June  i,  1897.]  THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST.  ^3* 
QUEENSLAND  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE. 
We  have  received  a copy  of  the  Prospectus 
of  the  Queensland  Agricultural  College,  which 
is  stated  to  owe  its  inception  to  a jiopular  de- 
mand for  increased  eneigy  in  developing  the 
latent  resources  of  this  semi-tropical  depen- 
dency—a demand  whicli  goes  to  prove 
once  again  the  healthy  and  enterprising 
state  of  public  opinion  which  exists  in  the 
Southern  Colonies  and  is  bound  up  in  the 
watchword  “ Advance  Australia.”  The  Section 
of  Agricultuie  in  Queensland  was  created  an 
independent  administrative  Department  in  May 
1896,  with  the  Hon.  A.  J.  Thynne  as  Minister 
in  charge.  Parliament  voted  the  following  sums 
for  the  use  of  the  College:— An  initial  vote  of 
£5,000  for  the  establishment  ; another  vote  of 
£l',40b  furniture  and  additions  to  the  build- 
ing, and  £4,000  for  salaries,  apparatus,  tools,stock, 
&c.  The  School  is  purely  agricultural.  The  train- 
inc',  studies,  and  work  of  the  teachers  and  pupils 
are  all  planned  to  the  end  that  they  may  help 
young  men  to  a knowledge  of  the  methods  and 
reasons  of  agricultural  practice.  The  course  of 
study,  as  given  in  the  Prospectus,  is  as  com- 
plete as  it  well  can  be,  and  the  staff  includes  about 
a dozen  Instructors.  Considering  the  advanced 
constitution  of  the  College,  the  belief  of  the  pro- 
moters that  it  “will  play  an  important  part  in 
the  improvement  of  agriculture  ” in  the  Colony, 
is  a reasonable  one. 
In  any  undertaking,— and  particularly  in  an 
institution  of  this  nature,— it  is  most  important 
that  there  should  be  no  mere  temporary  make- 
siiift  measures,  no  impediments  arising  from  a 
orudging  of  funds,  and  that  ample  facilities 
shoukl  *be  given  for  allowing  the  influence  of 
agricultural  education  to  spread  freely  among 
those  interested.  We  note  that  special  pro- 
visions arc  made  tor  the  carrying  out  of  prac- 
tical experiments  in  the  field.  Such  an  admirable 
scheme  is  what  might  be  expected  where  there 
is  a qualified  head  to  foster  the  cause  of  agri- 
cultural education,  such  as  the  Queensland 
Minister  of  Agriculture.  Without  the  influence 
of  an'  expert,  and  where  it  is  left  to  the 
mercy  of  officers  with  no  special  qualifications, 
the  cause  is  doomed  to  failure.  Even  in  India 
there  are  Directors  of  Land  Records  and  Agri- 
culture, who  are  highly  trained  agricultural 
officers;  but  in  Ceylon, well,  tilings  are 
different.  ^ ,,,,,, 
We  heartily  wish  the  Queensland  College  a 
prosperous  career,  and  that  abundant  success 
may  crown  its  laudable  efforts  to  improve  the 
Agriculture  of  that  rich  and  extensive  Colony. 
IMPRESSIONS  OF  A RAMBLE  FROM 
YATIYANTOTA  TO  NAWALAPITIYA. 
April  26. — If  impressions  of  a ramble  from  Yati- 
yantota  via  Bulatkohopitiya  up  through  part  of 
Dolosbage  on  to  the  Nawalapitiya  station  is  worth 
inserting,  here  you  are.  Leaving  Yatiyantnta  by 
hackerjqa  drive  of  15  miles  or  so  brinss  you  to  Biilat- 
kohopiti'ya,  a small  village  with  bazaars  and  the  ever 
promiscuous  arrack  tavern  standing  on  an  elevated 
position  inviting  Ramasami  and  Appuhami  to  wet 
their  whistle  ere  they  tramp  on  their  weary  journey. 
I had  a good  view  of  Knavesmire  estate  which 
bids  fair  to  rival  Yataderia  in  the  no  distant  future. 
