5*6 
THE TROPICAL AQRI0ULTURI8T. 
[Febbuary I, 1892 . 
the AgriouUural College, wae received with natnral 
Boeptioiem, are we to be expeotod to believe 
that from the rich virgin lands of the North- 
Central Frovinoe tank regions, only SO fold 
oan be expeotod, even with ordinary oaitivation I 
if so we are inclined to throw np the sponge as 
logards rice oultivation in Ceylon, and to plead for 
railway extension northwards, not to aid Ceylon rice 
rgrowers in a competition so hopeless, but, by means 
of connection with the Indian railway system, to 
facilitate the introduction of the cheap and plenti- 
ful food grains of India. Kurakkan is reckoned 
an inferior food to rice, while gingeli, although an 
interssting and valuable crop, is, like crops of all 
oil-yielding seeds, especially exhaustive of the soil. 
It IS but poor comfort, therefore, to learn that 
from virgin soil 460 fold of these “ dry ” crops 
can be obtained, if the maximum or even the 
average we can hope for from tee same virgin 
soil even when irrigated is for one bushel of 
paddy sown, 30-lold in paddy or 15 bushels when 
husked and converted into rice. It is difficult to see 
how native-grown rice can compete with Indian, 
even with means of oommunioation by the Pambnn- 
Mnnnar route such as they are. But it 
once unbroken railway communication between 
India and Ceylon, via Mannar, is established, 
it is difficult to see bow the local cultivation can 
pay, except for consumption close to where it is 
grown, in isolated places remote from roads and 
railways and central markets. 
On a non-politioal question like this, or wbiob, 
if political, has reference only to the abstract 
doctrines of political economy. Government, we fool 
sure, would not object to Mr. levers or any other 
Civil Servant giving his views to the public through 
the papers." In any case we should be glad 
if ha or any other correspondent qualillod for tbe 
task, ^ experience and observation, will deal with 
our dlffloulUes. We oan understand a 30-fold return 
of paddy paying the cultivator at present ; but if 
the introduction of rice from India and its com- 
petition with that locally-grown are facilitated by 
railways in addition to the steamers and sailing 
vessels employed at present, oan tbe local product 
hold its own 7 Be it noted that vast quantities 
of rice are produced in the alluvials of Tinnevelly, 
Madura, Tanjore and Trichinopoly, within a short 
distance from Ceylon, so that the cost of railway 
carriage to the northern portions of our island, 
at least, is not likely to be great. 
Control of Buffaloes. — Under this hoading 
an order in Council has been issued by the Govern- 
ment of Perak which seems to show that buflaloea 
in that State must constitute a danger as well as a 
DUlSBUue , — . „ , m 
Whereas it is expedient to provide for the more em- 
oieut control of buffaloes throughont tho State, it is 
htifoby ooaotod as Follows • — la No bulfalo shtt l bo leu 
or driven along any road, path, or track uoless con- 
trolled by a Dose-riDg anil rope in the hands of tho 
driver. 2. Every buffalo shall have affixed to its horns 
n gnard of hard wood of not less than IJ inches in 
tbiokness, which shall not be more than 1 inch below 
the tips of the horns, or else tliu horns must be out 
down as near the quick as possible. 3. Every savage 
buffalo (korbau bookin) must be destroyed, and the 
owner will be responsible for any damago done by 
failate to obey this Order. 4. Every buffalo which 
shall, after tbe date of this Order, be foand without the 
means of oontrol herein provided shall bo liable to bo 
impounded or shot. 5. Every owner or driver of a 
buffalo who shall bo convicted of non-compHanoc with 
any part of this Order shall bo liable to a fine not ex- 
ceodiug SffiOor, in tbe alternative, to a term of simple 
impriaonmeiit not exceeding throe months. Exception. 
—Nothing in tills Order in Council shall apply to any 
buffalo sail not being more than half grown. 
COLONIZATION UNDER RESTORED 
IRRIGATION WORKS. 
