May I, i8gi.] 
THE TROPICAL AQRSCULTURJST. 
809 
per annum and when full-grown many trees will 
yield 33 per cent more ! 1 He himaelf has to tax 
his memory and in support of his assertion recalls 
his visit to Galagedara in “ the seventies,” Let 
him go back to Galagedara in the ” nineties” and 
tell us all about it. 
It is not fair to single out rare instances and 
parade them as an index of ordinary results. 
Let U 3 be inst sanguine enough to inspire our 
earnest work but never moved to inflation of our 
enterprise or ourstlves. The production of gigantic 
pods, or leaves, or gooseberries (may I add, esti- 
mates and statements), and calculations based upon 
them, never had any useful effect in the promotion of 
agriculture. 
The grain of wheat in all that chnff from Watte- 
gama is contained in the remark that we have 
always something to learn. 
I learnt long ago to avoid reading paragraphs 
about enormous aooseberries. I have still to learn. 
PLANTER. 
CACAO CULTIVATION: ME. HOLLOWAY 
IN REPLY. 
Ukuwala, March 30th. 
Dear Sir, — With roferrence to the letter signed 
"Planter ’’(given above) I can only say that if this plan- 
ter and the others who consider my figuresmisleading 
will visit Franklands estate, almost adjoining Wattc- 
gama railway station, my son, who is iu charge of that 
estate since October last, will be pleased (o show 
them our Forastero cacao trees, the stems mea- 
suring from 20 to 27 inches in circumference, one 
foot above ground, from 18 to 25 ft. in height 
with a spread of from 15 to 22 ft. These trees are 
about six years old. As regards the outturn 
given in my letter, the pods woro selected, 
weighed, put to ferment and washed under the 
supervision of my son who had made some arrange- 
ment with another planter to euro 100 of Forastero 
pods while he was to do the same with Caracas 
from his estate and then compare results. You 
will remember a pod weighing 2 lb. is not our 
largest, for the pod sent to you some time since 
weighed 3J, and Matale 25 Exhibition pods between 
2 and 3 lb. each. Anyone can beat the outturn 
even of one pod and then satisfy himself that I 
was rather under than over with my outturn of 
selected pods. 
As regards full-grown trees giving from 300 to 
400 pods per tree, any cacao planter can tell him 
that there are many such trees, even of the Caracas. 
I know on several estates such crop has been 
obtained on soma trees. When I visited Gieenwood 
estate, Galagedara, in the "seventies” I distinctly re- 
member counting on several trees that number of 
pods ; branches were supported by sticks. I then 
told Mr. van der Poorten if he allowed such crop on 
his young trees he must give them nourishment 
at once, else the trees would soon stop giving crop. 
I am now planting up about 300 acres on this 
estate with Forastero oacao_ for Messrs. Owen, 
Bayfotd & Deverell. There is a great difference 
in quality and depth of soil, lay and aspect of 
land, in old shade as well as jungle shade. Yet 
by careful management, though costing a little 
more than common work, I trust to bring up the 
plants to be healthy and hardy all throughout 
and in time to give lirst-rato crops. An unchecked 
growth iu plants makes the best bearing trees, 
though at times a stunted tree throws up a good 
sucker which : also Lboars well.— Yours faithfully, 
J. HOLLOWAY. 
If those two planters who came the short ou 
through Goonambil and PT’anklands on 17th March 
1889 and got in the train at Wattegama when I was 
also a passenger (a stranger to them and they 
to me) will now come down that short cut again 
they will see that Holloway, though ho was succes- 
ful on Maria and Eaxawa, failed at Wattegama as 
they were pleased to say one to the other. They will see 
“ Holloway ” let the weeds and turf then grow with 
an object now obtained, they will find estate clean 
and trees full of vigour. 
Though I am now a planter of 33 years’ standing, 
yet I am not proud to say I am still learning 
daily. You sometimes hear youngsters who have 
been out about a year or so one say to another : 
"Oh, I know all about planting now.” We ehall 
never finish learning about the treatment of plants 
goil and. J. — H. — [Hear, hoar. — En. T.A.] 
ME. HOLLOWAY AND CACAO CULTIVATION 
Greenwood, April 13th. 
Dear Sib, — It is only today that Mr. Holloway’s 
letter is brought to my notice, owing to absence 
from home. 
I am at a loss to understand why he mentions 
my name in it except if he identifies me with his 
antagonist " Planter ” who I am not. 
I find that Mr. Holloway honored me with his 
visit on the 29th September 1882 (not in the 
seventies). I do not remember that he gave me 
his valuable advice about giving nourishment to 
trees which had borne a heavy crop. I may assure 
him, however, that acting on the secret he thinks 
he imparted to me or on commonsense, I have 
tried the process in all its ways, but have found 
that it would not prevail against the root disease 
which began here in 1884, and attacks nurseries 
and young trees before the mature ones. Cinchona, 
jak trees, coconuts, <!>o., have also suffered in a 
great many places since then, but little notice has 
been taken of this as the change is gradual and 
1 am also inclined to think that it is the cause 
of the other diseases which affect the coffee. But 
being no authority on this matter it might be well 
to put this down to malnutrition. 
I am quite of the opinion of the " youngsters ” 
that if they have an average intelligence they ought 
to know all about planting two or three products 
in the tropics in one year Those great secrets 
people fancy having torn from nature are often 
old and well-known or prove valueless. Nature yet 
remains inscrutable in the main point which I saw 
admitted by a scientific authority on Agriculture a 
few months ago. — I am yours truly, 
A. V. D. POORTEN, 
A TRIP THROUGH THE KELANI VALLEY. 
Dear Sir, — It is now 12 months since I was 
up in the Kelsni Valley, in my opinion the leading 
and most flourithing tea district in Oeylon, and it 
was with pleasure and expectancy that 1 left Colombo 
by the 2-30 p.m. coach on Sunoay last, tlie 5th inst., 
for Awisawelhi. On starting the coach was only occu- 
pied by Europeans and the drive ui) was a iileasant one, 
the road being in excellent condiiion the whole way, 
and the horses, for a wonder, good. At Hanwella we 
picked up tho popular Police Magistrate of Awisa* 
wella, Mr. Philip de Saram, whom I was glad to see 
looking hale and hearty, and the rest of the journey 
was passed in reminiscences of home experiences and 
adventures. I stayed tho night at tho Awisiweila 
re.sthouse, and next morning proceeded by hackery 
to I’uwanwella. The change along this road is vast, 
as large now clearings are being opened up on 
tho one side, while tho other face is one conti- 
