3o6 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Nov,  I,  1895. 
trees  will  maintain  that  the  tea  should  still  be  reckoned 
at  the  full  100  acres  plus  the  cinchona.  But  knowing 
as  we  now  do  by  experience  that  the  cinchona,  where 
it  matures,  does  not  benefit  the  other  product,  but  the 
reverse,  it  i.s  misleading  to  count  the  full  acreage  of 
the  stjvple,  in  additi<»n  to  a certain  extent  of  new  pro- 
ducts  interspersed.  However  we  have  left  the  fi^iures  in 
the  Directory  lists  and  in  our  tables  as  returned  to  uh 
from  the  estates  and  agents,  to  speak  for  themselves,  and 
it  IS  possible  that  some  may  consider  that  tea  and 
coffee  area  should  be  counted  in  full,  even  when  mixed 
with  cinchona,  cacao,  or  rubber.  We  have  no  doubt 
however,  that  the  majority  will  agree  with  us  that,  ana- 
lyzing  the  above  figures  in  the  way  we  have  pointed 
out,  and  with  a moderate  estimate  for  the  average  number 
of  cinchona  trees  per  acre, 
THE  POSITION  OF  THE  CEYLON  PLANTING  EN- 
TERPRISE AT  THE  MIDDLE  OF  SEPTEMBER 
1895  MAY  BE  REPRESENTED  SOMEWHAT 
AS  FOLLOWS 
Acres. 
Total  area  of  1,962  plantations  and  planting  pro- 
perties ....  748,017 
Do  do  of  1,628  plantations  in  cultivation 
with  1,469  Superintendents  and 
Assistants  - . . - 379,182 
Total  approximate  extent  under  Tea  • • 304,419 
Do  do  Coffee  (Arabica)  • - 21,634 
Do  do  Coffee  (Liberica)  • • 2,804 
Do  do  Cinchona [4,483,000  trees 
over  2 years.] 
Do  do  Cacao  ....  18,278 
Do  do  Cardamoms  • - - 4,693 
Do  do  Rubber  ...  034 
Do  do  Tobacco  (on  plantation)  82 
Do  do  Cotton  do  - 133 
Do  do  Grass  (Cultivated^  - 5,730 
Do  do  of  Annatto,  Coca,  Va- 
nilla, Pepper,  Cloves,  Plantains,  Citronella  grass,  Divi-Divi, 
Croton,  Castor-oil,  Aloes,  Cinnamon,  (on  the  coffee,  tea, 
or  cacao  plantations)  .....  7,397 
Of  Fuel,  Timber  and  Fruit-trees,  Span,  Coconuts, 
Arecas,  Nutmegs,  Kapok  (on  the  tea,  coffee  or  cacao 
plantations)  ...  . . 16,000 
We  have  8,400  fewer  acres  under  Coffee  now  than  in  the 
miildle  of  1893,  and  nfbre  than  2J  million  trees  fewer  of 
cinchona.  On  the  other  hand  we  have  an  increase  of 
nearly  31,500  acres  in  the  staple  (Tea)  which  is  of  chief 
interest.  The  cultivation  of  Cacao  shows  an  increase  of 
2,000  acres  which  is  very  satisfactory  as  is  also  the  extent 
added  (366  acres)  to  Liberian  Coffee,  while  tlie  extent 
in  Cardamoms  and  minor  products  has  either  l>een 
stationary  or  shows  a decrease  due  to  the  great  atten- 
tion given  to  tea  in  the  past  two  years,  save  m the  case  of 
timber  and  fuel  trees  of  which  several  thousand  acres 
have  been  planted  in  the  two  years.  In  giving  365,000 
acres  as  the  total  area  of  tea,  it  must  be  remembered 
that  certain  proportions  of  clearings  planted  during  the 
current  south-west  monsoon,  are  included.  Nevertlie- 
less  it  is  clear  that  310,000  acres  of  tea  will  shortly 
be  reached,  and  exceeded,  were  it  only  through  the 
8u,>ercession  of  both  coffee  and  cinchona  where  these 
are  at  present  intermixed  with  the  staple,  in  the  pro- 
portions credited  this  time  to  the  latter  products.  We 
may  expect,  indeed,  to  see  the  5,038  acres  at  present 
crediteef  to  tea  and  coffee,  altogetlier  tea,  and  so  with 
cinchona  and  tea,  so  that  we  are  quite  prepared  to  find 
our  once  great  staple  reduced  from  272,000  acres  (as  ni 
1877)  to  20,000  acres  by  the  time  we  make  up  another 
return,  unless  Mr.  E.  E.  Green  sliows  how  green-bug  and 
other  enemies  can  be  got  rid  of,  and  Liberian  Coffee  takes  the 
start  it  deserves ; while  on  the  other  hand  tea  will  probably  be 
represented  by  315,000  acres  in  full  cultivation  by 
the  middle  of  1896. 
In  the  returns  of  1883,  the  considerable  number  of 
plantations  with  “ abamloned  ” opposite  their  names, 
attracted  aHention : altogether  they  aggregated  53,540 
acres  ; at  the  beginning  of  1886  the  aggregate  was  40.000; 
but  in  the  middle  of  1888,  the  total  of  298  “abandoned 
properties  stood  at  69,432  acres  ; in  July  1891  thei-e 
were  entered  about  293  “abandoned"  properties  aggre- 
gating 73,262  acres  ; while  in  1893  through  more  careful 
returns,  the  totiil  number  was  324  with  an  area  of  74,217 
acres.  We  have  now  substituted  the  term  “uncultivated” 
and  the  total  of  such  estates  is  289— or  35  less  than  in 
1393— covering  65,727  acres;  but  a certain  proportion  of 
this  extent— probably  one-third— must  still  be  considered 
reserve  and  untouched  forest  or  chena  land. 
