August i, 1890.] 
THE TROPICAL AQI^ICWtTURlST. 10^ 
trenches in the way suggested and make them imper- 
meable so as to lead the water into the tank where it is 
so much wanted. There may be insuperable obstacles 
to carrying out any such proposals to increase the run 
oft' into the tank ; but if there are not, an expenditure 
which I inipht calculate at K30.000 to R50.000 a square 
mile or 1,50,000 to 2 lakhs in all, would give a supply 
ample to meet the present requirements of the town 
and render unnecessary for many years to come larger 
and Tuuch more costly schemes. 
We submitted the above to one of the most emi- 
nent of our many competent and aeoompllished hy- 
draulic engineers, whose deliverance is as follows 
“ The correspondent boldly recommends an expen- 
diture of K150,000 or K250,000 over what would be 
only an experiment, and he adduces no facts in favour 
of it. I should say that no one is likely to try the 
French proposal on a large scale. 
“ According to the description of the soil of the 
drainage and of the Ulsoor tank I should be surprised 
if such works as the correspondent recommends were 
to materially augment the existing water supply. He 
cannot be an engineer, or he would not write in such 
a child-like manner regarding the filling up of ‘ all 
fissures in the higher part of the basin.’ He states 
that the water ‘ cannot possibly be ail evaporated,’ 
but he brings forward no evidence in support of this 
opinion. During 6 months of the year, the total rainfall 
is under 6 inches, so that in this period the soil may 
become parched to a great depth, and ready to act 
as a sponge when the S.-W monsoon rains fall. 
“ No doubt a great amount of water is wasted in 
Ceylon by passing under the embankments of the tanks, 
there being no puddle-trenches to intercept it. Ac- 
cording to the correspondent’s ideas it would be a 
very simple matter to stop to this flow and waste j 
but the expense would be very great, — probably more 
^han the water is worth.'’ 
^ In April 1887, when, recording the impressions 
created by a visit to the Ka awewa tank, we 
specially noticed this question of percolation^ of 
water through the brands of tanks and the sides 
of canals, as reiiuiring legislation such as was 
found necessary soon after the great Ganges canal 
was opened. Cultivators of lands adj, ining the 
banks were equitably charged for the water which 
kept their fields perennially moist although it was 
not supplied directly from sluices. Nurseries of 
forest trees ought to exist under all our great 
tanks. 
TASMANIAN APPLES. 
the Aberdeen Free Prese.) 
June 12th. 
Passing down Market Street yesterday I saw 
some beautiful apples in a fruiterer’s window 
ticketed — “ Tasmanian apples, grown and packed by 
S.E. Slioobridge.” This is one product in which 
Tasmania can compete with any part of the known 
world. I have never seen better apples or better 
crops anywhere else ; and, ooming in at this season 
of the year, the export to this side ought to prove 
profitable. Apples will grow abundantly almost 
anywhere in Tasmania, but the favorite district is 
the Huon, 30 miles south-west of Hobart, where 
the soil and rainfall are pecularly suitable. The 
trees are planted 20 feet apart, and after the sixth 
year will give average crops of 500 lb. up to the 
14th year, when the yield begins to fall off. The 
orchards of the Messrs Shoobridge are, however, on 
the banks of the Derwent — a rich spot such as 
cannot be found anywhere else in the island. 
Amongst the eldest colonists the father of the 
Shoobridges went out “of his own tree will” 
some 00 years ago. An intelligent, upright, 
and downright good man, he taught his 
sons habits of honost industry which ought to 
have been a pattern to all other eettlere and 
a fortune to themselves. While other farmers 
treated the poor assigned convict servants as beasts 
of burden and worse — frequently sending them to 
get lashes instead of wages due — the Shoobridges 
invariably treated them with kindness, were well 
served and well they prospered. Years ago they 
went into hop culture and I have seen as many as 
from 4000 to 5000 busy fingres picking their crops. 
But hops have caused to pay and these enterprising 
men are now turning their attention more exclusively 
to apples. The apple — like every other living thing 
— has its enemies, chief among which is the Codlin 
Moth (Carpocapsa pomonella). Like many more of 
our troubles the Codlin Moth is the sequel of sloth. 
In Europe orchards are, as a rule, kept cultivated 
and clean so that when an embryo moth falls from 
an apple a bird can pick it up, but in most of the 
so-called orchards of Tasmania this is impossible; 
and the worst of it is the most careful cultivator 
suffers by the garden of the sluggard. 
OOLONIENBIS. 
« 
TAMIL COOLIES AT THE STRAITS 
The Indian Immigration Report for last year 
shows that the indentured inflow during that period 
stood at 2,747, a falling off amounting to 40 per 
cent compared with the figures for 1888. Decrease 
also has taken effect slightly on the arrivals of 
immigrants not under indenture, who reached the 
aggregate of 15,285. The Protector has taken 
measures aiming at a change for the better in this 
respect, and hopes to see matters further righted 
by curtailment of contract time and a rise in wages. 
In his opinion, low pay turns the weaker coolies 
into starvelings and incites to desertion, which also 
largely arises from the contract time being fixed at 
three years. It is alleged that the length of the 
term of service under the strict discipline of an 
estate discourages this class of coolies even to the 
point of death . — Straits Times. 
« 
THE GOLD TRUST AND INVESTMENT 
COMPANY : 
A BIG DIVIDEND. 
[We are indebted to a correspondent for calliflg 
our attention to the extract in the London Olohe of 
June 6th with the above headings. The Company 
is a prosperous one, and as may be seen, it has been 
doing work for Ceylon. — Et». T, ^1.] 
An ordinary general meeting of the above com- 
pany was held this afternoon at the offices. No. 184 
Gresham House. Mr. P. E. Lintilhao presided', and 
in moving the adoption of the report, which showed 
that there was a balance of profit of £12,857, and 
that the dividend for the year was equal to 32§ per 
cent., said the result must be considered satisfactory 
when they remembered that for the greater part of the 
year the mining market had been greatly depressed • 
but still, the depreoiation in the value of shares held 
by the company did not exceed £3,000. The com- 
pany were entitled to a considerable amount 
of commission for making the issue of the Persian 
Investrnent Corporation, which amount was not 
taken into consideration in the company’s accounts 
until received by them. The directors, after very 
careful consideration, had undertaken the formation 
of the Gemming and Mining Company of Ceylon 
(Limited). This company, although only issued a 
short time since, already looked like being a great 
success, and the direotors had thought it wise to 
retain a oonsiderable interest in the undertakinc 
The board might be considered rather conservative 
m their views, but they thought it wise not to 
take credit in the balance for any moneys not yet 
I teoeived. The shares of the company were highly 
