The tropical agriculturist. 
[June I, 1898. 
814 
comparatively free. In concluding his observa- 
tions on this subject, Dr. Watt says: “During 
the past half century of cultivation, many very 
remarkable changes have taken place in the 
properties and disease-resisting powers of the 
Assam plant ; I need hai’dly add that the 
problem, to my mind, that presents itself for 
consideration is more one of methods of preven- 
tion rather than of cure.” We hope to return 
to the subject in a future issue . — Indian Planter^ 
Gazette., April 23. 
MR. C. TOTTENHAM AND HIS PLUMBAGO 
ENTERPRISE. 
After an enjoyable stay of some months, seeing 
after his interests in Ceylon, Mr. Tottenham left 
per ss. “ Shropshire but he is very certain to re- 
turn, indeed to make an annual visit, in order to 
avoid winter and spring in England. It is pleasant 
to learn that an old Colonist like Mr. Tottenham, 
after a long absence, has found the climate of the 
district bordering between Kurunegala and Matale 
suit him so well, that he is able to say that he has 
enjoyed better health than for some time lat- 
terly in England. Mr. Tottenham has been busy 
about many things ; but the most important 
matter, so far as the public is concerned, is his 
determination to develop the plumbago deposits 
on his property and that to this end he has just 
entered into a five years’ agreement with Capt. 
Tregay who has been so long associated with 
him in Spain and elsewliere in mining enterprises. 
It is quite certain that plumbago is on the 
Morankande property and of fine quality ; but 
^ to the extent of the deposits, it is 
impossible to say until the digging and 
mining operations, chiefly on a hillside, 
have developed a good deal. But a full trial 
is now certain, and Capt. Tregay’s work will 
be peculiarly interesting as that of the first 
plumbago mine in Ceylon developed from the 
beginning under European professional direction. 
Mr. Tottenham has this further encouragement 
that close to his property are more ihan one 
native plumbago mine, although in one case the 
absence of pumping arrangements stopped work, 
while ia another, strange to say, the hard gneiss 
rock has to be blasted in order to get at the 
deposit of plumbago — a most unusual circum- 
stance, yet the natives find it a profitable 
operation and they blast a« ay very contentedly. 
It will be extremely interesting to' see what tlie 
next year or two may bring to light through 
Capt. Tregay’s operations, and it is important 
to know that the services of this very experi- 
enced Mining Engineer can be made available 
to Government or private individuals for special 
examination arid report on land or quartz sup- 
posed to contain minerals. We would ask in 
this connection, what delays the long-promised 
Geological Survey ? The Indian authorities are 
surely not behaving well to Sir West Ridgeway 
in this matter, unless it be that they 
are, geologically, shorthanded tiiemselves. No 
one is more Hkely to prize the presence 
of an experienced Mining Engineer to 
follow up likely spots in the Survey, than the 
Geologist himself ; and we trust to see important 
results follow both from the work of the member of 
the Indian Geelogical Survey when he comes and 
from that of Captain Tregay, m.e. 
Meantime, we say farewell with alt good 
wishes to Mr._ Tottenham in the hope of seeing 
back again in our midst, active and hearty, 
before Christmas. By that time he should see 
the evidence of the narrow gauge line between 
Colombo and Kelani Valley being started — with, 
we trust, the probability of seeing the same 
gauge carried on North from Colombo. Mr. Totten- 
ham thinks it both financial and engineering 
folly to carry a mile of broad gauge beyond 
Kurunegala and he well knows the country 
thence due North. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
New Areas of Cultivation in the Hamban- 
TOTA District. — Mr. Hopkins reports for 1897 : — 
About 140 acres of land have been brought under 
cultivation in the Magam pattu during the year, and 
Mr. Elliott has added 225 acres to the cultivated 
area of the Walawe estate. Lands lately sold under 
the Walawe channels have been cleared but not yet 
cultivated. They are therefore not included in this 
year’s return. 
New Areas under Cultivation in the 
Southern Province — are thus referred to Mr. 
Wace in his report for 1897 : — 
In the Four Gravets and Akmimana districts the 
extent open up for tea and coconut is 250 aci’es; 
in the Gangaboda pattu about 160 acres ; in the 
Talpe pattu about 100 acres. In Wellaboda paftu large 
areas have been opened for cinnamon, tea and coco- 
nuts, but the Mudaliyar states he cannot give extents 
with any accuracy. In the Bentota-Walallawiti korale 
the Mudaliyar quotes 507 acres as opened with 
cinnamon, tea, and coconut. The acreage offered 
during the year at the Gall Kachcheri was 1,318 acres 
Pepper and Rubber : Government Gardens 
at the Straits. — We call attention to an interest- 
ing Report reproduced in our Tro}^icnl Agrimltnrist 
dealing with a number of items of practical interest 
to Ceylon agriculturists — more especially in respect 
of rubber ex])eriments, showing how trees of 
Paia have yielded returns at 10 years old up 
to £59— at 9 years £47 and so on — gross per 
acre, and how Para is found to grow well on 
swampy ground. For other interesting facts, we 
refer to the report, and to other extracts about 
Pepper, another new (or rather old) Product 
which ought to be grown extensively here. 
Liberian Coffee. — Mr. W. Turing Mackenzie, 
writes to the Singapore, Free Press that while 
Selangor this year is to export 12,6.39 pikuls 
of Liberian coffee, for 1902 the figures are esti- 
mated at 64,533 pikuls. He adds that the East 
Coast of Sumatra is bound to do someting 
considerable ; but if so, how does Mr. Mackenzie 
explain Mr. Baker and his Dutch superiors 
abandoning Liberian coffee for tea? Our old 
friend is strong on the need of pushing Liberian 
coffee at home after the pattern set in the case 
of Ceylon tea some years ago ; and as usual he 
winds up with a good story : — 
Let every one interested in Liberian coffee send 
home a few lb. of the fragrant bean to his sisters, 
his cousins and his aunts, while Straits planters 
should urge Ceylon tea sellers to add Straits coffee 
to their list ; there are many old Sumatra planters 
in business in Europe and elsewhere who would, I 
should imagine, gladiy take up and push the sale of 
Serdang coffee. New York is a market to be captured, 
but, listen. An American gentleman once came to 
me and asked how many pikuls of Liberian coffee 
I could give him. I mentioned the figure — a few 
hundreds. “Cayn’t you multiply that by 10?” he 
asked. On my intimating that my arithmetical 
powers did not go so far, he replied, “ Waal, sir, 
ef you cayn’t give it us, loe must mahe it.” Subse- 
quently I made enquiries as to the manufacture of 
Liberian coffee in the United States. The ingredi- 
ents mentioned to me did not sound as if they would 
yield a savoury beverage. 
