THE COFFER INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 106, 11 October 1879, Page 2

THE COFFER INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD.

(From the "Ceylon Times," MeyS7.) j . In our last article on this subject we laid emphasis on the fact that at the present moment what has beau going on, in Ceylon for a number of years, is taking place in all the chief coffee producing countries of tho world. The plant is everywhere the prey of disease. This is an indisputable feat and the circumstances lead us to the consideration of its significants. It would eeetu aa though nature placed limits to the extension of certain productions just so with cheeks to overpopulation, in both cases by penalties exacted for disregard of certain well, defined laws. The neglect of sanitary precautions by dens* populations iu towns and cities is invariably followed by outbreaks of sickness or peste sod in the case of the potato {and vino disease, we have had good evidence of similar results in tho vegetable king. Jn Win* bests rf jcoantey tor a sum-pmb-Orility that long Wore the disease was fwlty developed ip

Madulsinw, it bad a wide spread, though unobserved existence in other voilce district*. Tito remarkable fact that coffee pests, not always alike in character, but still pests of *' verulont and evidently marked development, should make their, appearanceat this time in various remote parts of the world, points to a confirmation of the theory that they are the result* of an abnormal and unhealthy condition of thetre*. A recent writer on coffee cultivation in Mysore, has given it as bis opinion that ltaf -disease can only be developed on unhealthy trees and that it will never be found on trees of good constitutions and' in - robust health. Without attempting any discussion on the latter assertion, we hare no hesitation in expressing onr conviction that the simultaneous outbreak of disease on coffee in so many parts of the world, is a' warning that should not be disregarded.

The writer on Mysore coffee, equally with a writer in the Madras -territory, has spoken strongly on the necessity for. a thorough investigation of "the -disease, •ud for a more careful nnd~scieritiHe .culture of the plant than has yet prevailed. They advocate the training of Superintendent* of estates by special education, with a view to enable them to deal with plant disease, to analyse soils and manures, and to carry oa the cultivation of coffee oa at high'and scientific a standard as we find in Europe with fruit trees and exotio plant*. However desirable this might be in reference to the improvement of coffee cultivation, there are objections to its adoption which cannot well be removed. It is true, as these writer* observe, that the coffee industry is the only culture which is undertaken without any special scientific instruction. There is, indeed, the training young men receive on their first arrival in the country, but it is merely the teaching of a routine system based on the mechanical processes taught in the earlier day by Laboric, and although others have since added to the common stock of information, tho results of their own experience, the cultivation has never advanced in a scientific point of view. We do not believe in the practicability, or even the desirability of converting every superintendent of a coffee estate into analytical chemist, but we are nevertheless of opinion that the time has come when the cultivation of coffee must be conducted on more advanced principles than hitherto, if it is to lie mads a thoroughly successful industry. It was with this object in view we advocated the appointment of, not a Commissioner as we see mentioned iu n proposed resolution, but a Director of Agriculture, an officer skilled iu tho higher walks of culture, and whose duty it should he to deal with the healthy development of those j agricultural industries on which the pros-. perity of the island so much depends. We know what has been done and is being done by. the indefatigable Mr. Robertson, in charge of the Sydapot experimental farm near Madras. Not only has he shown by practical example carried out on a sufficient scale, the mode* of cultivation for grains, roots and trees, hut ho has under his personal.care for instruction, a number of youths, who aro being taught not only the most scientific mothods of culture, but shown the reason why. He hns travelled through some of the more important grain,producing district* of Southern India, reporting on the condition of their agricultural industry, and rocommonding improvements necessary to be carried out. Id the annual reports, furnished by him, he has demonstrated to the Madras Government, as tho results of his experimental farmiug, the fallacy of the old . idea that tho natives of the country are highly skilled in the productions of indigenous crepe, and have little if anything more to learn. He ha* shown their modes to he shortsighted and wasteful, and has proved by demonstration how products may be improved in quantity and quality, and how the rapid deterioration of tho soil may be arrested and its forces augmented by a system of restitution, as needful in the soil a*.in the human frame.

It ie oar firm conviction that similar work to this may be undertaken in Ceylon, on behalf not only of the padily growar, but the producer of coffee, more especially in refeur* to tho present condition of the plant Not. only should there be experimental allotments of our various cultivation carried out on tho moat correct principles, but trials should be made of various manures audsyatem.s especially in regard to soils, ami the Director should make periodical visits to the coffee diatricta for the purpose of affording information, and explaining the principles on which successful cultivation must be conducted* That there are many euparinUndeaU who would gladly listen to the teaching of such a scientist, wo have not the slightest doubt, foy mora than that such teaching would in the etui prowe of the utmost value to the coffee interest. Supplementing tho eftito §6w being made to oope with the laaf-dteeesc, each an arrangetneut as is aov proposed for the consideration of the fc, we believe, calculated to plies oar chief cultivation on a sound, Wing, and remunerative basis.