I passed  through  Glenalla,  that  fine  property  of  the 
Hoii.  the  Legislative  Member, — it  is  a pity  though 
that  the  cart  road  goes  no  further,  for  I heard 
very  unkind  things  said  of  the  M.L.C.  and  his 
“dog  in  the  manger”  policy,  twig!  Glenalla 
seems  in  all  probability  to  have  been  the  ultima 
thule  aimed  at,  on  that  much  agitated  question  of  road 
extension,  to  join  on  the  Dolosbage  road  at  Meena- 
galla.  If  CO  I cannot  wonder  at  the  anathemas 
heaped  on  the  Uon.’s  head  and  shoulders.  * Going  up 
further,  past  Waharaka  through  anything  but  a road, 
more  like  up  and  down  drains,  you  get  to  a forest, 
on  both  sides  of  which  lies  old  Damblagolla  and 
Ugieside,  looking  fine  covers  of  tea.  A bit  further 
and  Havilland  is  reached.  Here  a most  elaborate 
factory  is  in  full  swing  with  a fine  show  of  the  latest 
machinery.  This  place  I remember  in  coffee  when 
the  Bros.  Whitham  were  lords  of  the  show.  It 
never  proved  an  Eldorado  in,  the  bean  (!)  like  all 
Dolosbage,  but  in  tea  it  can  hold  its  own  against 
many  estates  I know  of.  There  the  land  is  steep 
but  the  soil  makes  up  for  that.  I now  hurried 
on  and  pushed  ahead  till  I got  to  Kelvin.  Here 
the  tea  looks  very  encouraging:  particularly 
the  indigenous  tea  took  my  fancy.  Originally 
planted  from  Horagalla  and  Seaforth,  it  has  a very 
even  jat  throughout.  I was  told  here  my  nearest 
way  to  Nawalapitya  was  up  through  the  bungalow 
facing  down  the  other  side  to  Seaforth,  cutting  off 
miles  of  a rugged  road  through  Kellie  Group  on 
to  Windsor  Forest.  Shades  of  evening  made  me 
decide  on  the  nearest  way  out,  so  up  we  went  and 
down  a moat  precipitous  hillside  short-cut  to  Sea- 
forth. Here  the  tea  was  looking  its  best,  the  old 
seed-bearers  being  well  to  the  fore.  Fearing  dark- 
ness would  overtake  me,  I had  little  time  to  see 
much,  and  on  we  went  through  some  fine  patanas, 
once  the  flourishing  Nagasena.  I wonder  this  estate, 
which  has  such  a nice  lay  of  land,  has  not  been  put 
into  tea.  Old  Yakdessa  forest  on  the  other  side  looks 
as  if  it  could  make  tea  sing  if  only  planted  on  it. 
Next  I passed  through  Stow  Easton,  the  “ For- 
tune Killer,”  of  the  Brothers  Hippesley,  to  think 
that  £7,000  was  sunk  on  this  place  or  the 
bulk  of  it  seems  a dream.  The  coffee  I 
hear  snuffed  out  in  3 years  or  so.  No  wonder  it  did, 
there  is  not  a vestige  of  soil  on  the  two  sides  of 
the  tavalam  road  which  passes  through  the  place. 
Some  seed  tea  on  very  poor  washed-out  soil  I came 
upon,  which  did  not  say  much  for  its  capabilities 
in  growing  tea.  The  upper  parts  which  lie  under  a 
precipica  ought,  I think,  to  do  well ; but  what  I saw 
below  will  not  make  its  owner  fat.  Next  is  Hora- 
galla : here  the  tea  seems  growing  on  freer  soil, 
although  indifferent.  The  seed-bearers  I passed 
through  are  looking  remarkably  well,  the  effects  of 
manuring  The  young  tea  shows  up  pretty  fairly  well, 
but  not  a patch  on  the  teas  I came  through  up  to 
Seaforth.  It  was  now  quite  6 o’clock.  Weary  and 
worn  I pulled  my  aching  limbs  or  rather  dragged 
them  past  a vast  tract  of  patana  for  nearly  4 miles, 
when  to  my  great  relief.  I landed  on  the  cart  road 
at  Rambukpitiya,  a small  village  bazaar.  Judging 
from  the  sleek  healthy  appearance  of  the  Moormen 
traders  I should  think  this  was  a very  flourishing 
little  hamlet.  3 miles  more  and  I was  at  the 
Central  Hotel,  Nawalapitiya,  and  oh!  with  what 
relish  did  I not  quaff  down  that  bottle  of  “Pilsener." 
A change  and  dinner  and  into  bed  till  I was 
woke  up  with  “ Sar ! I’m  ready.”  6 a.m. — into  the 
train  and  off  to  Kurunegala.  Will  let  you  know  of 
that  historical  feverish  country  in  my  next.— C.P. 
■ ♦— 
BRAZIL  COFFEE  NOTES, 
A communication  to  the  Commercio  de  S.  Paulo 
from  Campo  Alegre  says  that  the  coffee  crop  in  that 
district,  which  has  been  a failure  for  the  last  three 
years,  promises  this  year  to  be  “ very  good,”  and 
will  repay  ihe  planters  for  the  sacrifices  which  they 
have  made. — llio  News,  March  9. 
Absurd : the  road  has  always  been  planned  to 
go  right  on  to  the  Nawalapitiya  ono  ,and  so  it  must 
—Ed.  T.A. 
