Miscellaneous. 



148 



[August, 1910. 



former were intended for conducting 

 experiments on areas of one measure 

 sowing extent, and were hauded to 

 persons selected by the Mudaliyars, for 

 the purpose of proving the value of the 

 manure to themselves and their neigh- 

 bouts. Agricultural Instructor Wickre- 

 maratne explained the necessity and 

 advantage of manuring paddy. Mr. A. E. 

 Rajapakse, Mudaliyar of Katunayaka 

 district, gifted a number of light iron 

 ploughs to headmen, to be lent to culti- 

 vators who may wish to satisfy them- 

 selves that these implements are suitable 

 and do better work than native ploughs. 



Two successful Village Shows were 

 held in the Kalutara District, promoted 

 by Mr. G. F. Plant, Assistant Govern- 

 ment Agent, viz., at Bellana and 

 Bandaragama. A third, which promised 

 to be as successful, was abandoned soon 

 after the arranging of exhibits on receipt 

 of the news of His Majesty King 

 Edward's death. 



The Show at Bellana took place on 

 May 28, when there was a good display 

 of fruits and vegetables. The most strik- 

 ing section was the School Garden 

 exhibit. The Assistaut Government 

 Agent's shield for the best School Garden 

 was awarded to the Bellana teacher. 



The Bandaragama Show, which was 

 confined lo Rayigam korale, was held on 

 June 18 in the Wewita schoolroom, the 

 arrangements being in the hands of Mr. 

 J. A, Wirasinghe, Mudaliyar, who was 

 assisted by Mr. N. Wickremaratne, Agri- 

 cultural Instructor. After the judging 

 of the exhibits, the Assistant Govern- 

 ment Agent, accompanied by the District 

 Judge of Kalutara, the Secretary, Geylon 

 Agricultural Society, aud others in- 

 spected the Bandaragama Experimental 

 Garden, which is being worked under 

 the direct supervision of the Mudaliyar. 

 The shield offered for the best School 

 Garden in Rayigam korale went to the 

 Handapaugoda teacher. 



The Shows fixed for July 12th at 

 Wadekada and 16th idem at Hettipola 

 had to be postponed owing to the pro- 

 longed drought in the North-Western 

 Province. The third Show arranged to 

 take place in this Province, viz., at 

 Ibbagamuwa, will probably be held on 

 August 20. 



The Teldeuiya Show took place in un- 

 expectedly wet weather on July 22 and 

 23. The arrangements were excellent, 

 and the results satisfactory. 



Paddy.— The introduction of light iron 

 ploughs into the Hambantota District 

 has been referred to in previous reports. 

 The following communication ou the 

 subject (dated March 10, 1910) waa 



addressed by the Assistant Government 

 Agent of Hambantota to the Hon. the 

 Colonial Secretary : — 



" In continuation of my letter No. 141 

 of the 5th instant, I have the honour to 

 report that I have since visited Tissa. 



" There were about 100 new ploughs 

 used at Tissa for the last maha cultiva- 

 tion, and about 1,600 acres were cultivated 

 with them. 



"In the earlier part of last year 1 

 reported to you that I did not think 

 that there were sufficient buffaloes left 

 at Tissa to mud much more than 300 

 acres. This estimate proved not far 

 short of the mark, and the following 

 figures, giving the extent of land culti- 

 vated for the iast maha and the methods 

 of cultivation, will show the benefit 

 derived from the adoption of the 

 ploughs :— 



Ploughed ... ... 1,582* 



Mudded ... ... 875 



Worked with mamoties ... 550 



Total ... 3,007 



" The result was that the extent culti- 

 vated did not fall far short of that 

 cultivated in previous mahas. The 

 following figures give the extents culti- 

 vated during the last four mahas :— 



1906- 1907 ... ... 3,125' 



1907- 1908 ... ... 3,091 



1908- 1909 ... ... 3,418 



1909- 1910 ... ... 3,007 



"The more intelligent cultivators 

 were not slow to acknowledge the 

 utility of the plough, but there is a 

 certain amount of opposition to its 

 permanent introduction owiug to the 

 current belief that buffaloes, and 

 buffaloes alone, are iu tended to perform 

 the duties of mudding fields and thresh- 

 ing paddy, and that cultivation of fields 

 by other means is not only impious, but 

 regarded with disfavour by the powers 

 which preside over cultivation. 



" The more permanent success of this 

 experiment depended therefore in no 

 slight degree upon whether fields 

 ploughed with the new plough yielded a 

 good return ; for a good return would 

 not only appeal to the material side of 

 the cultivators and landowners, but 

 might tend to show that the powers 

 mentioned in the previous paragraph do 

 not regard with disfavour the substitu- 

 tion of ploughs for buffaloes. 



"The crop is now being reaped. The 

 people are averse from giving an opinion 

 upon the yield until the paddy is 



