October, 1912.] 



283 



DUMBARA AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The Tobacco Industry. 



A meeting of the Dumbara Agricultural Society was held in the 

 Government School-room at Teldeniya on Saturday the 24th August, 1912. 



The Government Agent, Central Province, Mr, G. S. Saxton presided, 

 and there were present Mr. R. N, Lyne, Director of Agriculture, Mr. 

 M. Kelway Bambbr, Government Agricultural Chemist, Mr. C. Drie- 

 berg, Secretary, Ceylon Agricultural Society, Dunuwille Dissawa, 

 Ratemahatmayas Paranagama and Teldena, Mr. C. Rasanayagam 

 (Secretary), Mr. W. Molegode, Agricultural Instructor, and a large 

 attendance of members of the Society. 



The Secretary having read his report for the year, the Government 

 Agent distributed the medals and certificates awarded to exhibitors 

 from Dnmbara at the recent All-Ceylon Exhibition held in Colombo. 

 The largest number of these went to the Teacher of Mediwaka Govern- 

 ment Boys' School (Mi. G. D. Banda) who was also awarded the prize for 

 the best sample of cotton in the Shew. 



At the request of the Chairman, Mr. Lyne addressed the gathering. 

 He said that he should like to speak to them on a variety of subjects 

 connected with the agriculture of the district, but as his prpsent visit 

 was in connection with the tobacco operations being carried on under 

 the auspices of their Society, he would confine his remarks to tobacco. 

 It was he thought a mistake to adopt a foreign variety light off as 

 seemed to have been done in this case. The proper procedure was 

 to select a number (say 20 or 30) of the likely varieties for the object in 

 view, and in growing them to eliminate those that failed to do well, till 

 ultimately the number was reduced to 2 or 3. This took a little time, 

 but it was a necessary preliminary if there was to be success. Again, it 

 was important to determine beforehand the market they were going 

 to exploit: whether the European or the Colombo market, because it 

 would be necessary to accommodate their methods accordingly. He 

 wished to say a word to the headmen who were present. They must 

 not expect Government to do every thing ; the people would have to co- 

 operate in any action Government might take for the benefit of the 

 district, and it was for them to assist the authorities in, for example, trying 

 to find out in the manner indicated the best variety of tobacco to 

 grow. If the tobacco industry of Dumbara was made a thorough success 

 i t meant that they would prosper, 



Mr. Drieberg, being called upon, spoke a few words of encourage- 

 ment to the members, and commended the steady good work the 

 ociety was doing. 



The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chair proposed 

 by Paranagama R. M, 



THE GOLD MEDAL CINNAMON. 



Mr. Alexander Edward Rajapakse v Mudaliyar, has presented to the 

 Museum of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, the 10 samples of cin- 

 namon quills and the sample of chips which won the Gold Medal at the All* 

 Ceylon Exhibition. They are the products of the Alexander Estate, Jaela. 