Of  good  forest  reserves  mentioned  in  many  of  our 
district  returns,  though  not  in  all,  the  aggregate  is 
about  57,000,  but  even  if  we  add  one-third  of  the 
uncultivated,  making  a total  of  85,000  acres,  we  feel  sure 
this  is  far  l)elow  the  actual  extent  of  forest  land  in  private 
bands.  How,  then,  is  the  difference  between  the  total  area 
of  748,000  acres  and  the  cultivated  area  of  379,000,  namely 
369,009  acres  to  be  accounted  for?  Our  estimate  would  be 
that  of  forest  land  tit.  for  tea,  cacao,  Liberian  coffee  or 
other  products,  there  are  counting  all  reserves  and  un 
opened  blocks  about  120,000  acres  in  jirivate  hands ; that 
50.000  acres  represents  the  area  of  land  once  cultivated, 
butabandoned  within  the  last  30  years  and  now  growing  up 
n weeds  and  lantana,  and  that  the  balance  of  about 
200.000  acres  may  be  put  down  as  representing  chena  and 
patana  (a  good  deal  of  both  fit  for  cultivation,— especially 
in  Uva,  where  jiatana  land  is  turning  out  .so  well  m tea — 
should  prices  of  produce  kee])  up)  besides  swamps  and 
other  utterly  waste  portions, 
♦ 
WEATHER  FALLACIES. 
The  weatlier  and  aught  connected  tlierewith, 
it  is  almost  a truism  to  say,  is  of  universal 
interest.  And  yet  Meteorology  has  not 
attained  the  dignity  of  an  e.vact  scienc«  ; 
all  science  is  the  result  of  e.xperience,  and 
scientific  laws  are  generalisations  deduced  from 
an  observation  of  natural  phenomena  and  of 
concrete  facts.  That  being  so,  Meteorologj'^ 
ought  to  have  outdistanced  all  other  branches 
of  scientific  inquiry  in  re.spect  of  the  sum  of 
systematised  knowledge.  For  have  not  the 
data  been  apparent  to  man  ever  since  he  set 
foot  on  this  planet,  ever-present  to  his  senses, 
moulding  his  cliaracter  and  determining  his  pros- 
perity and  coMifort,  more  so  than  all  other  e.\- 
ternal  surroundings  ? And  what  is  the  result  ? 
In  a prominent  position  in  the  columns  of  our 
newspapers  we  have  jirinted  “ weather  forecasts,” 
issuetl  ollicially,  whicli,  like  dreams  usually  go  by 
“contraries”  not  to  speak  of  a host  of  persons 
who  style  themselves  “weather  prophets.”  That 
is  all.  Hesiod,  it  is  on  record,  was  among  the 
first  who  presumed  to  dogmatize  upoM  the 
weather.  He  and  his  succe.ssors  have  much  to 
answer  f ir.  Sunday  school  pic-nics,  garden-parties, 
and  out-door  gatherings  are  postponed  in  conse- 
quence of  predictions  which  usually  come  to  pass 
not  on  the  day  named  by  the  “prophet”  but 
on  that  on  wliich  such  events  actually  take  place. 
Then  the  “luojihet”  is  reviled  and  the  Sunday 
scliool  teacliers  make  remarks  which  it  is  not 
advi.sable  tlieir  pupils  should  Jiear.  But  people 
follow  his  counsel  next  year,  all  the  same  and 
should  the  “[u-ojihet”  prove  correct,  as  he  cannot 
fail  to  do  if  he  goes  on  long  enough,  the  fact 
is  advertised,  his  fame  blazoned  forth  and  his 
reputation  established  for  another  period  of  years. 
Alter  all  tlie  “ projihet  ” is  but  the  quack  of 
the  Meteorological  ju-ofe-ssion.  The  regular  ju-ofes- 
sors  have  done  and  are  doing  a great  work  in 
.systemati.sing  the  results  of  world-wide  observa- 
tion. And  it  is  not  of  them  we  would  speak 
flippantly.  Some  day,  jierhaps  we  shall  be  able 
to  forecast  with  certainty  what  the  atmos- 
pheric conditions  will  be.  Man  has  now  got 
the  heels  of  the  weather.  Approaching 
storms,  thanks  to  an  international  system  of 
Meteorological  stations  connected  by  telegraph,  are 
duly  heralded  and  timely  warning  given.  But 
still  that  nebulous  personage,  the  Clerk  of  the 
Weather  goes  on  in  the  same  inscrutable,  and, 
apparently  haphazard  fashion  scattering  his 
favours  here  and  his  buffets  there  without  regard 
to  the  convenience  of  mortals.  While  in  the 
East  he  may  delay  the  monsoon,  thereby  giving 
old-stagers,  periodical  opportunity  for  declaring 
that  the  existing  state  or  matters  is  “unprece- 
dented,” it  is  in  Britain,  particularly  in  the 
northern  portion,  that  his  vagaries  may  be  seen 
to  most  advantage.  There  he  often  adds  insult 
to  injury,  for  a man  certaiidy  does  look  foolish 
and  feels  in  no  enviable  frame  of  mind  when, 
attired  in  winter  garments,  the  temperature  rises 
to  “summer  heat.”  The  situation  is  scarcely 
less  trying  when  after  one  has  donned  a summer 
suit  there  arc  suspicions  of  snow  in  the  atmos- 
phere ! 
