Miscellaneous. 



252 



[March, 1912. 



Mr. A. Madanayake, Probationary 

 Agricultural Instructor, has been sta- 

 tioned at Kurunegala, and takes charge 

 of the garden at Balalla. Mr. N. 

 Wickretnaratne, having given over the 

 work of the Kegalla District to Mr. 

 Jayasuriya, left for the Southern Pro- 

 vince, and will make Galle his centre. 



Inspection Work. 

 The Secretary was in the Northern 

 Province between January 10 and 16, 

 aud also visited Talatu-oya, Madipola, 

 Teldeniya, Urugala, Mediwaka, Kalal- 

 gamuwa, Madugoda, Balalla, Gampola, 

 Kadugannawa, and Ruwanwella. 



Mr. L. A. D. Silva, Agricultural In- 

 structor, Ratnapura District, visited the 

 following places in the course of 

 his itinerary :— Balangoda, Weraluppe, 

 Tiruwauaketiya, Weligepola, Wikiliya, 

 Maswenna, Galagama, Imbulpe, Dhar- 

 mana, Kirivetitenna, Agalakumbura, 

 Malhela, Udagama, Kuruwita, Kendan- 

 gamuwa, Eilawala, Dippitigala, Ma- 

 dam pe, and Rakwana. 



Mr. N. Wickremaratne's itinerary 

 included Pindeniya, Dedigama, Kehel- 

 watugoda, Undugoda, Mawatugoda, 

 Maho, Balalla, Mattamagoda, and 

 Weragala. 



Mr. W. Molegode visited Galasiya- 

 pattu korale in the early part of the 

 year, inspecting paddy lands cultivated 

 according to his instructions. Subse- 

 quently he visited Galagedara, Weuda, 

 Kurunegala, (J duwawela, Gampola, Uda- 

 gampaha korale, Guunepana, Kalugala, 

 Kituigala, Matale, Wattegama, Talatu- 

 oya, Madipola, Mahagama, Mediwaka, 

 and Kalalgamuwa. 



Mr. S. Chelliah devoted his time to 

 the work in the Jaffna peninsula, visit- 

 ing places where cotton is being grown 

 under his supervision. He has since 

 left for the Eastern Province to organ- 

 ize work for the current year. 



Mr. A. Madanayake visited Padukka, 

 Bope, Ambalangoda, Weragoda, Nin- 

 dana, Panadure, Bandaragama, Henarat- 

 goda, Kinigama, and Amunugoda. 



Mr. N. M. Jayasuriya, who was on 

 sick leave during January, took charge 

 of the Kegalla District from February, 

 Mr. M. J, A. Karunanayake, who spent 

 some time in following up the tobacco 

 experiments carried^on at Teldeniya, was 

 deputed to make a tour in the Anur- 

 adhapura District (including Taman- 

 kaduwa) during January and February. 

 Mr. P. B. M, Bandaranayaka, who has 

 >D. in charge of the seed store and the 

 ntal garden at Baudargama, 

 ~>r the Hambantota District, 

 fill work in co-operation with 

 remaratne. 



Experimental Gardens. 

 The Kalalgamuwa garden, seven acres 

 in extent, is situated about two miles 

 away from Mediwaka Government boys' 

 vernacular school, the teacher of which 

 is conducting a series of experiments in 

 the growth of new crops. A number of 

 plots are devoted to different varieties 

 of cotton with a view to ascertaining 

 the most suitable for the district, which 

 at one time raised its own lint (of an 

 inferior quality) for spinning purposes. 

 Sea Island, American Upland, Egyptian, 

 Cambodia, and Sakellarides cottons 

 are being carefully cultivated, and the 

 produce of each will be submitted for 

 report as soon as it has been gathered. 

 Another series of plots is devoted to a 

 four-course system of rotation. Among 

 the new crops introduced by the teacher 

 is coriander (Coriandrum sativum), 

 which is doing exceedingly well, and is 

 likely to be taken up in the villages. 

 As one of the condiments very largely 

 used in native cookery, coriander should 

 prove a remunerative crop, in addition to 

 tobacco and chillies, which are common- 

 ly cultivated in the district, For initi- 

 ative, enterprise, and perseverance the 

 teacher of the Mediwaka school has 

 few equals among his own set. The 

 resthouse-keeper of Madugoda, who is 

 co-operating with the teacher, has had 

 most encouraging results with English 

 potatoes. 



The Madipola garden, which is in 

 direct charge of the teacher of the 

 Madipola school, is devoted to the 

 growth of crops in rotation. The 

 teacher is enthusiastic and hardworking. 



Balalla garden has had a bad record 

 from a variety of causes, but chiefly 

 owing to the severe drought followed 

 by the heavy rains at the end of last 

 year. The cotton plantation has fortun- 

 ately survived these checks, and a 

 fairly good crop of Sakellarides may be 

 expected. 



Paddy Cultivation. 



Messrs. Burn & Co. of Howrah (Cal- 

 utta) report that they have a variety 

 of implements and machines suitable for 

 paddy work They offer to supply the 

 Meston plough at Rs. i 10 annas c.i.f. 

 Colombo, and send descriptive lists of 

 other appliances, such as hulling mach- 

 ines, grinding mills, chain pumps, &c. 



Mr, W. Molegode, Agricultural In- 

 structor, Central Province, is carrying 

 on trials at five centres in Harispattu, 

 where single seedlings were transplant- 

 ed 6 in. by 6 in., 9 in. by 9 in., aud 12 

 in. by 9 in. Rascadam paddy is being 

 grown in Udugampola korale, and Gold- 

 seal paddy at Kandedeniya. With the 

 consent of the Assistant Government 



