2i8 
THE TROPICAL AQRICULTURIST- 
[September i, 1890. 
holders — self-interest — is shewn by the attention paid 
to the feeding, and the consequent general condition 
of the cart bullocks. It is quite right the Government 
should be urged to do its best to prevent disease, which 
originates where natural laws are neglected, from 
spreading and inflicting loss where those laws are fairly 
observed. But the diflBoulties here are greater than 
in Europe, owing to some extent to climate, but mainly 
to the gross ignorance and stolid conservatism of the 
people. While, therefore, demanding that all that is 
possible should be done, we must not expect the evils 
of ages to be cured in a day. We have great hope 
in the extension of irrigation works. They will lead 
to large supplies, not only of grain for human food, 
but of straw for cattle. Experimental farms, well con- 
ducted, too, ought to do good.” 
It is not buSaloes alone (the species of cattle 
really useful for agricultural purposes) which do 
mischief by straying and trespassing. Ordinary cattle 
go prowling about of their own accord ; and the 
investigation of cases of alleged cattle stealing are 
frequently complicated by the fact that cattle-owners, 
who deliberately turn out their cattle at night to 
feed on the fields of their neighbours, bring false 
cases of theft against those who capture and impound 
such trespassing cattle. As a rule the natives own 
at more cattle than they ought, with reference 
to means of feeding and shelter, the latter often 
non-existent, and murrain which sweeps away 
the debilitated animals, predisposed by inani- 
tion to attack, may be regarded, often as merely 
Nature’s agent employed to restore a just balance. 
One of the most extraordinary statements in the 
report of 1869 was to the effect that “ The Pali 
records of Ceylon contain no allusion to cattle 
plague or to cattle.” As to cattle plague the 
assertion is probably correct, although the 
non-mention of the disease is by no means evi- 
dence of its non-existence. We may take it for 
granted that ever since human beings commenced 
to keep fiocks and herds, the diseases to which 
aggregated animals are liable appeared at intervals 
and were iatal in proportion to the violation of 
the natural laws which apply to such cases : 
neglect of cleanliness and fresh air, or the 
absence of abundant food and sufficient shelter. 
But the ancient literature of Ceylon, whether 
written on palm leaves or recorded on rocks, pillars 
or brasses, in noticing grain culture by irrigation, 
does not fail to mention the animals essential to 
such cultivation. Having referred the question to 
Mr. D. W. Ferguson, he has furnished us with 
the following note : — 
“In the Mahavansa there are frequent references 
to oxen and cows, the former being used for draught 
purposes in kings’ chariots as well as in the farmers’ 
plows. Cows’ milk and milch kine are also often 
mentioned; sothat there cannot have been any pre- 
judice against milking amongst the ancient Sinha- 
lese. One reference to a cow and calf is a curious one. 
We read that Elara, the Tamil usurper, was so justj 
that, his own son hp pening to kill a calf accidently 
by running over its n eck with his chariot wheel, on its 
mother’s coming to make complaint by ringing the bell 
which the king had caneed to be suspended at his bed- 
head for those who s oVight redress, the monarch struck 
off the prince’s head on the same wheel ! In the 
ancient inscriptions translated by Dr. E. Muller 
there are a number of references to cart buffaloes, 
as well as to cattle. I do not, however, find any 
reference to cattle disease in the Mahavansa or the 
inscriptions.” 
The Commission obtained evidence that cattle dis- 
ease was not unknown during the Sinhalese 
period, and it would b e interesting now to ascer- 
tain, what notices if any of epizootics occur in 
the Portuguese and Dutch records of their occu- 
pancy of the Maritime Provinces, We have 
already corrected the statement in the report that 
ttle murrain waa not noticed aa prevalent in the 
early days of British rule. It is “ an^owre true 
tale ” which the Commission told, to^now as 
in 1869, that native cattle are degenlkate, liable 
to disease, and in many cases have been' exter- 
minated by disease, results which they believed 
to be 
Attributable to the following causes : — promiscuous 
and premature breeding, insufficient and inferior 
grazing, want of care of animals on the part of villa- 
gers, and more frequent work necessitated by reduced 
herds. _ The same neglect of ordinary precautions, the 
same indifference to results which distinguish the 
Sinhalese in all that regards the cultivation of paddy 
land, are equally manifest in their proceedings in 
reference to their herds. Except in certain parts of 
the Maritime and Kandyan districts, we have seen no 
instances of cattle owners providing shelter of food 
for their animals in inclement weather, or during 
seasons of prolonged and severe drought. 
With such utter neglect of all the conditions 
conducive to the existence of a strong and healthy 
and useful breed of cattle, the wonder ought to 
be, not that disease is so frequent and so fatally 
virulent, but that any of the animals are left to 
perpetuate their miserable kind. A ease is men- 
tioned of a landed proprietor in the Eastern 
Province who at one time possessed 1,000 head of 
cattle, and who, in one year of murrain, lost all 
except 6. It is quite possible that the 1,000 
exceeded by at least 50 per cent the proportion 
which ought to have been kept, with reference 
to the means of existence available for them. 
The Eeport of 1869 said : “ Too much stress 
cannot be laid on the evil results of the existing 
means of cattle feeding.” With this we quite agree, 
and although other measures of reform are of 
importance, this question of a better provision of 
pasture and forage for cattle outweighs them all. 
Abundance of nutritious food must be available, 
or all precautions to prevent disease with measures 
of cure will be in vain. But this question of cattle 
food must be treated in another article. 
FOEMOSA AND TEA. 
If Formosa were in the hands of the British, it 
would probably be the most formidable competitor in 
the world with India and China in the production 
of tea. But the following details show that this 
naturally beautiful and fertile island is a scene 
of internecine strife and anarchy : — 
News from China leaves no doubt that the out- 
breaks of the aborigines in Formosa have culminated 
in a general rebellion. Disturbances in that part of 
the island, which is inhabited by the native tribes 
(mainly the eastern and mountainous half), have be- 
come chronic, but the most serious of recent years 
were those in the south, which it was hoped were settled 
amicably a few months ago. Simultaneously the tribes 
in the north-east broke out in revolt, and the expedi- 
tion despatched against them, although the Governor 
himself accompanied it, has been compelled to return, 
having suffered heavily both from the enemy and 
disease. The general in command has been degraded, 
a colonel has been beheaded for appropriating the 
pay of the troops, and it appears that the Chinese 
lost some of their guns. Soon after its return to 
Tamsui news was received of another formidable rising 
in the south, where the tribes, it was hoped, had 
been pacified. It seems to have been produced, like 
most other disturbances in Formosa, by the treachery 
of the Chinese local officials. The magistrate of the 
city of Hungcheng, which adjoins the territory of 
what the Chinese call “ the savages,” arrested two 
of the chiefs after the pacification, whereupon the 
Bhotans rose en masse and besieged the city. The 
magistrate not only gave up the men at once, but 
feasted the besiegers with abundance of pork and 
liquor, and on their departure promptly asked for 
troops to punish them. Five thousand men were 
