THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Oct. I, 1897 . 
^42 
have to employ all the labour roquired. Of course, 
any man used to manual labour, or if married, or 
if he has children, could do, say with the help of 
a few kanakas, all the necessary work, and could put 
smaller areas under coffee at a much less outlay, 
and expect a larger profit per acre. This would apply 
in particular to married men with families.” — 
Queensland Agricultural Journal for Julij. 
COST OF LIVING ON S. INDIA 
PLANTATIONS. 
Sir, — Absurd stress has been laid on my omission of 
the dhoby’s charges. He costs me exactly four rupees 
for three washes a month, as from loug experience I 
have found that to insist on the weekly Wtish is to at- 
tempt the impossible. Instead of that, I merely have 
to lay in a larger stock of clothes. Not out of the 50 
rupees a month, mind you, for I distinctly stated that 
clothes wern’t to be got out of this sum at all. My 
bill of fare rirna somewhat as follows, as it may interest 
your indignant correspondent to know the composition 
of the ‘‘ last straw — 
Chota llazri. — Porridge, a chop or steak, bread and 
butter and jam (home-made), and tea or coffee. 
Breakfast. — Rissoles, or chop, or joint. Gurry and 
rice. Bread and butler and cheese. 
Tidin or Tea. — Bread and butter, jam and cake, also 
cold meat if joint is on cut. 
Dinner. — Soup, joint or made-dish, curry and rice and 
bread and butter and cheese or plain pudding. 
As for drinks, an occasional peg. 
My baziar bill noio costs me (for meat, rice, fruit 
groceries) R3 8 , or say R16 per month. Soap, butter, 
jam, bread, tea or coffee, milk. &c., B 10 per month. 
Liquor and smokes, R15. Dhoby, B4. Bey, R15. 
Total B60. Add, R15, for estate clothes and boots, 
you arrive at my R75 per mensem, which I estimated 
would keep a young planter very comfortably. Per- 
sonally, I think that RlOO is the lowest one should 
offer a European of over 18 mouths’ experience in 
planting. But as a beginning, R75 should not be 
sneezed at, especially if yearly additions are promised 
.jf work is satisfactory — of R25 per mensem. 
By the way, a ” Planter’s Wife ” gave some ex- 
cellent directions some time back how a young planter 
should be able to keep a respectable and comfortable 
house on RlOO a month or so. While RlOO is better 
than R75, and R75 than R50, no man need starve or 
even stint himself if he has R50 a month to his 
name.” E.x-Ckeepee. 
— Planting Opinion, Aug. 7. 
COFFEE PLANTING IN SOUTHERN INDIA : 
MEETING OP THE UNITED PLANTERS’ 
ASSOCIATION. 
At a recent meeting of the United Planters’ 
Association of South India an able, interesting, 
and important discn sion took place on the sub- 
ject of “scientific investigation” into diseases 
att'ectino' coffee, divided into two jiarts, one 
beinw leaf disease and the other scale pests. The 
discussion on leaf disease was opened by IMr. J. A. 
Harris who said (after reading . Ceylon liter- 
ature on the subject) lie had reluctantly 
come to the conclusion that further investi- 
by an expert as to Ucnt/itctOj V ctstvcttritjc 
would not be likely to add much to what was 
already known. He was inclined to the belief 
that, since the disease was not constitutional, but 
external, attacking only the leaves, a cure of 
a permanent nature was not likely to be dis- 
covered; and that they should turn their attention, 
as intimated both by Mr. Marshall Ward and 
Dr. Trimen to maintaining their trees in such 
strong vitality as would enable them to resist the 
attacks of this pest. As to how this might best 
Ve done lie relened to careful cultivation and 
judicious manuring. With regard to the former 
lie em))hasized the .soundness of Mr. Marshall 
Ward’s ojiinion that they simuld aim at making 
tlie plants flow leaves during the time thattlie 
disease was least likely to be propagated and avoid 
the growth of young and succulent wool wlien 
the spores are most blown about, — with the object 
of having tlie trees at the time of visitations 
covered with matured leaves both able to resist 
the disease and of having them as far as possible 
free from young ones on which the spores 
germinate with great rapidity. It was rather 
curious to notice tiiat in Ceylon the worst attacks 
of Hemileia Vastratix were usually in the S.-W. 
iMonsoon, during the months of June, July and 
August, whereas in Mysore, and he believed in 
other parts, the worst visitations came in 
September, October and November, and sometimes 
extended over January and February. Moisture, 
heat and air being necessary for the spores, he 
presumed that the damp chill of the S.-W. Mon- 
soon checked, it. With reference to digging he 
considered it was a moot point whether deep 
cultivation checked the disease, the tendency 
nowadays being to avoid stirring up the soil 
more than necessary. As to manure he considered 
September as far as IMysore was concerned a better 
month than August for applying manure. Applica- 
tions however, must be greatly inffnenced by the 
supply of labour. As to what manures they 
should apply he said that in this matter the 
planting industry of Southern India required 
the services of an Agricultural Chemist, his 
arguments in favour of getting a thoroughly 
competent man from home being that the 
mechanical conditions of a sample of soil sent 
home must undergo change in transit, and that 
a man on the spot would be in a ))osition to 
observe the organic condition of the soil which 
would enable him to give a more accurate and 
valuable report. He concluded by moving “that 
this Association is of oi>inion that the time 
has arrived when the services of an Agricultural 
Chemist are essential to the future welfare of 
the Planting Industry in Southern India.” 
Mr. E. G. Windle seconded Mr. Harris’s Resolu- 
tion. A discussion ensued which was taken part in 
by Messrs. 0. Scott Skirving, Leeming, Parsons, 
Hay, Hodg.son and Hockin and on the meeting 
going into Committee the following resolution 
was adopted : — “ That a Sub-Committee be formed 
to consider the various proposals put forward, 
and to aH vise as to the result in general meeting 
and that tor this purpose Messrs. Harris, Windle, 
Acworth, Parsons, Hocken, and Leeming do form 
the Sub-Committee.” 
The discussion on scale pests was oiiened 
by the Hon. Mr. Hodgson who said* that 
a Government Order had been issued which 
was very satisfactory. It said that Govern- 
ment was desirous of seeing an entomologist 
appointed at an early date, and had already com- 
municated with the Government of India as to 
the best means of obtaining one. That showed 
that the Madras Government had taken a great 
interest in this subject and he could speak him- 
self of this being the case. This scale pest was 
increasing rapidly, and in Districts in which it 
existed it was almost as serious a matter as leaf 
disease was in the Districts where that existed, 
and everything should be done to eradicate it. 
Mr. H. 0. Newport supported Mr. Hodgson’s 
remarks in a speech in which he referred to 
various methods of dealing with the bug. He 
obtained a spray solution from the Chiswick Soap 
Company called “ Spinno,” and sprayed this evil 
