200 



11. Seed Supply.— In May last 36 varieties of vegetable seeds were imported 

 from Germany, Sarampur Gardens, Calcutta, Madras, and Bangalore Botanic 

 Gardens. Ninety-five applicants were supplied with 1,885 packets of seeds ; seeds 

 for Provincial Road Committees and Irrigation Stations were supplied at half price. 

 Twenty-five applicants did not get seeds, the supply being insufficient to meet 

 the [demand. 



12. Kiushu Paddy.— Mr. Jacob de Mel reports :— " The report from my 

 conductor states that after the 20th May the flood water from Ja-ela canal, 

 coming into the fields at Muturajawela at an unseasonable time, killed the paddy 

 bushes, which were not more than 12 inches in height." 



The Honorary Secretary, Telijjawila Local Society, writes under date the 

 16th July : — " I have to report that the paddy did not grow. It germinated at 

 about the same time as other varieties sown for yala. It was sown in a part of 

 a field near the Telijjawila Experimental Garden, and grew to a height of about 

 8 inches and then withered away. Every care was taken in its cultivation under 

 my' personal supervision ; and, all the conditions having been favourable, its 

 failure can only be attributed to its being unsuitable to this country." 



Mr. W. R. Bibile of Badulla reports :-" The half bushel of Kiushu paddy 

 was sown on a piece of unfertile field. The soil of the land is sandy. The paddy 

 was sown on the 24th April last, and a portion was transplanted on the 19th May 

 last. The plants began to blossom on the 4th June last and were reaped on the 

 17th July. The yield was only 3 bushels of paddy. This poor crop is owing to the 

 unfertility of the soil and the scarcity of water. The plants did not grow more 

 than 2 feet in height. In my opinion this paddy is not suitable for transplanting, 

 as the plants do not grow to a sufficient height to transplant within fifteen days. 

 This paddy ought to succeed on fertile fields, and must be sown before April, i 



The Secretary, Badulla Branch, reports :— " I have just visited a field where 

 a bushel of Kiushu paddy was sown. In the same field on the same day as the 

 Kiushu paddy was sown native paddy was also sown in parallel ridges. The field 

 is a good one, and there was no lack of water. The Kiushu crop can be harvested 

 about six weeks earlier than the native crop. But, on the other hand, there will 

 not be half as much straw from the former. Neither will there be half as much 

 grain. The ears of the Kiushu plants are very short, and worse still the grain 

 promises to be very small. If similar experiments produced similar results else- 

 where, I beg to think that the cultivation of Kiushu paddy is not very profitable, 

 except where water cannot be procured for about four months at a time. 



The Society will be glad to receive reports of results of their experiments 

 from other members Avho tried this paddy. 



13. Honduras Paddy. — Mr. W. R. Bibile, in the course of a report to the 

 Superintendent of School Gardens, writes :— " The handful of Honduras paddy 

 which you sent me was sown on the 17th January last, and the yield was seven 

 measures. This was sown on a piece of very fertile land. The crop was damaged 

 by fiies, and if not for this the yield would have been more. This paddy takes 

 two and a half months to blossom and four and a half months to reap." 



14. Seed paddy from India— A consignment of about 475 bushels of six- 

 months seed paddy has been received from India. The paddy is being distributed 

 among the applicants from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya. A small con- 

 signment of Banjeu paddy, which takes four and a half months to harvest, is 

 expected in a day or two. The quantity available at present is only 22£ bushels. 



