Miscellaneous. 



254 



[September, 1909. 



to be held at Teldetiiya on the 29th 

 instant. I shall make a further com- 

 munication on this subject after the 

 meeting. The report states that " The 

 artifical manure was applied to a field 

 2 pelas in extent, which was sown with 

 ' hatiyal ' paddy on the same day as 

 another lot of the same extent adjoining 

 the manured portion. Both the fields 

 (manured as well as unmanured) were 

 reaped on the same day, but threshed 

 separately. The manured field yielded 

 122 bushels of paddy, while the un- 

 manured portion yielded only (32 bushels. 

 In straw, too, there were 175 bundles 

 more in the manured portion than in 

 the other ." 



Grafting and Budding. —Mr. Alex, 

 Perera conducted practical classes for 

 Stock Inspectors and Agricultural In- 

 structors for the purpose of instructing 

 them in these methods of propagation, 

 with a view to teachers and others being 

 trained. The Instructors have been sup- 

 plied with the necessary tools. 



Cotton-— A communication has been 

 received from theBritish Cotton Growers' 

 Association with reference to the work- 

 ing of the ginning plant which the 

 Association sent out to Ceylon and is at 

 present lying idle. Arrangements will 

 probably be shortly made for resuming 

 work. 



The Agricultural Instructor stationed 

 in Batticaloa makes a favourable report 

 on the growth of cotton in the Eastern 

 Province. Two plantations are said to 

 have given promising results. A member 

 in Uva who has planted cotton wrote 

 last month asking for the loan of one of 

 the Society's hand gins. He has taken 

 in 0,000 lb. seed cotton, and expects 

 another 15,000 lb. This is said to be 

 Caravonica. 



A correspondent from Galgamuwa 

 writes hopefully of his Sea Island cotton, 

 but is anxious to try Egyptian also. 



The pity is that it has not yet been 

 possible to make a definite pronounce- 

 ment as to the variety that should be 

 cultivated in Ceylon. 1 understand that 

 in Uganda, where cotton is doing very 

 well, the Uplands variety has been 

 selected, and that it is illegal for any 

 other variety to be cultivated. 



Ginger.— The cultivation of this pro- 

 duct is very much neglected in Ceylon, 

 and, in order to extend and improve it, 

 the Society addressed the Director of 

 the Imperial Institute, London, on the 

 subject, with a view to getting precise 

 information as to best varieties to 

 cultivate, and the most approved 

 methods of cultivation and curing. 

 Professor Dunstan has favoured the 



Society with an interesting report, 

 which will appear in the Society's 

 magazine, 



Orchella.— Inquiries made at the in- 

 stance of the Imperial Institute as to the 

 possibility of reviving the trade in 

 orchella weed (Hocella montagnei) has 

 resulted in the offer of a Jaffna merchant 

 to supply up to 12 tons per annum at 

 £12 or Rs, 180 f.o.b. Jaffna. 



Seeds and Plants. — Special distri- 

 butions of seeds of new introductions 

 have been made at intervals. The most 

 important of these is Cenchrus biflorus, 

 the fodder grass introduced by me from 

 India. This grass bids fair to be one of 

 the most useful of our introduced 

 fodders. 



The biennial supply of vegetable seeds 

 has just been indented for and will be 

 distributed early in October. 



The Acting Director of Royal Botanic 

 Gardens supplied the Society with a 

 large quautity of Hickory King maize 

 seed for distribution at the recent Shows 

 held at Welimada and Kegalla. The 

 giving away of this seed has been much 

 appreciated by cultivators. A supply of 

 selected durian seeds is shortly expected 

 i torn Singapore, and from Egypt a con- 

 signment of seeds of cottons recommend- 

 ed by Mr. McCall. 



Through the U. S. A. Department of 

 Agriculture the Society has secured a 

 couple of bushels of the famous Carolina 

 golden rice. 



Bengal gram, indigo, and senna seeds 

 have been obtained at the request of 

 members. 



Tubers of the cluster sweet potato 

 sent by the Agricultural Department of 

 New South Wales arrived in good 

 condition, and cuttings will soon be 

 available for distribution. 



An order has gone forward for nearly 

 1,500 grafted fruit plants booked to the 

 order of members. These are expected 

 about the end of September. 



A consignment of mangosteen and 

 nutmeg plants preseuted by Mr. Martin 

 D. S. A. Wijenayake, Stock Inspector 

 and Agricultural Instructor, has been 

 distributed among the schools of the 

 North- Western Province with the assist- 

 ance of the Government Agent. 



Plants of a species of Pandanus were 

 received from Mr. Prautch of Manila, 

 and the specimens of the woven materials 

 sent with them show the possibilities of 

 the screw pine so common in the Island. 



Implements and Appliances.— The 

 patent hand maize-sheller introduced 

 from Nagpur has been found very 

 serviceable, and six more have been 

 imported, 



