Miscellaneous. 



566 



[June 1908. 



Senegal Groundnuts. 

 Bhere Fruit. 

 Melilotus Officinalis. 

 Grape Fruit- 

 Buckwheat. 

 Arecanuts. 



The Co-operative Credit System. 



This system has been the subject of much 

 discussion, and has been taken up by a few 

 branch Societies. The Credit Societies at 

 Telijjawila and Teldeniya, which deal with 

 the supplying of seed paddy, have done good 

 work, and it is expected that Seed Banks will 

 before long become popular and useful local 

 institutions. The attempt made at Badde- 

 gama to co-operate for the supply of manure 

 has also proved a success. 



Exchange of Seed. 

 Experience has proved that the exchange of 

 seed paddy between districts not far removed 

 from one another or of similar character has 

 many advantages. Besides an increase in 

 the yield, cases have been reported of an 

 introduced strain proving less liable to the 

 attack of the paddy-bug and to damage by 

 submersion. The Society is ready to help 

 any one who desires to introduce new strains 

 into his district, by purchase or exchange. 



Transplanting in Paddy Cultivation. 



This method of cultivation is being prac" 

 Used more extensively than hitherto. Strik_ 

 ing illustrations of its advantages were forth_ 

 coming from Hanwella and Welimada. Spe 

 cial prizes have been offered by some of the 

 Branch Societies to encourage the system, 

 which gives promise of becoming more 

 general. 



Plant Pests and Diseases. 



Under the Ordinance dealing with Plant 

 Pests, local Provincial Boards have been estab- 

 lished, and officers appointed to deal with 

 the stem disease of the coconut palm. 



The Society had its attention directed to 

 the following pests :— 



Stem, kernel, and leaf disease of the Coco- 

 nut Palm. 

 Coconut Beetle. 

 Paddy Fly. 

 Betel Vine Disease. 



Diseased conditions in the Orange and 

 Cinnamon. 



Papei'8 with reference to these and other 

 pests Oil vegetables were referred to the 

 Government Mycologist and Entomologist for 

 report and advice. 



Experimental Gardens. 



The extensive market garden at Am balan- 

 goda, successfully worked for some years 

 by the Wellaboda Pattu (Galle) Branch , has 

 now been planted up With fruit trees. While 

 it lasted it served as an excellent object 

 lesson to the people of the district. Another 



successful fruit garden is that maintained by 

 the Mudaliyar of Weligam Korale at Telij- 

 jawila. In this Korale there is quite a 

 number of vegetable and fruit gardens main- 

 tained by individuals under the auspices of 

 the Telijjawila Branch. Vegetable cultiva- 

 tion has also received special encouragement at 

 the hands of the Wellaboda Pattu (Galle) 

 Society, which has instituted a system of 

 annual awards in this connection. The 

 Katunayake Branch (under Mr. A. E. Raja- 

 pakse, Mudaliyar) took up the experimental 

 cultivation of various products, and distri- 

 buted seeds. 



More recent gardens are those at Horana, 

 Balangoda and Kegalla. It is desirable that 

 such gardens should be multiplied, though 

 School Gardens are to some extent worked 

 on the same lines. 



School Gardens. 



It is gratifying to be able to report that 

 School Gardens are serving their purpose ad- 

 mirably, and that the question of still fur- 

 ther developing the scheme under which they 

 are worked is under contemplation. Accord- 

 ing to the latest report by the Superintendent 

 143 gardens have been established, many 

 of which are models in their way. Last 

 year the Society made a grant of Rs. 212 '50 

 to be awarded as prizes for good work in 

 School Gardens. 



Agri-Horticultural Shows and Fairs. 



Agri-Horticultural Shows, Market and 

 Cattle Fairs were held at the following 

 centres :— 



Badulla (Uva). 

 Colombo, 



Dumbara (Teldeniya). 



Kegalla. 



Matale. 



Matara. 



Nuwara Eliya. 



Telijjawila 



Trincomalie. 



Wellaboda Pattu (Galle). 

 Welimada. 



Inspection Work. 



The Organising Vice-President and the 

 Secretary made several toui's of inspection, 

 holding meetings of Branch Societies and 

 discussing ways and means for furthering 

 the Work of the Society in the Provinces. 

 The Northern, Southern, Central, Eastern 

 and Uva Provinces were taken in turn. The 

 advantages of these tours are mutual, ena- 

 bling the officials of the Society to fully realize 

 the conditions under which agriculture is 

 carried on in the remoter parts of the Island, 

 and at the same time giving the cultivating 

 classes an opportunity of personally conferr- 

 ing with them on various topics which cafl 

 be best threshed out on the sppt, , 