We [•' Hindu Organ”] publish below at tho 
request of a gentleman m Jaffna who takes a 
Warm interest in the welfare of his countrymen, 
tho report of Mr. levers, tho energetic, intel- 
ligent, and public-spirited Government Agent of 
the North-Central Province, on the Colonization 
of Kalawewa. We understand that tho scheme 
propounded in tho report has been sanctioned by 
Government. Tho Report speaks for itsolf, and wo 
commend it to tho specisJ attention of onr readers. 
Annradhapura Kachchori, Slst October, 1890. 
Sir, — I have the honor to submit my replies to your 
queries on the above subject. 
2. It is a matter which has eimagod my attention 
for several years and in which I take tho greatest 
mtorest. In 1888 (whon 2nd Assistant to the Colonial 
Secretiiry) I submitted a Memorandnm based on the 
example of the action of the Dutch regarding the 
transfer of persona from the cougosted districts to 
those where land and wnter were available. I again 
mentioned the matter in my administration report fa 
1886, (page 1st A part I.) 
3. In reply to the query in the 1st paragraph 
regarding capitalists or " people in poor oironm- 
stances,” my recommendation bad regard to the latter. 
In’oase of “ capitalists ’ 1 consider that an application 
from a pioneer capitalist should bo dealt with on 
its merits and by special agreement with Government, 
Such Bgreement ought ti allow favourable terms 
to the oapitalist who takes tbe risk. If his experi- 
mrnt is found to be saocesaful I would recummeod 
that subsequent specnlaiurs should only obtain tbe 
land under the conditions now allowed by Sir Henry 
Ward’s miuntc. It would be a great matter to scoure 
a nucleus of cultivation independent of Quvernmeut 
aid as it would eucourage other settlers and 1 regret 
that former offers for tho taking up of laud under 
Kalawewa were not favourably received. In the case 
of oapitalisle I expect that the owner would import 
his labour from some other districts. In the cate of 
the lands sold at Anuradbspnra the purchasers have 
imported Tamil labourers chiefly and settled them 
on tbe higher portions of tbe lands where they have 
made ffoniishing gardens of coconuts and pUntains, 
jama he. 
4. In reply to tbe query in tbe 3rd paragraph of 
your letter 1 submit what I oonsidet is a fair e.sti- 
mate of tbe cost of colonization by persons who, if 
net absolutely paupers, have not the means of sub- 
sistence in a strange country for snob time ts may 
allow of their being fed by their own labour. I cou- 
sidet such oolonists in the light of labourers taken 
on and supported by Gorernment as landlord, in tbe 
sumo mauner as might be done by a planter, only on 
more f.ivoerable terms to the labourer. Tbe Govern- 
moot Agent may be taken to be the Manager of 
the property. 
5. I now proceed to disouss the eost of brioging 
a given block of land into oaitivation nuder the 
proposed conditioes. 
6. 'I'en men working all day will clear an acre 
of undergrowth. The same nnmbor working for 
two days will fell tbe trees. Therefore 30 men will 
fell an acre in one day or 30 acres in the montb. 
I take this extent as a basis of cultivation. 
This 30 acres I would, to oommenoe with, divide into 
15 acros of high land and 15 skcros of low land. 1 allow 
15 acres of high land in order to prodnoe an early 
crop and render tho cultivator independent of aid. 
7. Operations of housing tho colony should com- 
mence in tho beginning of May and the fulling and 
clearing should proceed in May-June. Borningtakea 
place ill the end of August and after seeond burniug 
and fencing, sowing begins with tho Soptein'jer-Ooto- 
her riiiiis. Knr.ikkau should be sown on tbe high laud 
and paddy io what is called a paddy oheua (Vi-hena) 
or the irrigable laud. Those scols grow from rainfall 
but if tliQ Vi-liona can he irrigated when half grown it 
will be all the more stiooessful. Kurakkan is reaped 
iu January and Vi-lieuaiu February. 
