294 



[October, 19i2. 



change of seed from one part of Ceylon to the other, which I think, is an 

 excellent suggestion and one which those interested might take up, 

 working through the Branch Societies and through the Agricultural 

 Instructors. 



Dry vs. Wet Cultivation. 



Lastly, there is that rather controversial subject of dry culti- 

 vation and wet cultivation. I have here Dr. Coleman's experiments 

 on paddy cultivation which Mr. de Silva referred to ; and in working 

 through it I do not find that it touches our case very much because he 

 does not explain what he means by dry cultivation. For instance here, in 

 one place, he talks about ploughing four months before sowing. Does he 

 mean that he is going to plough the land and leave it alone for four months 

 in a hot country and then sow it! Whatever chemical changes might 

 be expected to take place in the soil during that period, that land 

 will have to be ploughed again if any planting is to be done. Until he 

 shows us that the method he advocates is advantageous it does note 

 help us. The point with regard to this dry and wet cultivation is 

 clear. Do you mean to plough and leave it? Do you mean to 

 plough and leave the soil to be aerated by air so that the bacteria of 

 nitrifaction can work properly ? There is no doubt, whatever people say, 

 that the nitrifying bacteria can only work in the air, and that when you 

 plough and leave the land the soil will be aerated and the bacteria will 

 do their work. But if you leave it in that state and sow your seed after 

 four months it does not mean you will get a large crop. You will have 

 to re-plough that laud. 1 do not know whether this question of chemical 

 changes in wet land has been thoroughly investigated ; but judging from 

 Mr. de Silva's experience there is something in this wet ploughing. 

 In my opinion, if the cultivator were to abandon that method of wet culti- 

 vation, he will be let in for a tremendous amount of trouble in his land, 

 Anybody who has taken the trouble to carefully examine those sloping 

 paddy fields and the wonderfully regular way in which the terraces 

 follow the contours of the land will agree, they call for a great deal of 

 admiration for the goiya for doing what we should require instruments of 

 precision to do. How is he able to do that ? — By ploughing the land in a 

 liquid state, when the liquid mud will find its own level. If he does that 

 in a dry condition it will take about ten times longer. Therefore this wet 

 and dry ploughing requires a great deal of enquiry before we can say 

 that dry ploughing should be adopted. (Applause.) 



PERADENIYA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



On September 13, the day following the meeting of the Committee of 

 Agricultural Experiments, a number of leading planters paid a visit to the 

 Experiment Station at Peradeniya to examine principally the various 

 systems of rubber tapping under trial. A dynamite cartridge was explo- 

 ded in the ground to test the efficacy of this method of holing for rubber: 

 It is estimated that the expenditure will work out at 20 cent3 per hole 

 including the cost of cartridge, detonator and fuse— a great saving of 

 labour being effected. The authorities at Peradeniya, it may be explained, 

 cordially welcome planters and all interested in the planting industry 

 who can find time to visit the station at any time and inspect the 

 plantation, 



