August, 1912.] 



opening out the bulks, a great improve- 

 ment will be noticed, especially as re- 

 gards colour. 



Should there be any danger of excess 

 of moisture in the bulks they must be at 

 once pulled to pieces and re- bulked. 



The tobacco is now ready for grading 

 and baling. 



The same authority suggests that 

 Turkish tobacco should be grown to- 

 gether with yellow leaf tobacco as in 

 Rhodesia, since the two thrive in the 

 same kind of soil. The seed is difficult 

 to procure and should therefore not 

 be wasted when got. A sowing of 1 oz. 

 to 60 sq. yards is recommended, mixed 

 with 12 oz. ashes. The object in cultiv- 

 ation is a small leaf, and hence close 

 planting is adopted 6 or 8 inches in the 

 rows which are put 2 ft. apart. The 

 plants are not topped at any time, and 

 3 or 4 of the bottom or sand leaves are 

 removed when they are about 18 inches 

 high. In harvesting the lowest leaves 

 are put together, and so also with the 

 next in order up to the topmost. The 

 method of withering and curing does not 

 differ materially from the ordinary sys- 

 tem in vogue. 



Disava, Messrs. R. N. Lyne, R. S. Temple- 

 ton, Solomon Seneviratne, 0. D. Vigors, 



E. E. Green, James Peiris, W. A. de Silva, 



F. L. Daniel, A. W. Beven, Tudor Raja- 

 pakse, L. W. A. de Soysa, J. H. Meedeni- 

 ya, R. M., Henry A. Perera MuJaliyar, 

 V. Casipillai, E. T. Hoole, H. P. Macmil- 

 lan, Dr. R. H. Lock and Mr. C. Drieberg 

 (Secretary). As Visitors :— Dr. Gerald H. 

 de Saram, Messrs V. M. Muttukumaru, 

 H. Charavanamuttu, Chas Taldena, and 

 several others— the total numbering 80. 



Minutes of the meeting held on June 

 20th, 1911, were read and confirmed. 



The Auditor's Statement of Accounts 

 for the year 1911 was duly passed. 



The Secretary's Report for the year 

 was adopted. 



Mr. R. N. Lyne,Director of Agriculture, 

 delivered an address on " Some Reflec- 

 tions on Rubber Culti ation and Agricul- 

 tural Education," for which he was ac- 

 corded a hearty vote of thanks proposed 

 by His Excellency the President. 



C. DRIEBERG, 



Secretary C.A.S. 



Colombo, 3rd July, 1912- 



CEYLON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Annual Meeting held on July 3rd, 

 1912, at the All-Ceylon Exhibition. 



The annual meeting of the Ceylon 

 Agricultural Society was held at the 

 Agricultural Department Building at the 

 All-Ceylon Exhibition on Wednesday, 

 July 3rd, 1912, at 12 noon, His Excellency 

 the Governor presiding. 



There were also present :— Sir Hugh 

 Clifford, K.C.MG., Colonial Secretary; 

 the Hon'ble Mr. Bernard Senior, the 

 Hon'ble Sir S. C. Obeyesekere, Sir Solo- 

 mon Dias Bandaranaike, the Hon'ble 

 Messrs. J. G. Fraser, R. B. Helliugs, H. 

 VanCuylenburg, L. W. Booth, T. B. L. 

 Moonemalle, Alex. Pairlie, P. Aruuacha- 

 lam, A. Kanagasabai, Wm. Dunuwille 



MOSAIC DISEASE OF TOBACCO. 



The Director of Agriculture, Nyasa- 

 land, has issued a leaflet on this disease, 

 which is prevalent in Ceylon, and is 

 characterised by a peculiar marble 

 appearance on the leaves. 



In America the disease is variously 

 called " trenching, " "calico," " brindle" 

 and " mongrel " disease. 



The exact nature of the disease has 

 long been a matter of doubt, but Dr. 

 Woods, of the U.S.A. Department of 

 Agriculture, gives his opinion, after care- 

 ful investigation, that it is caused by 

 "defective nutrition of the young divid- 

 ing and rapidly-gi owing cells due to 

 lack of elaborated nitrogenous reserve 

 food, accompanied by an abnormal in- 

 crease in activity of oxidising enzymes 

 in the diseased cells." 



