115 



missed as a means of developing an industry which, I think, deserves as much recogni- 

 tion and financial support as the attempt to establish silkworm culture. Indeed, 

 looking at the suitability of beekeeping as a home industry for the natives, and the 

 possibilities of making it a remunerative employment, I am inclined to place the 

 former before the latter. 



Yours truly, 



C. DRIEBERG, 



Superintendent of School Hardens. 



18th June, 1906. 



The Ceylon Board of Agriculture. 



The Twentieth Meeting of the Board of Agriculture was held in the Council 

 Chamber on Monday, June 11th, at 12 noon. 



His Excellency the Governor presided. 



There were present the Hon'ble Messrs. H. L. Crawford, C T. D. Vigors, P. 

 Arunachalam, S. C. Obeyesekere and Francis Beveu, Doctors H. M. Fernando and 

 J. C. Willis, Messrs. Lushington, Gibbon, Sturgess, Herbert Wright, C. Drieberg, 

 Strickland and W. Dunuwille, the Maha Mudaliyar and the Secretary. 



As Visitors: -Messrs. J. Whitehead, E. S. W. Senathi Rajah, Walter de Soysa, 

 L. Vaid, W. H. de Silva, Doctors Banaarjee, Sinnetamby, Solomon Fernando, Hal- 

 lock, Mylvagauam. 



BUSINESS DONE. 



1. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. 



2. The Progress Report No. XIX was circulated. 



3. A list of new members was read, and they were declared duly elected 



4. The Hon'ble Mr. F. Beven proposed . " That this Board desires to place on 

 record its deep sense of the loss which the Ceylon Agricultural Society has sustained 

 by the untimely death of one of its most distinguished members, the Hon'ble Mr. 

 Herbert Wace, c.m.g., who had always willingly placed at its service his varied and 

 valuable experience and shown his generous sympathy with all classes of agricul- 

 turists. That a copy of this resolution be sent to Mrs. Wace as an expression of the 

 heartfelt sympathy of the Board with the family in their sore bereavement." Mr. 

 W. D. Gibbon seconded the motion. His Excellency spoke to the motion, which 

 was carried unanimously,— all standing. 



5. Mr. E. S. W. Senathi Rajah read a paper entitled "Agricultural Banks 

 for Ceylon." His Excellency the Governor. Mr. Dunuwille, the Hon'ble Mr. P. 

 Arunachalam and Dr. Willis spoke in the discussion which followed. 



6. Mr. Drieberg moved to withdraw the motion standing in his name " that 

 the Society invite Mr. John Sutton, Bee-Expert and Adviser to the Department of 

 Agriculture, West Australia, to visit Ceylon and give demonstrations in bee-keeping 

 —the cost of the visit to be met by the Ceylon Agricultural Society— a vote of 

 Rs. 600 to be taken." This was allowed. 



7. Mr. Sturgess, Government Veterinary Surgeon, moved that a further vote 

 of Rs. 1,500 be taken by the Society for the continuance of the work of castration of 

 cattle. The Maha Mudaliyar seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. 



8. His Excellency referred to the retirement of Mr. Denham from the post 

 of Secretary. 



The meeting adjourned at 1-15 p.m. 



