THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
1A9 
Mav 2, 1^9'i] 
_ The estate and baliaar population lived on imported 
rice and had sufficient for their needs. They had 
however a hard time when the goods traffic was 
obstructed by the slip on the line at Alagalla. The 
prices of all imported articles suddenly rose to the 
highest figures ever known in Ceylon— looting and 
plundering were expected every moment in the 
bazaars, and, had it actually occurred, the results 
would have been disastrous. To the prompt and 
energetic action of the planters, with the co-operation 
of the police and headmen, is mainly due the pre- 
servation of order in these bazaars. I had to send 
an extra police force to Pundalu-oya, where all the 
coolies of surrounding estates flocked into the bazaar 
one day to plunder necessary articles of food when 
they found they were unable to pay the prices de- 
manded by the boutique-keeprs. The panic and 
threatened damage were however avoided by the wise 
steps taken by the police under the capable direction 
of the Unofficial Police Magistrate, Mr. Curtis. 
PLANTING NOTES; 
HorticulturalCoi lege,Savanley.— Tliesixtli 
annual report of the Women’s Brancli is before us. 
From this it appears that six former students are 
now engaged in market gardens, eight in public 
establishments, nine in private gardens, three in 
institutions, six in teaching. Miss Gulvin, for- 
merly of Kew, has now taken a responsible post, 
with several gardeners under her. Three other 
young w'omen are at Kew, and two in the Edin- 
burgh Botanic Garden. — (7nrrfc;m/'.s’ Chronicle, 
March 19. 
CAMPHOR: A Minor Product. — We direct 
attention to thelecters of Hr. Nock and Mr. Owen 
on this subject. We have got a tiny bit of 
Mr. Owen’s sample, so there is, no mistake about 
his success ; and as the cairij.hor tree, like 
einnamon, coppices well, if it will pay to extract 
from the young shoots and leaves, a very useful 
minor product the camphor tree may turn 
out to be. Experiments will have to be tried as 
to the best months or seasons for making the 
extract and in the low-country and hill districts, 
respectively. 
Canaigre : A Minor Product.— A planter 
writes: — “I send you a cutting from Household 
Words ?'e Can.aigre. A small quantity has been 
produced at Hakgala this year and I believe sent 
home for report.” We quote as follows:'— 
In the California canaigre, hitherto looked upon 
as little else than a beautiful weed, agriculturists 
may find a new field for production and manufac 
turers an exceptionally useful product. When the 
Spaniards came to America they found that the 
Indians of the south-west were skilled in the oldest 
of all the practical arts — that of 1 ather tanniog. 
Ttie Spanish historians of Mexico mention that the 
inhabitants of the country used the juice of a native 
plant in curing skins, and when cattle were intro- 
duced that this same plant was found useful in 
tanning their hides. Recognising the plant as a 
relative of the European dock, they called it 
“ canaigre,” which is a combination of two Spanish 
words meaning “sour dock.” Canaigre possesses the 
greatest store of tannin of any knovvu plant, and it is 
this that gives it a value almost inestimable in 
tanning processes. The sulture of canaigre has 
opened up a great desert agriculture, established a 
new industry and source of wealth. English tanneries 
are ext. n-ive consumers, and the demand for canaigre 
chips has grown so rapidly that were every arid 
acre in south-eastern California and Aiizona, the 
native and favourable habitat for the plant, set with 
canaigre, there would be no danger of glutting the 
market. 
Mr. Nock will be sure to report p/v honopuhlico 
if tlie plant is worth cultivating in Ceylon when 
lie gets back a report. 
A Cure for Mange in Horses.— Boiled linseed 
oil, sulphur, and kerosene, equal parts: First mix 
the oil and sulphur, then add the kerosene, and 
mix well. Applied with a hard stubby brush. Also, 
a tea'poonful of carbolic acid to a pint of lard, 
stirred in and well mi-iedi— Queensland Agricidtiu-al 
Journal for March. 
Tea Boxes and Rurber in Assam,— T im 
following i.s an extract from a resolution h'r the 
Chief Commissioner, on the lieport on Forest 
Administration in Assam for the year 1896 97. 
The larger quantity of timber and forest produce 
taken by purchasers throughout the province is 
accounted for entirely by the increase in the quantity 
of produce taken in the Garo Hills under these f/urkaii 
passes The quantity cf timber removed by depart- 
mental agency was less than half the amount reported 
ill the previous year, a result which cannot be consi- 
dered satisfactory. The free grants of timber and 
fuel made during the year under home consumption 
permits and other concessions are estimated at much 
the same quantity as in the previous year. 
TEA BOXES. 
Outturn, in boxes. 
Royalty, 
E. 
1893-94 
. . 368, .323 
20,016 
1894 95 
. . 360,469 
19,470 
1895-96 
384,488 
20,917 
1896 97 
447,663 
24,200 
The outturn of tea-boxes from saw-mills in the 
Assam Valley districts which obtain their timber 
from Government forest shows some improvement. 
The result is, however, much smaller and the revenue 
derived by Government from this source is much less 
than it would have been if more active encourage- 
ment had been given by the Department to the saw- 
mill industry. It is very unsatisfactory that planters 
should still be compelled' in a large measure to draw 
their supply of tea shocks from Norway and Japan. 
As members of a g'wa.si-Gommercial Department, the 
proper attitude for forest officers to take up in dealing 
with their customers should be one of conciliation 
and concession. The larger the development of the 
saw-mill industry the larger will be the profits of the 
department. Blr. Cotton has fourd it a subject of 
universal complaint throughout the province that the 
saw-mill industry is languishing, and it appears to 
him to be the interest as well as the duty of the 
Forest Department to remove tl.e impression, which 
undoubtedly prevails, that this state of things is due 
to the unsympathetic attitude of the departmental 
authorities. This is another subject which is under 
special discussion between the Chief Commissioner 
and the Conservator. 
The outturn of home rubber rose from 714 maunds 
in the previous year to 1.222 maunds, due cliiefiy to 
the Darrang mahids having been leased out this year 
whereas they were closed in 18i)5-9ti. The outturn of 
foreign rubber also increased from 2,520 maunds 
to 2,825 maunds. The duty collected under both 
heads increased from R32,S15 in 1895-96 to E56 178 
during the year under report. Part of this increase 
however, was due to collections which should cro- 
perly be credited to the previous year. The general 
results under this head are satisfactory 
The following figures show the financial results of 
the working of the Forest Department in this pro- 
vince for the last five years (according to the Forest 
year July to June) ; 
IS92 93 
1893 91 
1894 95 
1895 96 
1896-97 
Receipts. 
R. 
420,930 
492,811 
444,706 
404.482 
-440,936 
Expen- 
diture. 
Surplus. 
Proportion 
of surplus 
R. 
R. 
to receipts. 
276,948 
143.982 
34 2 
265,421 
227,390 
46-1 
281,652 
163,054 
36-7 
2,89,323 
115,1.50 
28-5 
282,191 
158,745 
36’0 
The results for the year,' on the whole, 
favourably with those for the pieyious years. 
compai 
