514 [Dec. 1906. 



of the new arrangement In reply to Mr. Ferguson, His Excellency stated that he 

 could assure the Board that they would have the full value of Mr. Bamber's services. 

 Financially the new arrangement would probably cost the Island less than the 

 present arrangement did all round. 



7. The Secretary read a letter from Mr. H. B. Rambukwelle expressing his 

 thanks to the Board for the vote of condolence passed at its meeting on the 17th 

 September. 



8. Dr. Willis read a paper on ' Some Possibilities in Fruit Culture in Ceylon.' 

 A discussion followed, in which His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Ferguson, 

 Mr. Obeyesekere, Mr. Ward and others took part. 



9. Mr. C. Drieberg showed some samples of banana flour, etc., manufactured 

 by an English firm. 



The meeting terminated at 1-15 p.m. 



The Twenty-sixth Meeting of the Board of Agriculture was held in the 

 Council Chamber at 12 noon on Monday, 3rd December, 1906. 

 His Excellency the Governor presided. 



Others present were :— The Hon'ble Messrs. J. P. Lewis, E. Rosling, S. C. 

 Obeyesekere, P. Arunachalam, J. Ferguson, Sir William Twynam, Drs.' J. C. Willis, 

 H. M. Fernando, the Maha Mudaliyar, Messrs. C. M. Lushington, L. W. Booth, 

 J. Harward, E. E. Green, M. Kelway Bamber, H. Wright, C. Drieberg, G. A. Joseph, 

 G. W. Sturgess, and the Secretary. 



Mr. M. Subramaniam was present as a visitor. 



Business Done. 



1. The Minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. 



2. Progress Report No. XXV was circulated. 



3. The Secretary announced that His Excellency had been pleased to nomi- 

 nate Mr. C. Valoopillai of Anuradhapura as a member of the Board for the North- 

 Central Province in succession to the late Mr. L. B. Nikawewa Disava. 



4. Dr. Willis proposed that the recommendation of the Finance Committee 

 be approved, to the effect that a sum not exceeding Rs. 500 be allowed to enable 

 Mr. C Drieberg, Superintendent, School Gardens, to visit the Agricultural and 

 Industrial Exhibition to be held at Calcutta in December, and to travel through 

 the Bangalore and other districts with a view to gathering information on the 

 subject of sericulture. Mr. E. E. Green, Government Entomologist, seconded. 

 The Hon'ble Mr. J. Ferguson also spoke in support of the motion, which was 

 carried unanimously. 



5. The Secretary read a letter from Mr, W. D. Gibbon and a telegram 

 from Mr. J. H. Meedeniya Ratemahatmeya, regretting their inability to attend 

 the meeting. 



6. Dr. A. K. Coomaraswamy not having arrived, the reading of his paper 

 on Native Arts and Crafts was postponed till later in the meeting. Having made 

 a few remarks on the subject, His Excellency the Governor, who was obliged to leave 

 early, vacated the chair. At His Excellency's desire the chair was taken by Mr. 

 C. M. Lushington. 



7. The Secretary read the report of the sub-Committee appointed at the 

 meeting of September 17th to reconsider the provisions of the proposed Pest9 

 Ordinance with reference to a memorandum on the subject submitted by Sir 



