854 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST.  [June  r,  1896 
wild  rose,  and  tiu;  song  of  birds.  Planters  are 
busy  these  liob  and  steamy  rainy  days,  for 
tea  buslies  are  tiirowing  out  young  leaves 
m,)st  liixriant.  Pity  coolies  could  not  1)3  re- 
tained on  tea  estates  all  the  year  round  and 
work  found  for  then,  say  nianuring  when  not 
otherwise  eniplo^'ed.  Theti  ■■i.-arcitu  of  labour 
lUiulil  be  aUnosl  imhn  iwn.  Om)  Pl.vn  I'Klt. 
('DLOXl.-VL  I'lUJir  AX!)  l-'OOU 
PKODl  CT.4. 
Should  the  drevmof  cho  Impoj-ial  Fedoratiouists 
ever  bo  realised  (and  we  of  this  jo.u-.ial  most  cordially 
wish  all  suocess  to  tiie  nDveiiniit)  one  of  tiie  first 
subjects  to  receive  attentioa  at  the  hui  ls  of  whatever 
body  may  bo  constitute  t to  consider  tiie  host  iiieans 
of  m.iking  the  federation  ctf  etiv;,  wo  il  J have  to 
be  creation  of  new  industries  in  spots  f.ivourable 
for  the  growth  or  m inufacture  of  certain  goods  which 
both  oursolves  and  our  colonies  now  obtain  from 
foreign  sources.  Any  sohenis  of  Imperial  Federa- 
tion would  we  presume,  encourage  the  formatio.i  of 
coinmittes  of  experts  to  cast  about  for  the  most 
likely  districts  within  the  henndaries  of  the  Federation 
wiiich  conld  be  drawn  upon  for  supplies  of  the 
j-haracter  referred  to. 
Colonial  Phoducts. 
The  result  of  such  methodical  collection  and  dis 
cussion  of  information  on  this  point  would  speedily 
show  us  that  the  mother  country  and  her  depen- 
dencies could  he  easily  developed  into  a self- 
contained  atiJ  self-supplying  area  for  almost  all, 
if  not  all,  reejuirements.  We  are,  for  instance,  at 
present  dependent  upon  foreign  cjuutrics  for  our 
orange  supply.  There  is  no  reason  at  all  for  this. 
Our  Australian  and  West  Indian  colonies  could  un- 
doubtedly furnish  all  requirements.  Sconts  and  es- 
sences are  now  mainly  obtained  from  abroad.  Our 
.\u3lraliau  and  South  African  colonics  could  certainly, 
if  developed,  furnish  there  commodities.  Tlio  olive, 
a most  important  commercial  product,  could  al.-^o 
be  cultivated  in  many  of  our  colouios,  and  sucli  srii- 
cles  as  eucalyptus  oil,  culinary  essences,  castor  oil, 
crystallized  fruits,  iucludiug  citron,  orange  and  lemon, 
and,  in  tact,  a large  number  of  articles  which  we  now 
obtain  from  countries  over  whicli  wa  have  no 
governing  control,  could  be  produced  in  our  own 
colonies  by  an  expenditure  well  within  ths  moans 
of  the  communities  concerned. 
THE  nation’s  food. 
Some  large  sacrifice  will  have  to  be  made  in  order 
to  siicoessfully  establish  Imperial  l'’edcration,  and  a 
very  large  sum  of  money  indeed  would  be  well  in- 
vested in  a truly  imperial  effort  t ) render  tiie  mem- 
bers of  the  great  Eritisli  Empire  dependeut  upon 
no  outside  source  either  for  its  fool  supphes 
or  for  its  supplies  of  necessaries  and  luxuries. 
We  are  threatened  on  all  hands  with  .severe  competition 
in  our  produce  growing  and  our  m inufa  turiug  tiades, 
and,  seeing  that  our  bjnaeu  rule.s  over  immense  tracts 
of  country  in  which  all  our  requirements  cou  d be 
produced  by  free  labour,  and  under  condition.s  which 
appeal  to  us  in  every  w.iy  as  a frcedom  loving  race, 
it  is  evident  that  any  great  scheme  of  Imperial 
Federation  must  contain  a well-considered  clause, 
under  the  conditions  of  vvliich  llie  possibilities  of  our 
dependencies  as  the  source  of  all  supplie.s  for  the  great 
common  wealth  inuso  occupy  a foromo.st  p!  ice. 
Our  legislators  have  their  hands  full  at  pre- 
sent with  matters  of  the  gravest  import  to 
our  Imperial  interests,  but  such  steps  as  e.in 
be  taken  by  our  groat  merchants  to  further  the 
development  of  our  colonies  in  the  growth  and 
preparation  for  the  markets  of  such  supplies  as  we 
have  here  indicated  would  earn  the  undying  gra- 
titude of  their  fellow  couuirymeu.  The  very  mag- 
nitude of  the  sell  mo,  together  with  its  comparative 
ease  of  accomplishment,  should  commend  itself  to  all 
far-sighted  Eritons. 
COLONIAL  PUOOUESS. 
