386 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Dec.  2,  1895. 
THEFTS  OF  PR.EDIAL  PRODUCTS. 
One  would  not  be  justified  in  inferring,  either 
from  the  tenor  of  the  Heport  of  the  Commission 
appointed  to  advise  on  the  tlieft  of  priedial  pro- 
ducts, or  from  our  ai»proval  ot  the  c*)nclusi<  ns 
arrived  at  by  ohe  Commissioners,  tliat  there  was  no 
occasion  for  their  ajipointment.  xsot  only  did  the 
prevalence  of  thefts,  especially  of  cacao  pods  from 
lields,  justify  the  inquiry  that  was  set  on  foot 
by  the  Government  ; but  the  inquiry  itself  has 
been  useful  in  many  ways.  From  the  otiicial 
IHjint  of  view,  there  has  been  this  great  advan- 
tage, that  the  Government  has  by  its  action 
cleared  itself  from  the  charge,  whicu  had  begun 
to  be  prepared  against  it,  oi  being  indiflerent  to 
the  losses  sustained  by  industries  wiiich  are  the 
mainstay  of  the  prosperity  of  the  Island,  while 
the  out.  One  of  the  inquiry  has,  to  a great  extent, 
justified  its  attitude,  which  too  had  exposed  it 
to  some  reproach,  of  unwillingness  to  place 
further  special  legislation  on  the  statute  book. 
From  the  planters’  standpoint,  there  is  ground 
for  satisfaction  in  the  evidence  that  their  com- 
plaints have  not  passed  unheeded,  and  that  the 
labours  of  the  Commission  cannot  fail  to  make 
the  official  world  better  acquainted  with  the 
difficulties  and  the  needs  of  the  agriculturist 
than  it  had  been  before.  At  first  sight  it  may 
appear  that  the  planters  failed  to  make  out 
their  case  and  that  the  inquiry  w-as  fruitless  ; 
and  already  such  familiar  expressions  as  much  ado 
about  nothing,  love’s  labour  lost,  the  mountain 
in  labour,  much  cry  and  little  wool,  have  been 
current  : but  we  do  not  regret  the  appointment  of 
the  Commission.  'J’he  Report  should  open  the  eyes 
of  planters — their  own  brethren  being  witnesses 
— to  the  fact  that  they  do  not  always  take  as 
great  care  of  their  goods  as ihoy  should  ; and  the 
lack  of  due  watchfulness,  it  must  be  remembered, 
not  only  results  in  loss,  but  is  also  an  encourage- 
ment to  wrong-doing  to  peojile  who  have  hazy 
ideas  of  meum  and  tuum,  and  who  think  the 
harm  comes  in,  not  .so  much  in  appropriating 
what  does  not  belong  to  themselves,  as  in  being 
so  stupid  as  to  be  caught  doing  it.  This  cau- 
tion is  specially  necessary  in  view  of  the  circum- 
stance chat  the  labourers  resident  on  estates  are 
themselves  not  above  suspicion,  and  that  as  often 
as  not,  if  they  are  not  the  thieves,  they  are  in 
league  with  them,  or  have  knowledge  of  their 
doings.  The  value  that  the  employer  places  on 
las  products,  as  evidenced  by  reasonable  precau- 
tions .against  their  being  stolen,  is  often  their 
l)est  protection  ; but  if  master  takes  scanty  pre- 
cautions against  pilfering  in  the  lactory  or  in 
the  store,  or  even  in  the  field,  Ramaswainy  and 
Appu  Sintio  think  nothing  of  helping  theniselves 
to  what  is  80  lightly  valued.  On  the  other 
hand,  though  the  Government  may  not  be  able 
to  protect  the  employer  against  his  own  em- 
ployees on  a large  plantation,  it  is  bound  to 
afford  every  tax-p.ayer  the  protection  and  justice 
which  it  is  the  function  of  clvmzed  States  to 
provide.  By  care  in  the  choice  of  men  for  the 
rank  and  file  of  the  regular  and  rural  Police, 
by  the  provision  of  adequate  detective  machin- 
ery, by  ensuring  the  due  supervision  of  sub- 
ordinates, by  the  appointment  ot  qualified  M.agis- 
trates,  ami  by  rendeiing  the  punishment  of 
oH'enders  deterrent,  it  can  do  mucli  to  prevent 
thieving  and  to  protect  the_  agriculturist.  e 
use  the  word  agriculturist  in  iis  widest  sense  ; 
for  it  is  not  only  the  owner  of  large  estates 
who  suffers  from  the  prevalence  of  thefts,  but 
the  humblest  vill.iger  as  well,  to  whom  the  loss  of 
his  garden  produce  is  often  a direct  discourape- 
BiW  indusW)*, 
These  truths,  we  say,  liave  been  brought  out  by 
the  labours  of  tlie  Commi-ssioners,  not  as  liiscoveries, 
but  as  factors  to  be  reckoned  with  in  the  agri- 
cultural enterprise  of  the  Islaml.  If  special 
legislation  cannot  be  justified  on  the  evidence 
placed  before  the  Commissioners,  it  is  because 
that  evidence,  while  proving  that  thefts  were 
much  more  frequent  and  serious  .some  time  ago, 
establislied  the  efficacy  of  .severe  sentcnce.s  by 
experienced  magistrates,  and  rigorous  pri.son  dis- 
cipline under  a new  regime  in  lessening  thefts. 
