Aug. 2 , 1897 .] 
TiriE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
89 
but he has already shown in his Annual Re- 
port, how ready lie is to profit hy local expe- 
rience and special training ; and still more, how 
pleased he would be to see further scientific 
experts brought to bear on the economic pro- 
blems affecting the leading agricultural industries 
of the island. As we have said, an Agricultural 
Science Board —comprising the Director, Conser- 
vator of Forests, an Agricultural Chemist, 
Entomolos'ist, and perhaps, Cryptogamist or 
Fungologist — to experiment, investigate and 
suggest, for the benefit of planters of all 
degrees (of palms as well as of tea, 
cacao, coffee, etc.,) and of cultivators generally, 
could not fail to prove of decided benefit 
at this stage in the progress of the colony ; 
and if Governor Ridgeway saw his way to es- 
tablish such a Board, and to place it in active 
co-operation with agricultural, as well as official, 
representatives, a very notable advantage would 
be given to our greatest and most vital indus- 
tries, and a decided impetus to material progress 
in a variety of directions. 
CATERPILLAR PEST ON “ALBIZZIA^’ 
(TOON) TREES AND WITH A 
LIKING FOR TEA. 
The following is the letter of a tea planter 
in a lowcountry district to a Colombo merchant: — 
I am sending you, in a small box, some tea leaves 
wilh the “ caddis ” and worm attached. As the pest 
now has got on to the tea after having nearly killed 
about 5 acres of Albizzias, I shall be much obliged 
if you will please show them to the Observer En- 
tomological authority; and if he thinks it will be 
necessary to destroy them then the matter must be 
taken in hand at once. All the Albizzia trees wilh 
pest have to be cut down — as the worm drops on 
to the tea from them— and then coolies are put on to 
collect the worms. So far very little damage has 
been done to the tea bushes. 
Our Entomological referee is good enough to 
report as follows : — 
“ Caterpillars of the genus Psi/elie. They reside 
in a case composed of fragments of leaves, bits of 
grass, &c, and in w’hich they undergo their meta- 
morphoses. Those cases suspended from the leaves 
by a thread, contain the chrysalides which might 
be brushed off by the hand if very numerous and 
close together. The escape of the moth is indicated 
by a portion of the empty chrysalis left protruding 
from one end of the case, within which the cater- 
pillar has resided, and the chrysalis found protec- 
tion. I have not heard of their doing much damage 
to tea. Colombo 7th June.” 
All this shows how much need there is for an 
Entomologist — not merely “ honorary ” — though 
that is better than none — but for one in constant 
-work throughout the country. Possibly, the live 
acres of “ toons” might have been saved if seen 
•by an Entomologist at an early stage. 
■ 
THE VINE IN THE MALAY 
PENINSULA. 
Alluding to a recommendation in an Indian 
paper that planters in the Malay Peninsula 
should try the vine, the Malay Mail says : — 
We are of the same opiuion, and wonder why 
nobody has ever yet thought of going in for viti- 
culture here. The chief question is, of course, one 
of soil. As for the climate, we should think little 
on that point is left to be desired. The sunlight is 
on the whole never too scorching, and the rains, 
provided always that the vines were not planted 
along too steep a gradient, would invigorate the leaf, 
and also tend to protect it against parasites. Of 
course, wherever tin were suspected as being present, 
there wine growers must be conspicuous by their 
absence. As to the ferruginous flavour of Australian 
vintages, which is not always palatable to wine 
drinkers, no fear need be entertained on that score, 
for ironstone soil is not much met with in the 
F. M. S.— F. Press, 28. 
CEYLON PROPRIETARY TEA ESTATES 
COMPANY, LIMITED. 
The statutory meeting of the Ceylon Proprietary 
Tea Estates Company, Limited, held at the offices 
of the company, 20 Bastcheap, on May 18. 
The Secretary having read the notice, calling the 
meeting, 
The Chairman Mr. G. A. Talbot, said : — 
This being the statutory meeting of the company 
which the Act demands must be held within four 
mouths of the incorporation of the company, I need 
not remind you it is a meeting at which no business 
can be done. I, however, may tell you that the 
various estates have been transferred to the com- 
pany, and we are now in full possession of the 
same. When the prospectus was issued we had not 
been able ro conclude negotiations for the purchase 
of the remaining one-eight share of Badella Estate, 
but we have now done so, and there are only certain 
legal formalities to be gone through when this 
eighth share will be conveyed to the company. We 
have telegraphic advice that the crop for the first 
four months of the year has amounted to 290,000 lb. 
so- that it would appear we are likely to fulfil our 
expectations as regards the estimated crop from our 
property when in full bearing, as set forth in the 
prospectus. As you are aware the first Jour months 
of this year have beeir unfavourable as regards ex- 
change rates, but these are now improving, and we 
can only hope they may continue to do so. While 
in Ceylon in March last I visited Radella and 
Summerville Estates belonging to the company, and 
was thus able to confer with Mr. Wiggin, and Mr. 
Masefield, and advise them as to the future working 
of them. Mr. Wiggin, who was one of the principsS 
vendors, and who is on the board of the company, 
is at present in Ceylon, and as he has a thorough 
knowledge ' of estate management will meet Mr 
Masefield, who will have the care of the estates 
for the future, and arrange with him as to the 
-vi-orking before he returns to this country about 
the end of the year. Should any shareholder desire 
to ask any question, I shall be very pleased to 
■answer the same. 
No questions being asked, Mr. W. E. Mitchell 
proposed, and Mr. G. T. White seconded, a vote of 
thanks to the chair, and the proceedings then 
terminated. — PI. <& C. Mail, May 21. 
— 
MULBERRY AND TEA CULTIVATION 
IN THE FAR EAST. 
We take the following from the Japan Times 
of May 11th : — 
According to statistics compiled by the Agricul- 
tural and Commercial Department, the are a of land 
devtoed to mluberry cultivation shows a tendency 
to increase annually as the result of the progress 
made in sericulture, the total area in 1898 being 
288,987 cku. This is an increase of 22,772 cho, or 8 5 
per cent compared with the previous year. The in- 
crease can be traced in almost every pretecture, 
those of Yamanashi, Yamagata, Gumma anu Nagano 
being the most prominent examples. The total area 
of tea farms is 59,479 cho, being an increase of 
1,750 dio or 3 per cent compared with the previous 
year. This is a result of the close investigations 
pursu§^ }» ^hizuqka prefecture, on the one handj 
