uth-west monsoon, at a moderate rate, compared with their
cost at home.

In 1817 an offer was made to the Grovernment to introduce the
cultivation of indigo, on condition of a free grant of the land
required for the purpose and freedom from taxation for thirty years,
after which the usual tax was to be levied; and in case the
cultivation were abandoned, the land was to revert to the Crown. But
whether from the disturbed state of the colony at the time or from
incredulity on the part of the Government, as to the capability of the
colony in this respect, the application was unheeded. A subsequent
proposal, emanating from a Swedish gentleman of great ability, skill
and enterprise, was defeated by his death, although a company was on
the point of formation to carry out the scheme. It would not be
difficult, says Mr. Barrett, to select 500,000 acres, the property of
the Crown, which at a comparatively small expenditure might be brought
into a proper state of cultivation for the reception of indigo seed;
for very little would be required to be done beyond clearing the land
of weeds, burning the grass, and then lightly ploughing and levelling
the ground; and whenever manure might be requisite, the fecula of the
leaf affords one of the richest that could be employed. Ceylon
produces two other plants from which a very valuable blue dye may be
obtained by a similar process to that of making indigo. The Singhalese
head men of the Tangalle district have long been anxious for the
establishment of an indigo plantation there, and would readily take
shares in a company established for that purpose. Indigo would seem to
have been exported by the Dutch from Ceylon so late as 1794. The wild
varieties of indigo which grow on the sea-shore are used by the dobies
(_washermen_).

Indigo grows in a wild state in Siam, and all the dye used in the
country is manufactured from these plants. The extensive low grounds
are admirably suited for the cultivation of this plant.

A large quantity is raised in Manila, but I have no full details of
the cultivation in the Philippines. However, in the first six months
of 1843, 1,039 piculs of indigo were shipped to Europe, and about 650
to other quarters--equal in all to about 226,000 lbs. in the half
year. In the year 1847 the exports of indigo were 30,631 arrobas,
equal to about 7,658 cwt.; in 1850 the total exports from Manila were
4,225 quintals.

JAVA.--The cultivation of indigo was introduced into