, for they lined the rows of plants with the 
common red tiles, and obtained clean fruits, and plenty 
of roots near the top. Of course, the tiles were only 
down in the summer-time. It is a capital plan for 
growing early crops of these fruits on steep sloping 
banks facing south. 
Most Ferns are benefited by growing amonpt stones, 
if the soil employed be suitable, or by having stones 
placed around them ; and as a rule the more stone 
and the less soil the better do the plants grow. In 
cases where boulders or sandstone cannot readily be 
obtained, and the Ferns grow on the level land, it will 
be found good practice to employ a mulch of leaf- 
mould, which should be only partially decayed. In 
all that has been above stated, there is nothing what- 
ever that can claim to be new ; but it is obviously of 
benefit to bring out of the horticultural arsenal some 
of the old appliances, for fear they should become rusty 
and forgotten.— -A. Y. E.— Gardeners’ Chronicle. 
MYSOEE COFFEE-PLANTERS’ GRIEVANCES. 
A “European in Mysore” writes as follows from 
Munzeraba d to the WeeTdy Scotsman : — 
Sib, I have been deputed by a circle of Coffee 
planters in the Has.san District of Mys >re to air our 
grievances in yonr paper, which has a large number 
of subscribers in India. 
People say that farmers and such like are always 
grumbling, and the same charge is made against us ; 
but our troubles do not spring from the weather or 
low prices or short crops, quite the reverse, Still 
our grievances are very real, and we hope some of 
your readers will advise us how we may be ter our 
condition. 
I have no tale to tell of atrocities or tyranny, 
but to speak of the labour question, and to say that 
the disregard by the judges in this native State of 
our rights with reference to this question are very 
annoying to true born British subjects. 
1. The Labour Question. — Formerly labour was in 
abundance. The supply exceeded the demand, but 
with the rise in prices new gardens have been opened, 
and the demand is increasing every dav. Labourers 
either come as individuals and offer their services, 
or are brought iu gangs by maistrees or contractors, 
who borrow from the planter and procure coolies of 
a certain caste to work off the planters’ advance on 
the estate. The contractor has to advance the tra- 
velling expenses of his gang from their home to the 
estate and every coolie is the contractor’s debtor 
until the advances are cleared off. In one district, 
Shimoga, a tribe called Lambani or Brendiari used to 
work without a maistree over them ; but from South 
Oanara (in British territory) labourers of the Buntras 
caste were brought in gangs to North Mysore, and 
these two, classes of labourers were mixed together. 
At first me contracts to provide labourers to work 
for the money advanced were faithfully fulfilled, but 
as the demand tor labour increased the contractors 
began to enter into contracts with sevi ud planters at 
once and disappoint them all. To make matters worse, 
the Lambani tribe followed their example, to the 
serious inconvenience and loss of the planters. 
If the labour market could be controlled by the 
European planters no difficulty would be left; but 
with the rise in ji^'ices the native ryots have taken to 
coffee eiiltivatioii in their garden (latches, and the 
Ifolijid. labourers, whom they formerly employed for 
a mere jiittance, are now able to earn good wages, 
and the ryots have adopted the system of making 
advances to the contractors; and, in short, competi- 
tii n hits foiiml its way into a labour market which in 
the good old time was ruled by custom. The native 
is demoralised by increasing prosperity, and if the law 
cannot interfere to enforce agrrements, the system 
of contract must be abandoned. 
2. Mysore is a native State. On 25th March 1881 
the adopted son of a former Rajah was installed by 
the Governor of Madras, and the Government of the 
country was handed over by the Mysore Commission 
to the Brahman Diwan, or Prime Minister, the ex- 
officio head of every department. The Mysore Com- 
mission consisted of three British officers, the pick 
of the Bombay and Madras Staff Corps, and the State 
was splendidly governed in all departments. No finer 
roads were to be found in the world. The public 
bungalows were substantially built, and well conducted. 
Irrigation works were carried out on a large scale. 
In the Judicial Department the Courts were conducted 
by Judges who understood the native character, and 
could administer justice without suspicion of par- 
tiality for Europeans. The police were well-disciplined, 
and under the firm control of their superior. In short, 
the government was as good as British territory. But 
when the government came into native hands a change 
was felt by the Europeans in the country. The Judges 
are now recruited from a class of men who know 
nothing about the country, and will not go out of th^ir 
way to inquire. It is useless for planters to appeal iu 
questions about native labour to men of this stamp. 
Our grievance has recently taken a very tangible 
form in connection with what are called the Labour 
Ordinances. Act XIII of 1859 has always been under- 
stood to have been passed expressly for the purpose 
of protecting employers of labour from fraudulent 
contractors, journeymen, (artificers, &c. . . . With the 
return to native rule a new and serious cause of com- 
plaint has arisen. One of the Mysore judges has in- 
terpreted our agreement to be nothing more or less than 
a bond of slavery. . . . 
Yet, in spite of all our grievances, coffee planting 
is a splendid life. It requires men of stamina and 
judgment to overcome the increasing difficulties of the 
coolie labour question, but if a satisfactory interpreta- 
tion were put on Act XIII. of 1859, and if there were 
some appeal to a competent Oonrt from the childish 
objection of the Hassan munsef with regard to an 
agreement which is made every day, our troubles might 
soon disappear. — Madras Times. 
NEW ZEALAND FLAX OR HEMP. 
To the Editor, “ Norfolk News." 
Sir — No subject is of more importance to the 
dwellers in the Eastern Counties than the question of 
agricultural depression, its causes, and the best mode 
in which these can be met and overcome. This is a 
vital question to all in Norfolk as, until prosperity 
can be restored to Norfolk agriculture, there will be 
no general prosperity of our county population, either 
town or I’ural. 
The agriculture of Norfolk is largely dependent on 
plants introduced into the country for growth as 
agricultural crops during the present century. I mean 
the swede turnip, introduced about 1815 ; the beet 
root, about 50 years ago ; and the kohl rabi and va- 
rious cabbage plants, within the memory of the ex- 
isting generation. Let any Norfolk farmer consider 
how he would now manage his farm without the aid of 
these plants. 
I have for some time past kept a sharp look out to 
see whether anv other new plant could be introduced 
into England which would be likely to be equally 
beneficial to Norfolk agriculture ; and I think there is 
one as to which there is a strong probability of its 
being capable of being beneficially introduced, not only 
into this county, but into other pnrts of Englftn i. 
It is the, plant with ih'‘ name of which I have h“<‘il“d 
th’s letter, which holds out, I think, fairer prosp- cts 
of profit to the farmer than jam. 
New Zealand flax or hemp is a plant which grows 
naturally in the New Zealand Islands and in Norfolk 
Island only. It has a range as a native plant of 1 
degrees of li itude, from Norfo'k Island to the 
southern end of the middle island of New Zealand, 
a district which rnav well be compared, in range of 
variety of climate, to the same range of latitude in 
