364 Former and Present State of Ceylon. 
land, their whole attention seemed to be absorbed, and all other 
advantages were overlooked. The impolicy of such a system 
will easily be perceived from a few observations. 
The soil of Ceylon, particularly in those parts bordering on 
the sea-coast, is well adapted for the production, not only of 
all those articles which are common to the tropical climates, 
but of many which are properly natives of Europe. Even the 
sands and brittle clay which are found scattered up and down 
in different parts of the island, produce abundantly, and are 
equal in fertility to the richest earth. This is to be attributed 
to the uniform and mild temperature of Ceylon, and the fre- 
quent rains which supply its fields abundantly with moisture ; 
while on the continent of India, vegetation is often destroyed by 
the excessive droughts and the parching winds to which it is 
subject at different seasons of the year. 
So little advantage, however, was taken of this excellent tem- 
perature and soil, that Ceylon has never yet produced a suf- 
ficient quantity of rice and wheat for its own consumption-, al- 
though these and other kinds of grain could with proper atten- 
tion be raised here to as great advantage as at Bengal or 
Surat. The inattention of the natives to agriculture was partly 
owing to the abundance of spontaneous productions with which 
nature supplied them, and the few wants either of clothes or 
food in this warm climate; their cocoa-trees and jack-fruit 
being almost of themselves sufficient for all their purposes. 
The Dutch, however, by a well-directed policy, and by hold- 
ing out proper encouragement, might have in a great measure 
overcome the indolence naturally arising from these causes, and 
mi"ht have taught them to know and appreciate the comforts- 
and enjoyments arising from industry and affluence. 
