THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
m 
[April i, 189 a. 
thst comiiiQDicstioii eti!! further info the interior. 
While, no doubt, the outlet by the Pereni river 
which is in direct communication with the Amsznn, 
may in future year* have a certain attraction to tredera 
ahould the natural obataclea of this river be overcome 
there can bo no doubt that in the railway lies the more 
ezpeditioua of routes. 
Wheii the Pereud Valley cornea thoroughly under 
oultivation the volume of trade which must para to 
tho ocaat will be oonaiderablo. It la, therefore, to 
the intoreata of the Corporation to provide a auilable 
outlet. 
The configuration of the land in the region of the 
Pereud ia of anoh a character aa to afford an easy ap- 
proach; roads ortram lines could without much diffi- 
culty be constructed, tho present pathway being of 
no account. 
Given a suitable country for development, tho ques- 
tion of greatest importance to tho agcioullnrist is that 
of labour. 
This fact, which has ao universal an application, finds 
no exception in Pom. 
Labour may bo regarded ns tho only obstacle to 
progress of Sooth America in general, as wi 11 as of 
all the West Indian Oolooies. 
The Obola or Hill Indiana of Peru ore few in i. um- 
ber in oomparieoti to the great extent of bill c unity 
they occupy. Rather small iu atatnre, but of gcc^ 
physique, they are strong, and, in my opinion, esp- 
able of being taught to work in a more thorough 
manner, and with a greater regard to tho interests of 
the oapitslisls thsu the present system would seem 
to favour. 
It is my impression that the diCBculty of the 
labour question, even tsking the present limited supply, 
is iu no smsil messure to bo attributed to the fact 
that the native so easily acquires his means 'of 
auatenauce from the fertile soil, and lives in s 
olimate which makes everything so conducive to a com- 
fortable life. 
That the present supply of labour would be in- 
adequate to extensiro operation is evident from the 
scarcity which exists In those districts a'tesdy under 
oultivation. 
With such circumstances aa these before me, I 
devoted part'cnlar attention to the possibilities of the 
country providing a food supply suflicirnt to a large 
immigration of loreign labour, but mere cspcoially 
Tamil dr Chinese, and I have much pleasure in assuring 
the Corporation that there is nothing either in climate 
or otherwise to prevent a large and ronstaitt supply 
of the finest quality of rice and other necessaries being 
ptoduoed in the tropical districts. 
In support of this, I have only to refer the Ditcctora 
to those portions of my report which deal with tbeao 
special cultivntions. Moreover, I was informed by 
numbers of the German colony in the neighbourhnod 
of the Pexuzo River that the cultivstion of rice in 
that district was cspiible of oousiderabte extfusion in 
the event of a demand arising fur that article. 
From my experience of foreign, hut more caprcially 
Tamil, labour, and with a knowledge of the stifu'ations 
formulated iu the regulaticn of emigration, I rm enn- 
yinced, so far as tbo actual condilicns of life in the 
interior are ooncerned, that there ia nothing to pre vent 
the required articles of agreement being fu ly ot m- 
plicd with. 
From the very suilsble climate, the certainty of an 
excellent food supply and other indications errime-rsted 
by roe, no hindrance in my opinion need be ■ xperted 
in the settlement of this — the most necessary ■ elen-ent 
in the success of Ibis important nndertakirig. 
To the successfitl development of the extons’v'' laud 
enterprises ot the Peruvian Corporation, it is niy firm 
oonviolion that a central agriouilnral gstden is nf the 
first importance. 
Tliat experimental gardens have been invalu- 
able to cur Colonies iu llio fnrtheranoe of all ngti- 
cu Uural and commetoial iotcrests has been p r-ved 
by results BO apparent as not to require farther men- 
tion hero. 
I would tske the liberty therefore nf directing tlio 
attention of the Corporation to tho importance of 
orgftoiziDg such an ostahlishmcuUn tlio interior of Peru 
sbonid the region just reported upon be taken up. 
It would be the object of sucli an establishment to 
study the interests of the Corporation in general from 
an Bgriouitural point of view, by the introdnotion of 
such plants as would prove of commercial interest to 
the tropical planter and bill farmer, keeping up a 
supiply of such plants as were likely to be in demand. 
Periodical reports upon the condition of the planting 
enterprise, and also any suggestions regarding the 
further development of the Corporation's lands could 
be made; while with a view to supplying their wanli, 
the requirements of the home and continental markets 
could be studied. 
Ueiug under the impression that such an establishment 
might be organised at some future date, I took advant- 
age of my stay of two days at Jamaica, en route to 
Knglsnd, where I had the plcasnre of interviewing 
Mr. W. Fawoett, the Director of the Botanic Garden, 
with a view to hia support in the iutrodnetiou of those 
economic plants which might prove of value iu Peru, 
and in exchange for which he would receive any plants 
or seeda of botanical ot commeroial value fonnd in 
the regions of the Corporation's lands, and I have 
great plcasnre in informing the Directors of the hearty 
co-operation offered by the Director of that establish- 
ment. 
I might here add that this Botsuio garden is 
thoroughly equipped in the economic plants of the East 
Indies and elsewhere, at the same time being free of 
any traces of the coffee leaf disease so prevalent in 
the Fast. 
I would impress npon Ibe Corporation the impor- 
tance of dusling only with this Botanical Station in 
preference to others throughout the tVest Indies. 
Moreover, it has appeared expedient to the Govern- 
ment of Jamaica to enact a minute prohibiting tho 
further introduction of seeda or plants from such 
colonies as aie known to be suffering from the ravages 
of Hemileia Vaslatrix. 
I am confident, moreover, of the support that such an 
cel ablisbmcDt would have from the authorities of the 
Ba)al Gardens, Kew; mote espeoially in the identifica- 
tion of rare plants sud tendered in the valuation of any 
new eenuomie product which might be found in that 
rich but as yet unexplored region taken up by the 
Corporation. 
The mainteuauoe of such no Institution, when once 
organised, wonid be of em- ll account compared to the 
immense benefits soorning . herefrom, while the income 
derived frem the sale of economic plants would materi- 
ally lessen the yearly expenditure and assist in the pur- 
chase of those plants and seeds required to further and 
improve the existing cultivations. 
In cooclndiog this report on tbo extensive traot of 
land selected by your C( mmissioners, it gives me very 
great pleasure in congratulating the Directors 
of Ibe reriivian Corporation on the excellent pros- 
pects which the careful development of this region 
will ensure. 
With a climate of such salubrity and adaptability to 
a Kurepean settlement, a roil of exceptional fertility, 
an immunity from most of the insect and parasitical 
p'ant posts, tbo tropical prodnets found, with an 
adaptability to the iutrodnetion ot other economio 
plants, which have proved so important to the develop- 
ment of other conotries, togeibet with the opening 
np of the oonntry by meana of improved transit, 
I have every confidence in the future prosperity o( 
tropiesl Peru. 
1 only hope that at se me future date it may be my 
pleasure to know that many of my practical suggestions 
and other matter contained in my report have proved of 
value to settlers, and to the Directors of the Peruvian 
OorporatioD. 
HCANDOO DIVISION. 
The iiepreientativea of tire Corporation at Lima had 
advised the Commissioners to visit the famous coffee 
producing district of Ilnannco with the object of 
selecting land suitable to this onltivation. In this 
portion of my report attention will be given to Ibe 
products of the districts passed en route, and espeeislly 
of the prospects at Huai iici>. 
Taking Tarma as a cciitro, tho Commissioners left 
