Mav I, 1891.] 
THF TftOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
763 
meana excessive, regarded either in point of sanitation 
or local requirements. The complaint has been 
as reported by Dr. Balfour, that Ooty has become 
drier than it was 15 or 20 years ago and this 
change is attributed to deforestation. As to the 2nd 
conclusion of the Sub-Oommittee vide para (8), it 
appears clear that the Municipal Council can take 
action under the present sections of the Act in re 
gards to Acacia Wattle, and undergrowth eontainng 
d,ecayed vegetation and noxious matter. Otherwise, no 
interference can bo exercised, nor is it necessary or 
expedient to ask for power to do so, as however un- 
sightly such growth may be it is a source of profit 
and living to several people in the town. The poor 
people use it for fuel and Wattle has a commer- 
cial value BB tanning material, although no one 
has availed himself of the advantage; As to con- 
clusion 3, (vide para 8), the Sub-Committee 
has not proved by statistics the evil said to 
have resulted from trees and undergrowth and what 
evils are feared in the future. The law reports to 
which I carefully referred make this particularly 
clear. You cannot restrict the number of trees grow- 
ing in existing plantations without fully compensating 
the owners, nor can you reitriot future planting in 
private land without very seriously interfering with 
private rights. This must be demonstrated before 
Government can be induced to legislate in the direc- 
tion pointed out. The Sub-Committee’s proposals 
involves a serious interference with private rights and 
vested interests, calculated to depreciate the property 
very considerably. It is a maxim of law that “ A 
legislative enaciment ought to be prospective, not 
retrospective, in its operation.” “ The laws are adapted 
to those cases which most frequently occur.” There is no 
wrong without a remedy.” “In law the immediate, 
not the remote, cause of any event is regarded.” “Enjoy 
your own property in such a manner as not to injure 
that of another person,” If Government takes into con- 
sideration the amendment of the law as recommended, 
the restriction in. regard to past plantations can only be 
enforced on payment of compensation to the owners 
concerned as explained by the above maxim the analogy 
of section 168 (3) of the present Municipal Act. 
I would recommend tho Council to pass a resolu- 
tion in general term.s to the effect that after fuhy con- 
sidering the vegetation existing within Municipal limits 
it considers that existing plantations ca)inot bu iuter- 
fered with without interleriug with private rights to 
an unwarrantable extent as it is not prepared to 
compensate owners for the valu.s of all trees to be out 
out of existing plantations, 
II. That as regard Wattle, it will endeavour to 
effectually deal with this pest by the continuous issue 
of notices to clear. 
HI. That it appoints a standing Sub- Commit- 
tee to watch vegetation and to report instances 
of noxious vegetation for want of notices to clear. The 
members of the Sub-Committee in fact to divide the 
inspeolion of the town among them. I don’t think 
this is asking too much, as with one or two exceptions 
the Commissioners don’t do very much inspection. 
That as regards future plantations, the Government 
be requested to obtain the opinion of the Advocate 
General as to the competence of the Council to pass 
and of the Government to sanction, the passing of a 
bye-law prohibiting the planting of any tree except 
purely ornamental trees without the sanction of the 
Council previously obtained. The question bristles with 
legal difficulties and is eminently one for the Advocate 
General to advise. 
It has just occurred to me that the Council might 
very fairly ask tho Government to help in reducing the 
timber area within Municipal limits by closing their 
depot. Purchasers would thus be driven to private 
producers of firewood and private plantations would be 
reduced in area. — S. I. Obse^'ver. 
Middling Plantation Coffee is quoted by Reuter 
at 109s 6d per cwt., but sales have been effected by 
Colombo firms within tho past few weeks at as high 
a figure as 116s per cwt. delivered cost and freight 
at Trieste, while it baa exobanged bauds locally at 
R72 per owti 
CEYLON COCOA. 
Bv Db. a. J. H. Ceespi. 
One of the most curious features of modern 00 m- 
mereial activity is that Nature is, as it were, com- 
{•elled to improve on her own earlier efforts. 
Supposing that some muoh-prized plant is found 
to do well in a particular region with a climate of 
given warmth and under certain recognised con- 
ditions: the next thing is to find out a region 
where these conditions are still better, and to 
introduce the plant there. This seems to have been 
done with the cacao tree in Ceylon, and cocoa 
superlative excellence has for many years been 
manufactured from cacao beans imported from that 
beautiful island. Some brands of Ceylon cocoa 
have been recently commanding verv high prices ; 
this shows what a magnificent field exists in Ceylon 
for occoa culture, and that the quality of the cocoa 
from that island is far above the average of West 
Indian varieties. The principal peculiarity of the 
Ceylon brand is its delicate flavour and rich aroma ; 
although when prepared for use its price is not 
very high, and quite within reach of most incomes. 
We confidently predict that as it becomes moro 
generally known, it will be sold in still larger 
quantities, and so open up a fresh and most im- 
portant branch of trade to British enterprise. 
Messrs. J. S. Fry and Sons, the well-known makers, 
whose house was founded in 1728, were not slow 
to recognise the peculiarly delicious flavour of Ceylon 
cocoa, and they have accordingly added another 
luxury to our household beverages in the form of 
Ceylon chocolate, a speciality that is being much 
uptpreoiated by connoisseurs. While on the subject 
of Ceylon cocoa, we have just been fayoarad with 
some of the most recent staristics - elating to the 
consumption of cocoa in .England.' Although a 
great authority gives the average consumption as 
five ounces psrhead, it is now asceroaiued to amount 
to eight, or to be more precise, in 1880 it reached 
18,464,164 pounds. This is not a large total after 
all, but marks progress. In 1820, duty was only 
paid on 267,000 pounds ; in 1875, on 9,000,000 
pounds. In other words, the consumption has 
doubled in fourteen years, and should the present 
rate of progress continue another fourteen or 
fifteen years, the trade will reach, for the first time, 
very respectable dimensions. 
Considering its fragrance and nutritive properties 
(for all preparations of cocoa are a true food, and 
valuable as tissue restorers and force producers), 
perhaps the small consumption is surprising. For 
our part we prefer well-propared cocoa to all other 
beverages, while indigestion, which is so frequently 
caused, or at any rate, aggravated by the too liberal 
use of hot tea, does not follow cocoa. The cocoa 
trade is in a healthy and active state, and the 
wants of the general public are not likely to be 
neglected as long as so many leading English firms 
busily engaged ministering to the national needs. 
One of the best uses to which Ceylon chocolate 
can be piut is to eat it when on tricycling or 
pedestrian excursions. We have it most convenient, 
and we believe that cyclists, who are often at a 
great loss for a portable and palatable food whioh 
they can eat without dismounting, will more and more 
trust to chooolate as their sheet-anchor. Long 
before our attention had been directed to the subject 
by a circular we were reading the other day, we 
had found out the value of dry and satisfying food 
when many miles from home and pressed for timCi 
— llanUitickc's tj'ciencc Oossii), 
