Oct. 1906.] 301 Saps and Exudations. 



were getting hi the West Indies Is. a nd Is. Id., but he saw in the last sale list that 

 one or two got Is. 8d. The price had steadily gone up by careful selection of seed. 

 Their seed was not selected, and the price dropped from Is. 2d. to Is. in one crop. 



Now, to take cotton and rubber together. He thought that in the North 

 country there was quite a prospect, as far as they could tell at present, of a profit- 

 able industry in a species of cotton as a catch crop between rubber. They could not 

 grow it in every district as a catch crop ; but in the North country where it was dry 

 it was quite feasible. [He drew a sketch on the blackboard illustrating how rubber 

 and cotton should be planted together.] They planted the rubber 20 feet apart with 

 irrigation channels running down midway between the trees, so that each tree had 

 an irrigation channel running down 10 feet on either side of it. The black soil held 

 water very well, and that channel was only turned on a few hours a day, according 

 to the weather, and a little trickle was quite enough to keep trees growing well. The 

 cotton was planted 5 feet apart in the 20 feet clearing between the rows of rubber. 

 They might put in three rows of cotton approximately by moving the irrigation 

 channel a little on one side of the middle, and during the first year they might have 

 three rows of cotton perfectly straight. In the second year the rubber trees would 

 have grown to a height of 10 or 12 feet and would shade the cotton. The trees would 

 he— as most people kuew, unless they were thumb-nail pruned or wei-e of a spreading 

 variety— thin tall trees, and a considerable amount of sunshine would be allowed to 

 the crop. In the second year, therefore, they would have two rows of cotton. In 

 the third year they would have one row, and after that the rubber trees would be 

 too large to make it worth while growing cotton, But there was still room for other 

 catch crops. They could grow almost anything there. Although the country was 

 dry, the air — on the whole — was damper in the North than in the Western Province. 

 Mannar had, for instance, an average saturation of 82. At Peradeniya, which was a 

 rainy district, the average saturation was 78. Provided they supplied the roots with 

 water by irrigating channels, they would do well. The air was not too dry to 

 prevent their growth. That was the positive side of the picture. 



A MALARIA DISTRICT. 



The negative side was that malaria was exceedingly bad in the North-Central 

 Province, and any one taking up land must be prepared to face a good deal of fever 

 himself and amongst his coolies. They were in hopes that by means of that new oil 

 method explained by Messrs. Bamber and Green, they might be able to treat the 

 coolies in such a way as to largely prevent their getting fever. It was idle to think 

 that the cooly would stay in a mosquito-proof house, even if they made one. The 

 probability was he would close the curtain with care and then sit on the verandah. 

 One must adopt something more practical to keep him clear of the mosquitoes, and 

 he thought there might be some hope in that method of Messrs. Bamber and Green. 



THE DISCUSSION. 



THE NEW OIL PREVENTIVE FOR MOSQUITO MALARIA. 



His Excellency :— Have you any specimens of the oil to-day ? — because it 

 would be interesting to the gentlemen present to see them. The kerosine is entirely 

 concealed. 



Dr. Willis :— Yes, I should like to call public attention to this oil method. 

 The oil is a mixture— I forget the exact proportions— but they were given at the 

 meeting of the Board of Agriculture a month ago. I think there were equal 

 proportions of coconut oil and kerosene and two or three per cent of citronella 

 with a little carbolic. 



His Excellency :— Citronella ? 



