103 



Miscellaneous 



Uva Agri = Horticultural Show 



I have the honour to forward the following report on the Classes I judged 

 in at the Uva Agri-Horticultural Show held at Badulla on 8th instant. 



General. — I regret to state that the show was poor compared with the one 

 held last year, which could have been classed as second only to that held in Nuwara 

 Eliya. This is not at all satisfactory, and I trust a few remarks, now that they are 

 to be published in the " T.A. and Magazine of the C. A.S.," will result in an improve- 

 ment in the future. The space allotted to each class was quite inadequate ; conse- 

 quently no proper arrangement— so very important in the classes under review— could 

 be undertaken, and exhibits were jumbled together, and not to advantage. 

 Many people, known to be keen gardeners, were asked why they had not exhibited, but 

 had only the feeble reply " I thought someone would be sure to have better." This 

 is not the way to make a show a success, and to a large extent accounts for the poor 

 quality of the exhibits. Quite different to Nuwara Eliya when the usual remark was, 

 "I sent mine just to fill up, and never expected to get a, prize." Europeans could 

 help a great deal by sending in anything they have worth exhibiting. A show 

 should not be regarded as a money-grabbing opportunity, but one to demostrate 

 what can be done in each district. 



The remarks in my report on the last year's show were apparently unheeded, 

 for there was no improvement in the arrangement of the cut flowers, state of the 

 pot plants, &c. The former were bundled together in a very native way, and the 

 material was not made half as much of as could have been possible. If one quarter 

 of the flowers had occupied the space of the whole, the appearance woidd have been 

 very different. Little relief was afforded in the way of greenery. Proper show 

 boxes, such as those sent from Hakgala Gardens, cost little and should be used. It 

 seems impossible to convince competitors that arrangement counts for points in 

 judging. The pots staged were mostly very dirty and only three-quarters full of soil. 

 Drainage appeared to be entirely neglected or very poor, and no attempts 

 seem to have been made in most cases to trim the plants up, stake them neatly, &c. 

 One exhibit was disqualified for having apparently been only potted a day or two 

 previously. Most of these matters were pointed out before, and are worthy of 

 attention. The recent drought followed by heavy rains was made much of as an 

 excuse, but cannot account for such defects as these. 



To take the classes individually, Class I- Fruits and Vegetables. — 

 Plantains were scarcely up to standard ; the winner showed a good number of 

 varieties. Papaws were good. The gold medal for the best collection of ripe 

 and edible fruit was won my Mr. D. H. Kotalawela for a nicely arranged exhibit. 

 Oranges in this class were not up to the usual Badulla quality. It was very dis- 

 appointing to find no entries for English vegetables, especially as Weligama even 

 was able to make a fair display of these. Tomatoes were fair and of good varieties. 



Class II. Fruits, Vegetables and Grains (open only to villagers).— In this 

 class Mr. E. B. Denham assisted in the judging. Of thirty -eight exhibits of oranges, 

 some were very fine, and it was interesting to learn of natives in the district now 

 being able to realise a profit after buying all of good quality and sending them to 

 Colombo for sale. There is no doubt Badulla is one of the best districts in the 

 Island for this fruit, but it is said that the real good kinds are less plentiful than 

 formerly ; if this is so, steps should be taken by the local branch of the Society 

 to increase only good varieties by grafting &c. Pineapples. — Only three exhibits 

 against a fine lot last year. The general opinion then was that they would have 

 been better had the show been held in May. 



