134 



[August, 1912. 



ment Agent of the Province, who is inclined to think that it serves a purpose, and 

 has offered to assist in overcoming the difficulties experienced in its upkeep. 



The Weragoda garden, situated three or four miles from Ambalangoda, was 

 originally started and worked for some years as a market garden by a syndicate 

 of members of the Galle Wellaboda Pattu Society, with the result that the culti- 

 vation of vegetables of good quality was largely taken up in the district. Subse- 

 quently it was decided to clear a further area of land and grow more permanent 

 crops, especially fruit trees ; and the offer of Mr. N. A. S. Jayasuriya, a member of 

 the local society, to take over and work the garden was accepted. Mr. Jayasuriya, 

 who is keenly interested in its development, has met all expenses for the last few 

 years and given his personal supervision to the work. As a centre for the spread 

 of fruit cultivation this garden should prove of considerable value, and Mr. Jaya- 

 suriya deserves the thanks of the Society for the very useful work he is carrying on. 



At Kalalgamuwa, situated between Teldeniya and Alutnuwara, a garden 

 has been worked for the past two years under the direct supervision of the teacher 

 of the Government boys' vernacular school at Mediwaka, advised by Mr, Molegoda. 

 The teacher, who is as enthusiastic as he is energetic, has a good record of work in 

 his school garden, and his voluntary offer to take charge of the garden was, in view 

 of his influence in the district, readily accepted. Here the cultivation of various 

 new crops was taken in hand, the chief of which is Cotton of different kinds— Sea 

 Island, American long-staple, and Egyptian. Of these, the Black Rattler — recom- 

 mended by Prof. Dunstan— gave the most satisfactory results. Other crops that 

 have done well, and are likely to be taken up in the district, are Coriander— for 

 which there is a good local demand, at present met by importations from India- 

 Hickory King Maize, and the Cluster Sweet Potato. The last mentioned is fast 

 spreading through the Island. 



An effort made to establish a garden for the Chilaw-Puttalam District was, 

 owing to a variety of circumstances, not a success. 



The garden at Madipola, fifteen miles from Matale, is devoted to an experi- 

 ment in the rotation of dry land ciops (referred to previously). Here, too, the 

 services of the local schoolmaster have been requisitioned. The garden is, in fact, 

 only an extension of the school garden proper, and has so far received careful 

 attention from the teacher. 



The extension of fruit and vegetable cultivation in the Provinces, through 

 agency of circuit-bungalow gardens, is being carried on in the Kegalla District with 

 the co-operation of the Assistant Government Agent and his Ratemahatmayas. A 

 proposal to work out a similar scheme for the North-Central Province has been 

 put forward by the Government Agent. 



With a view to giving the Agricultural Instructors a permanent interest at 

 headquarters, it is suggested that a stock garden, one or two acres in extent, for the 

 distribution of seeds and plants, might be established with advantage ; and the 

 possibility of acquiring suitable blocks of land for the purpose is being inquired 

 into. These stock gardens should also be able to conveniently meet the require- 

 ments of school gardens. 



Distribution of Plants and Seeds- 

 The usual indents for exotic vegetable seeds and grafted fruit plants were 

 made for the south-west and north-east monsoon seasons, and a large proportion of 

 the members took advantage of the facilities offered by the Society for procuring 

 good seeds and plants at actual cost price. The number of fruit tree grafts ordered 

 during the year was 1,622, 



