Mat 1908. i 



481 



for his crop. If preferred, they are pre- 

 pared to buy outright. Cotton seed will 

 also be bought or shipped on account of 

 the grower to England. 



Mr. M. Suppramaniam, Broker, reports 

 that his mill has purchased over 20 tons 

 of locally produced cotton during the 

 past six months, at prices ranging from 8 

 to 13 cents for the unginned cotton. A 

 good many offers have been declined 

 owing to the small size of the seed which 

 makes ginning difficult. Just now a lot of 

 4 tons cannot be accepted for this reason. 



Seed and Plant Distribution.— About 

 4,500 packets of vegetable seeds received 

 from Eugland about the middle of the 

 mouth were very expeditiously dis- 

 tributed by the staff of the Government 

 Stock Garden. Several varieties of plants 

 from the Stock Garden were also dis- 

 tributed among applicants who are 

 members of the Board. 



The grafted orange plants short-receiv- 

 ed last year are expected to arrive in a 

 day or two, according to advice received 

 from Bangalore, and will be distributed 

 to members who ordered them. 



Buckwheat Seed.— A small supply of 

 buckwheat seed has been received from 

 Japan through the courtesy of Mr. S. 

 Kikkawa of the Agricultural College, 

 Imperial University, Tokio. 



Zanzibar Chilli.— Out of the supply of 

 Zanzibar chilli seed obtained from the 

 Department of Agriculture, Zanzibar, in 

 March, a small balance is still available. 



Garden Syringes. — Metal syringes suit- 

 able for spraying plants with insecticides 

 and fungicides can be supplied to mem- 

 bers at Rs. 3 each. 



Coconut Stem Disease.— Eight Inspec- 

 tors have been appointed under the 

 Botanic Department for dealing with 

 this disease. Prom reports received the 

 spread of the pest appears to be kept 

 well in check. 



Mr. C. H. Wijayemanne, of Quarry 

 House, Kalutara North, claims to be 

 able to cure the coconut stem bleeding 

 disease by the application of a secret 

 preparation, and the Government My- 

 cologist has given him the opportunity 

 of demonstrating his cure. 



Castration of Cattle.— The Government 

 Veterinary Surgeon writing on April 4, 

 reports :— 



"Forty-one head of cattle belonging to 

 thirty-four owners were operated upon 

 during last month in the Northern Pro- 

 vince by the officers of this department, 

 at two centres, one man being taught the 

 operation. Pour more demonstrations 

 will shortly be given in the Northern 

 Province. Ten demonstrations have 

 been arranged for in the North- Western 

 Province and are now being carried out. 



Arrangements are also being made to hold 

 demonstrations in most of the other Pro- 

 nces, in the district of Mannar, and at 

 eight centres in Hambantota district. 

 The Assistant Government Agent of 

 Mannar desires that the operation should 

 be extended to the ponies there, as there 

 is a large number of them in the district, 

 and the breed could be much improved 

 under a judicious system of castration." 



Writing on the subject, in continuation, 

 the Government Veterinary Surgeon 

 reports on the work done by trained 

 operators as follows: — "In addition to 

 the 781 head of cattle operated upon by 

 the officers of this Department during 

 the last year, 460 cattle were castrated 

 by the trained operators in the North- 

 western Province. Of these 302 were 

 operated upon in Dewamedi hatpattu, 

 85 in Katugampola hatpattu, and 73 in 

 Wanni hatpattu. No figures have been 

 received as to work done by the trained 

 operators in the other Provinces." 



To the above has to be added 19 

 castrated in Chilaw district, which brings 

 the total number of cattle castrated by 

 trained men in 1907 to 479. 



Nxitmegs.—Mv. Fred. Lewis, writing 

 on April 3, reports an apparent disease in 

 nutmeg trees. The disease attacked old 

 trees, commencing from the top branches, 

 resulting in change of colour in foliage 

 from a dark green to a pale sickly 

 yellow, till finally the leaves fall off, 

 exposing nothing but twigs and branch- 

 lets. Later on the twigs die backward 

 till ultimately the whole tree goes. He 

 suggests that it may be identical with 

 the disease which destroyed nutmeg 

 trees in Penang some years ago, and 

 thinks it desirable that some notice 

 should be taken in time. The matter 

 has been referred to the Government 

 Mycologist. 



Foreign Tobacco.— Sample leaves of 

 Aleasian tobacco raised from seed sup- 

 plied by Messrs. Freudenbera: & Co., 

 have been received from Welimada. 

 Further samples from other centres 

 where this tobacco was grown are 

 awaited. Mr. Edward Cavan does not 

 consider the curing of the U va sample 

 satisfactory. 



Water Purification.— The July number 

 ofthe"T.A. and Magazine" last vear, 

 pages 74-77, contained a paper on " Water 

 Purification," recommending the use of 

 alumino-ferric for the purpose. The 

 Secretary, Trincomalee Branch, referring 

 to an experiment with the purifier, 

 says : — " The Vanniya of Koddiyar 

 reports that after the use of the alumino- 

 ferric the water turned clearer than it 

 was before, but the taste remained the 

 same." 



C. DRIEBERG, Secretary, 

 May 4th, 1908. 



