201 



15. Fruit Trees.— The Telijjawila Local Society has been sent a supply 

 of fruit trees free of charge from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, viz,, 

 2 loquats, 2 rata-karapinchas, 3 coco plum, 3 star apple, 4 Avocado pear, and 

 8 China guava. 



16. Manures,— Manure for experiments in fertilization has been supplied by 

 Messrs. Freudenberg & Co. to — 



Mr. H. Amarasuriya for coconuts. 



Mudaliyar, Wellaboda Pattu (Galle), for orange trees and vegetables at 



Weregoda Experimental Garden. 

 Anuradhapura Local Society for tobacco. 

 Mr. P. B. Nugawela, Ratemahatmaya, for vegetables. 



17. Local Soap.— Samples of soap, manufactured by Mr. D. Chandrawarnam 

 of Kotahena and exhibited at the Colombo Agri-Horticultural Show, have been 

 forwarded to the Imperial Institute to ascertain their value in England. The 

 Government Chemist has also been asked to report on the soap. 



18. Castration. — The following demonstrations have been given during 

 the month :— 



North-Central Province : Alukaranda. Imbulgaswewa, Hiripitiyagama, 



Nelbegama. 

 Central Province : Ragalla. 

 North- Western Province: Padeniya. 



Province of Sabaragamuwa : Kegalla, Mawanella, Pinnawala, Ambepussa. 



Up to date 2,002 cattle have been operated upon this year, brought by 

 1,604 owners at 00 demonstrations. 113 men have been taught the operation. Three 

 men each at Mawanella, Kegalla, and Pinnawala have been trained in the new 

 method of castration of cattle, and fifty animals were castrated in these districts 

 by these men, 



19. Prickly Pear.— The Jaffna Branch proposes to try an experiment in 

 exterminating prickly pear, which has grown very thick on the Delft Island, The 

 method to be adopted consists in spraying the plants with a solution of sodium 

 arsenic, which has been used with good results in West Australia. 



20. Caterpillar Pest in Paddy.— X caterpillar pest in paddy fields was 

 reported by the Assistant Superintendent of School Gardens from Karandawala 

 in Maturata district. The Government Entomologist reported on the specimen 

 sent him as follows : — 



"The insects concerned are the larvse of a minute pyralid moth belonging 

 to the genus Nymphula (family Pyralidse), These larvse are aquatic, and are 

 provided with a seines of filamentous gills on eacli side of the body enabling 

 them to breathe water instead of air. They are consequently not amenable to 

 treatment by flooding. On the other hand, if the water could be entirely 

 withdrawn from the affected fields for twenty-four hours or more without 

 serious injury to the plants, it is probable {that exposure to the heat of the sun 

 would destroy the delicate caterpillars. An experiment should first be tried on 

 one or two small sections of the field. If that prove successful, the remaining 

 area should be similarly treated — the whole field at one time. If treated in sections, 

 the larvse will merely migrate to adjoining sections." 



The pest has now disappeared, but the Ratemahatmaya of the district has 

 been instructed to make the experiment suggested should the caterpillars reappear. 



