January, 1010.] 



61 



Miscellaneous. 



insect is probably the cause of the 

 disease. It is impossible, at present, to 

 determine the species of the borer. It 

 is being kept in the hope that it may 

 complete its transformations; when it 

 may be possible to give it a name. In 

 the meanwhile, the best treatment will 

 be to prune out any branches that 

 appear to be withering, or— in the case 

 of badly diseased plants— to cut out the 

 plants and burn them." 



On specimens of cankered bark, which 

 the Secretary found on some fine orange 

 trees at Meetiyagoda (Ambalangoda 

 district), Mr. Green wrote :—" The can- 

 kered areas were swarming with a 

 species of mite ; but it is improbable 

 that they had anything to do with 

 the condition. The bark was evidently 

 attacked by some fungus. Mr. Petch 

 agreed with me, but could not deter- 

 mine the fungus as it was not in a recog- 

 nizable stage of growth. The best" 

 treatment would be to excise the dis- 

 eased spots." 



A paragraph in the local press having 

 drawn attention to the damage done 

 to coconuts by a plant louse in British 

 New Guinea, the Secretary communi- 

 cated with the Director of Agriculture, 

 Territory of Papua, who replied as 

 follows :— " So far as the British portion 

 of New Guinea is concerned, I have no 

 hesitation in saying that the statement 

 is devoid of all foundation. We have 

 an estimated area of 355,000 acres of 

 native-owned and plantation coconuts, 

 and I have never seen or heard of a 

 single tree in the Territory having been 

 killed by the disease. Inquiries from 

 planters and others have failed to re- 

 veal the slightest trace of the disease 

 referred to." 



The Government Veterinary Surgeon 

 reports as follows in reply to an in- 

 quiry from the Eastern Province for 

 improving the breed of poultry there :— 

 " If required for the production of good 

 layers I would recommend Minorcas 

 or Leghorns ; if for table birds Ply- 

 mouth Rocks or Wyandottes." 



Fodder. 



The Under Secretary for Agriculture, 

 Brisbane, has kindly furnished the Secre- 

 tary with further information about 

 the " white mangrove," an analysis of 

 which was given in the Queensland 

 Agricultural Journal, as that of a good 

 fodder. It turns out to be Avicennia 

 officinalis, a fairly common tree in 

 Ceylon. 



The following is the analysis by the 

 Queensland Agricultural Chemist;— 



Per cent. 



" Dry substance in green 



material ... ... ... 43*10 



Moisture ... ... ... 16*75 



Ash ... 9*87 



Fibre ... 18*02 



Carbohydrates (by difference) 35*86 



Fat and oil 1*82 



Protein (nitrogen x 6*25) ... 8 68 

 Total nutrient matter ... 46*36 

 * Albumenoid ratio... ... 1:7*2 



"From the analysis it will be seen 

 that these mangrove leaves are quite a 

 valuable iodder. The leaves could un- 

 doubtedly be mixed with other mate- 

 rials, and also used by themselves for 

 making ensilage." 



" It may be added that the nutritive 

 value of other foods — dry matter— has 

 been recorded to be as follows : — Me- 

 dium hay, 18 per cent. ; alfalfa hay, 

 23 per cent, ; oats, medium quality, 

 49 per cent. ; maize, 70 per cent. ; peas, 

 59 per cent. ; linseed cake, 56 per cent. ; 

 potatoes, 20 per cent, 



"The green mangrove is likely to 

 possess a greater feeding value than 

 the dried leaves." 



Mr. J. F. Jowitt asks us to correct 

 the botanical name of Congayum grass 

 which last month on his authority was 

 given as Cenchrus biflorus, Roxb. 



He writes as follows: "It appears 

 that in 1887 this grass was identified in 

 India as Pennisetum cenchroides, Rich. 

 Mr. Lock kindly looked up the syno- 

 nyms of this grass in Index Kewensis ; 

 under Cenchrus there are seven and 

 under Pennisetum five. 



" In Flora British India this grass is 

 described as Cenchrus mutabilis, Wight 

 ex Hook, and I do not think we can 

 do better than adopt that name for 

 Congayum grass in Ceylon, 



In Agricultural Bulletin, No, 27 of 1908, 

 issued by the Department of Agricul- 

 ture, Madras, there is a lengthy refer- 

 ence to this grass, which is said to be 

 extensively cultivated in Southern India, 

 and highly valued there. As a rule, it 

 is cultivated as a catch crop and treated 

 as an annual, but it may be allowed to 

 occupy the ground for a number of 

 years like our Guinea grass, and used 

 either for pasture or for soiling, but 

 seldom for hay. Cattle are not allowed 

 on to new fields till at least six months 

 after sowing. If cut, three or more 

 cuttings could be got in a year, and a 

 total of approximately 2k tons green 

 grass secured per annum. The grass was 

 considered by the Principal of the Agri- 

 cultural College at Saidipet, after twelve 

 years' experience, one of the hardiest of 

 fodder grasses, It is usual in villages 



