Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-08-13
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON.
A Noun famous Country with n Stead
lily Increasing Population.

A Noun famous Country with a Stead
lily Increasing Population.
The island of Ceylon is 270 miles in
length, 156 in breadth, and very
mountainous near the center, there
being mountains ranging between
5000 and Z, 900 feet high, ten of which
are above the latter limit. The high
est is Pidurutalage, 1896 feet. Large
tracts of the island are still covered
with dense jungle, in which many
wild elephants are to be found ;
but the wanton slaughter Of these
useful animals led the government to
prohibit their destruction except un.
der special permission. OF late there
have been great progress and improy
ments IN the internal communica,
ton. There are good r0adways, metal
ed and graveled, and now 179 miles
of railway and 1877 miles of canal.
which have done much to promote
the interests of the country. The
population has been steadily increas-
ing, and now numbers 1850 900.
There are Europeans, Eurasians, and
Burghers, Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors,
and few Parsees, Afghans, Malays,
and others. The Sinhalese inhabit
the Interior and parts of the coast,
and comprise nearly 1900, 600 of the
people, while the Tamils occupy the
northern portion OF the island, and
number about 100000 The Europe
ans are comparatively few in number
being under 5000; but of Earasians
aud Burghers there are nearly Is. 900.
There are $50, 0G0 Moormen, who are
to be found in large numbers ali over
tie different provinces. The postal
service throughout the island is in
very satisfactory state. Scarce a
town or village but boasts Of post
office, and ere long they are to have
added to them the all important saw
ings bank. which does so much to in
fuence thrift and economy. The is
land has many institutions for the
sick and the diseased in body and
mind, and in education the people
are far IN advance of their northern
neighbors. English is pretty gener~
ally spoken, and particularly among
the domestic class. The products of
the country are very varied, and con-
sist Of rice, cinnamon, cocoanut,
paints, tobacco, sugar~cane, and Got>
ton, and lattGrly coffee, cinchOna, IN
dia rubber, and tea have been added.
The land is admirably adapted for she
growth OF rice. The cultivation of
cocoanuts has been gradually increas-
ing, and, though a large quantity is
exported, large trade IS done III the
COR fiber from the husk and IN ex,
pressed Oil from the kernel of the nat.
The cultivation extends nearly all
along the west part of the island. The
great planting industry, no wever, is
now coffee and tea. For many years
during the occupation of the Dutch in
174O, the cultivation of coffee was
confined to the low lying country, but
it was not until the occupation of the
country by the British, when
communication between the hill
country and the coast was
made, that it began to four-
ISL, and since then has been gradually
extending all over the central and
western provinces. The opening of
the rail way between Handy and Col
ombo did much to stimulate the in
dustry by supplying cheap labor and
greater facilities for the market. Large
quantities of jungle were cleared and
planted, and erything seemed to in
sure "a permanent good investment,
but an enemy appeared IN the field
which began devastation and has con-
tinued steadily 10 diminish the pro-
ductive power ever since tall he has
reduced the exports to less than fifth
Of what they were. The enemy is a
minute fungus on the leaf called
HeneiEeid Uas39trir. IT appeared in
remote coraer of one of the young
coffee districts and spread with the
greatest rapidity all over the coffee
gardens. The leaves assumed bright
orange spot. and then they withered
and decayed. The consequences Of
such failure, following on the in
vestment Of a number of planters In
the high districts, led to the most SER
ious consequences and ruin. These
losses convinced many that the clim-
| ate and character OF the soil was adj
mirably adapted for the cultivation of
tea, and the result has been that thou
sands of acres under coffee cultivation
have now been changed TO tea, and
the Jungle is being cleared for the ex-
tension Of the cultivation Of that
plant.
| Dio Lewis in his new monthly pub
LEGATION, ''Dio Lewis Nuggets" gives
the following preposterous remedy for