656 CALENDAR FOR COLOMBO DISTRICT 



September. Average rainfall 2'8o in. This is generally a slack month 

 and very little is done, except the sowing of dry grains, as " Varaku " and 

 " Kattusamy " in Palmyra gardens. Palmyra nuts are put in for kilangu. 



October Average rainfall 6'66 in. Weeding of paddy fields, also 

 transplanting and filling vacancies in paddy fields, should now be seen to. 

 Paddy seedlings are bought at Rs. 2 to Rs. 3 a hundred bundles. Some 

 people sow paddy thickly for the purpose of selling thinned out seedlings at 

 this time. Till and manure fields for tobacco. Tobacco seed is sown in 

 nurseries. Fruit trees may be planted at this season. Planting of areca-nuts 

 may now be done. This palm is commonly planted around wells. 



November.^Average rainfall 13*38 in. Generally a busy month for 

 collecting green manure, etc., for tobacco gardens. 



December. Average rainfall 11*34 i n - Planting tobacco all over the 

 North should now commence. Onions are planted this month. 



CALENDAR FOR COLOMBO DISTRICT 



[ Average annual rainfall 88 inches ] 

 [ Mean annual temperature 80 deg. Fah. ] 



By C. DRIEBERG, Superintendent of Low-country Products and 

 Secretary, Ceylon Agricultural Society. 



January. Average rainfall for the month 3*54 in. A fairly dry and 

 cool month, during which little planting is done. A good season for vegetable 

 produce, the result of previous October and November planting. Yams and 

 gourds plentiful. Annual flowers in bloom. 



February. Average rainfall 2'08 in. A particularly dry month when 

 no planting can be done. Seeds should be gathered and the soil worked up as 

 crops go out. Where plants are growing the surface should be stirred to 

 prevent loss of moisture, and beds copiously watered and, when necessary, 

 shaded. 



March. Average rainfall 4'8o in. This is the month for cleaning, 

 digging, and manuring the soil. Occasional showers may be expected. 

 Nurseries, where necessary, should be started. 



April. Average rainfall 1 1 '03 in. Planting begins with this month, 

 when the rainfall is usually plentiful. All varieties of vegetables and flowers 

 may be planted with good prospects of favourable growing weather. 



May. Average rainfall I2'04 in. South-west monsoon rains begin 

 towards end of month, when planting may be continued. Fruits (such as 

 mangoes, oranges, pine-apples, mangosteens, etc.) begin to come in. Many 

 flowering trees in blossom. 



June. Average rainfall 8'2/ in. This is the last month of the South- 

 west monsoon for planting generally. Weather fairly wet and hot. Fruits 

 well in season. 



July. Average rainfall 4'6l in. Fruits begin to go out of season; 

 vegetables of April to May planting begin to come in. 



August. Average rainfall 3*67 in. Slack month ; weather hot and dry. 

 Vegetables fairly plentiful. Fruits go out of season. 