The  progress  of  our  Golouies  c.ui  best  be  secured 
by  developing  their  resourcos  as  rapidly  as  possi- 
ble. There  is  no  reason  why  we  sh  mid  bs  compelled  to 
depend  upon  the  f.ireigner  for  the  major  p.u't  of  our  food 
supplies,  either  ill  times  of  peace  of  war.  Tnero  can 
be  no  greund  here  for  jealousy  in  any  ships  or 
form,  since  in  tlie  future  the  continued  strength 
and  success  of  the  Eritish  Empire  will  depend  to  a 
very  gra.it  extent  upon  Co!oni.al  reieurcoi  and  aid. 
To  exp  ml  our  C ilouies  is  an  indirect  way  to 
strengthen  the  Empire,  and  in  this  sense,  whatever 
exports  they  can  send  us  should  ba  welcome!  by  the 
coinmnuity  in  the  name  of  the  Eiiglish-speakiug  race. 
We  hive  given  some  sound  hints  as  to  the  course 
that  might  be  piirsu.ed  with  advantage  in  tlii)  dir- 
ection, but  th.e  subject  is  too  vast  to  bo  dealt 
witli  in  a single  article,  or  a dozen  either.  From 
tiiii  1 to  tinii  we  shiU  kcop  the  subject  uudor  the 
notice  of  our  rcadei'.s  and  all  iuicrested  in  this  ques- 
tion. As  far  as  fruit  and  food  products  • are  con- 
cerned, liiere  is  a greit  held  before  the  Colonial 
growers.  The  one  thing  needful  is  to  develop  these 
groat  branches  of  tr.ids  on  sound  commercial  lines, 
and  as  far  as  we  are  concerned,  we  shall  do  our 
utm  st  upon  every  suitable  occasion  to  furnish  such 
suggestions  as  may,  if  acted  upon,  tend  to  consoH- 
dace  tiie  E uipire  by  ensuring  the  pro.spority  of  each 
individual  colony. — Groi'-er,  Fniifarer  Fhresf, 
April  22. 
^ 
The  Wynaap  and  Selangou— Once  Eitten 
Twice  Shy. — We  liave  been  credibly  informed — 
say.s  riantimj  Opinion — tliac  one  of  the  reasons  why 
Ceylon  capitalists  are  not  investing  more  freely  in 
the  Wynaad,  is  the  recent  collap.se  of  tlie  “ Klang 
Ihiomi  ■’  in  the  Straits.  We  have  referred  to  this 
liasco  more  than  once,  so  that  we  need  scarcely' 
point  out  tliat  tliere  can  be  no  possible  connec- 
tion between  the  two  cases.  In  iSelangor  there 
was  a small  garden  of  Liberian  coft'ee  doing  ex- 
cellently' well  on  peaty  soil  of  apiuirei  tly  iden- 
tical cliaracter  with  the  snrronndiiig  jungle.  A 
mimlier  of  Ceylon  planters  liaving  put  in  hiinied 
a])|)licati<)iis  for  laud  in  the  iieigbourhood  of  the 
coliee-gaidcn,  Cuverniiicnt  sold  the  land  by  pub- 
lic sale,  having  made  certain  prom  ses  to  under- 
take drainage  works.  Jungle  was  cleared  and 
work  was  getting  forward,  wlien  a personal  in- 
sjiection  of  the  laud  by  two  exii.-rienced  Cey'lon 
men  showed  tliat  the  soil  was  utterly  unsnitahle 
for  eolfee,  tlie  peaty  depo.sit  being  some  twenty' 
feet  deep,  while  tliat  on  the  small  Liberian 
garden  was  only  two  feet  deep,  the  subsoil  being 
of  excellent  bine  clay.  .'\11  work  was  stopiied, 
the  land  thrown  up,  and  liiially  Coverniiient 
allowed  the  apjilicants  to  choose  suitable  land, 
of  wliicli  tliere  is  really  plenty  elsewliere  in  tlie 
district.  Now  in  Wynaail,  a great  deal  has 
certainly  been  talked  about  the  ydelds  of  certain 
quarter  acre  tea  jiatcbes  but  they  have  got  over 
tliat  stage  now  and  can  point , to  .several  line 
y'oniig  e.states  doing  as  well  as  any  perhaps  of 
their  age  in  Itidi.a.  To  be  sliy  of  investing  in 
Wynaad  because  certain  lands  in  Selangor  pur- 
chased in  a hurry  turned  out  to  be  b.ad,  is  a 
somewhat  silly'  method  of  action.  However,  there 
i.s  no  doubt  that  a boom  is  by  no  means  an  nn- 
mixed  good,  prices  are  bound  to  be  inllated  and 
the  a.ssiire.l  collapse  would  <lo  lasting  liarin  to 
tlie  district.  liOt  Wynaad  be  wise  ami  hasten 
slowly,  too  much  advertising  .sonietiiiies  defeats 
its  own  object.  After  all,  tlioiigli  we  are  assured 
th.at  applications  are  1:011  traiy  to  our  former 
belief— coming  in  very  slowly  indeed,  yet  if  once 
a well-known  man  purchases  in  a large  way, 
the  others  will  follow  like  a Hock  of  sheep.  At 
present  men  think  it  better  to  wait  and  .see  if 
other  men  are  investing. 