The  Report  admits  the  latter  cause,  which  im- 
plies the  existence  of  the  former ; for  without 
magistrates  fully  .appreciating  the  gravity  of 
thefts  of  prajdial  products,  the  jails  would  not 
have  the  materials  on  which  to  exercise  their 
rigour.  Another  cause  which  is  specially  men- 
tioned is  de.serving  of  attention — tlie  employ- 
ment of  villagers  on  estates.  It  would  be  well, 
even  at  some  inconvenience  to  sIioav  indulgence 
to  the  irregularity  which  is  too  often  a distin- 
guishing feature  of  village  labour,  not  only  as 
a matter  of  benevolence  to  neighbours,  but  also 
as  a protection  against  tliefts.  The  thieves  of 
a village  are  generally  the  idlers,  and  there  is 
no  little  merit  in  weaning  people  from  dis- 
honesty, wliile  w'eaning  them  from  idleness. 
But  in  order  that  a fair  measure  of  success 
should  attend  such  employment,  tlie  village  head- 
men must  be  warned,  both  by  the  superior 
headmen,  and  by  tlie  revenue  officers,  that 
they  should  liave  an  eye  on  the  bad  characters 
who  may  find  employment  on  estates,  and  also 
rigorously  prosecute  those  who  have  no  ostensible 
means  of  livelihood. 
These  are  general  considerations,  and  we  can 
lay  no  claim  to  originality  o their  behalf ; 
but  the  remedies,  tbougli  old-fashioned  and  slow, 
are  likely  to  be  permanently  efficacious  if  per- 
sisted in.  If  education,  into  wliich  morality 
enters,  is  the  best  means  of  arresting  the  spread 
of  crime  generally,  industry  should  be  the 
first  step  in  that  education.  We  content  our- 
selves today  with  those  general  ob.servations,  and 
may  touch  on  some  special  features  of  the  Report 
in  another  i,ssue. 
♦ 
VARIOUS  PLANTING  NOTES. 
“ Planting  Opinion  ” understand?  that  Govern- 
ment will  shortly  abolish  the  post  of  Quinologist, 
and  that  the  Botanical  Depariinent  will  be  quite 
separated  from  the  Cinchona  Department,  the  former 
having  its  headquarters  in  Madras.  A former  planter 
on  the  Nilgiris,  lately  in  the  Jail  Department,  will 
probably  be  offered  the  post  of  superiuteedent  of  the 
Cinchona  gardens. — Madras  Times. 
A Mammoth  Potato. — America  has  broken 
the  record  with  a “ mammoth  ” potato,  which 
is  28  inches  long,  14  inches  in  diameter,  and 
weighs  86  lb.  10  oz.  This  is  equivalent  in  weight 
to  over  a bushel  of  ordinary  potatoes.  It  was 
grown  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Swan,  of  Loveland,  Colo- 
rado, who  naised  430  bushels  of  potatoes  on  a 
single  acre  last  season.  Tlie  mammoth  potato 
is  to  be  used  for  seed,  it  being  “ too  oig  to 
eat.” — Globe. 
Trade  with  Au.stralia. — A leading  Austra* 
lian  house  has  sent  a representative  to  Colombo 
to  endeavour  to  establish  between  Victoria 
and  Ceylon,  trade  relations  in  the  following  lines: — 
“ P'resh  fruit,  fruit  preserve— jam,  A'C.,  biscuit-s, 
cordials,  candles,  soaiis  (toilet  ami  household), 
beef  and  imittoii  tallow,  general  produce  of 
Australia.”  Taking  so  much  of  our  tea  as  Aus- 
tralia does,  it  is  very  desirable  vie  should  be- 
come customers  in  turn,  as  far  as  this  Colony 
potfslbly  can  up  tli^  prdikRAi  referr^  ftJ, 
