the life of william carey-第64节
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the missionary…scholar； who； having first made his own park a model of forest teaching； wrote such words as these early in the century：〃The cultivation of timber has hitherto； I believe； been wholly neglected。 Several sorts have been planted。。。all over Bengal； and would soon furnish a very large share of the timber used in the country。 The sissoo； the Andaman redwood； the teak； the mahogany； the satin…wood； the chikrasi； the toona； and the sirisha should be principally chosen。 The planting of these trees single； at the distance of a furlong from each other； would do no injury to the crops of corn； but would； by cooling the atmosphere； rather be advantageous。 In many places spots now unproductive would be improved by clumps or small plantations of timber； under which ginger and turmeric might be cultivated to great advantage。 In some situations saul。。。would prosper。 Indeed the improvements that might be made in this country by the planting of timber can scarcely be calculated。 Teak is at present brought from the Burman dominions。。。The French naturalists have already begun to turn their attention to the culture of this valuable tree as an object of national utility。 This will be found impracticable in France； but may perhaps be attempted somewhere else。 To England； the first commercial country in the world； its importance must be obvious。〃
Ten years passed； Carey continued to watch and to extend his agri…horticultural experiments in his own garden； and to correspond with botanists in all parts of the world； but still nothing was done publicly in India。 At last； on 15th April 1820； when 〃the advantages arising from a number of persons uniting themselves as a Society for the purpose of carrying forward any undertaking〃 were generally acknowledged； the shoemaker and preacher who had a generation before tested these advantages in the formation of the first Foreign Mission Society； issued a Prospectus of an Agricultural and Horticultural Society in India； from the 〃Mission House； Serampore。〃 The prospectus thus concluded：〃Both in forming such a Society and in subsequently promoting its objects； important to the happiness of the country as they regard them； the writer and his colleagues will be happy in doing all their other avocations will permit。〃 Native as well as European gentlemen were particularly invited to co…operate。 〃It is peculiarly desirable that native gentlemen should be eligible as members of the Society； because one of its chief objects will be the improvement of their estates and of the peasantry which reside thereon。 They should therefore not only be eligible as members but also as officers of the Society in precisely the same manner as Europeans。〃 At the first meeting in the Town Hall of Calcutta； Carey and Marshman found only three Europeans beside themselves。 They resolved to proceed； and in two months they secured more than fifty members； several of whom were natives。 The first formal meeting was held on 14th September； when the constitution was drawn up on the lines laid down in the prospectus； it being specially provided 〃that gentlemen of every nation be eligible as members。〃
At the next meeting Dr。 Carey was requested to draw up a series of queries； which were circulated widely； in order to obtain 〃correct information upon every circumstance which is connected with the state of agriculture and horticulture in the various provinces of India。〃 The twenty queries show a grasp of principles； a mastery of detail； and a kindliness of spirit which reveal the practical farmer； the accomplished observer； and the thoughtful philanthropist all in one。 One only we may quote：〃19。 In what manner do you think the comforts of the peasantry around you could be increased； their health better secured； and their general happiness promoted？〃 The Marquis of Hastings gladly became patron； and ever since the Government has made a grant to the Society。 His wife showed such an interest in its progress that the members obtained her consent to sit to Chinnery for her portrait to fill the largest panel in the house at Titigur。 Lord Hastings added the experimental farm； formed near Barrackpore； to the Botanic Garden； with an immediate view to its assisting the Agricultural Society in their experiments and pursuits。 The Society became speedily popular； for Carey watched its infancy with loving solicitude； and was the life of its meetings。 In the first eighty…seven years of its existence seven thousand of the best men in India have been its members； of whom seven hundred are Asiatics。 Agriculturists； military and medical officers； civilians； clergy； and merchants； are represented on its roll in nearly equal proportions。 The one Society has grown into three in India； and formed the model for the Royal Agricultural Society of England； which was not founded till 1838。
Italy and Scotland alone preceded Carey in this organisation； and he quotes with approbation the action of Sir John Sinclair in 1790； which led to the first inquiry into the state of British agriculture。 The Transactions which Carey led the Society to promise to publish in English； Bengali； and Hindostani； have proved to be only the first of a series of special periodicals representing Indian agriculture generally； tea； and forestry。 The various Governments in India have economic museums； and the Government of India； under Lord Mayo； established a Revenue and Agricultural Department expanded by Lord Curzon。 Carey's early proposal of premiums； each of a hundred rupees； or the Society's gold medal； for the most successful cultivation on a commercial scale of coffee and improved cotton； for the successful introduction of European fruits； for the improvement of indigenous fruits； for the successful introduction from the Eastern Islands of the mangosteen or doorian； and for the manufacture of cheese equal to Warwickshire； had the best results in some cases。 In 1825 Mr。 Lamb of Dacca was presented by 〃Rev。 Dr。 Carey in the chair〃 with the gold medal for 80 lbs。 of coffee grown there。 Carey's own head gardener became famous for his cabbages； and we find this sentence in the Society's Report just after the founder's death：〃Who would have credited fifteen years ago that we could have exhibited vegetables in the Town Hall of Calcutta equal to the choicest in Covent Garden？〃 The berries two centuries ago brought from Arabia in his wallet by the pilgrim Baba Booden to the hills of Mysore； which bear his name； have； since that Dacca experiment； covered the uplands of South India and Ceylon。 Before Carey died he knew of the discovery of the indigenous tea…tree in its original home on the Assam border of Tibeta discovery which has put India in the place of China as a producer。
In the Society's Proceedings for 9th January 1828 we find this significant record：〃Resolved； at the suggestion of the Rev。 Dr。 Carey； that permission be given to Goluk Chundra； a blacksmith of Titigur； to exhibit a steam engine made by himself without the aid of any European artist。〃 At the next meeting； when 109 malees or native gardeners competed at the annual exhibition of vegetables； the steam engine was submitted and pronounced 〃useful for irrigating lands made upon the model of a large steam engine belonging to the missionaries at Serampore。〃 A premium of Rs。 50 was presented to the ingenious blacksmith as an encouragement to further exertions of his industry。 When in 1832 the afterwards well…known Lieutenant…Governor Thomason was deputy…secretary to Government； he applied to the Society for information regarding the manufacture of paper。 Dr。 Carey and Ram Komal Sen were referred to； and the former thus replied in his usual concise and clear manner：
〃When we commenced paper…making several years ago； having then no machinery； we employed a number of native papermakers to make it in the way to which they had been accustomed； with the exception of mixing conjee or rice gruel with the pulp and using it as sizing； our object being that of making paper impervious to insects。 Our success at first was very imperfect； but the process was conducted as follows：
〃A quantity of sunn； viz。； the fibres of Crotolaria juncea； was steeped repeatedly in limewater； and then exposed to the air by spreading it on the grass； it was also repeatedly pounded by the dhenki or pedal； and when sufficiently reduced by this process to make a pulp； it was mixed in a gumla with water； so as to make it of the consistence of thick soup。 The frames with which the sheets were taken up were made of mat of the size of a sheet of paper。 The operator sitting by the gumla dipped this frame in the pulp； and after it was drained gave it to an assistant； who laid it on the grass to dry： this finished the process with us； but for the native market this paper is afterwards sized by holding a number of sheets by the edge and dipping them carefully in conjee； so as to keep the sheets separate。 They are afterwards dried； folded； and pressed by putting them between two boards； the upper board of which is loaded with one or more large stones。
〃In the English method the pulp is prepared by the mill and put into cisterns； the frames are made of fine wire； and the workman stands by the cistern and takes up the pulp on the
