353 



The Agricultural Education and Publications Committee held a meeting 

 this morning to consider the cost of the "Tropical Agriculturist and Magazine 

 of the Ceylon Agricultural Society," and the continuance of the vote to the 

 Mahawalatenne Garden. 



The Hon. Messrs. H. L. Crawford and P. Arunachalam have joined this 

 Committee. Mr. R. B. Strickland, Acting Director of Public Instruction, takes 

 Mr. Harward's place as Chairman of this Committee. 



Agricultural Shoivs. — Since the last meeting of the Board Shows have been 

 held at Nuwara Eliya on the 17th and 18th April, and at Badulla on 7th and 8th 

 May. A Market Show was held at Minuwangoda on the 7th April. 



Reports on this Show and on the Gampola and Nuwara Eliya Shows are 

 tabled to-day. The Nuwara Eliya Show was probably one of the best shows of 

 flowers and imported live stock held in Ceylon. 



Mr. C. Drieberg, who visited the Minuwangoda Market Show— one of the 

 first, if not the first, of its kind held— reports that "as a first beginning the Show 

 Avas decidedly promising. The collections of vegetables were nearly all good. 

 Many of the vegetables were specially fine specimens, such as snakegourds, 

 bandakkai, vetakolu (luffa), long beans (vigna), and chillies." The prizes, which 

 amounted to Rs. 105, were all awarded by members of the Local Branch. The 

 success of the Show was largely due to the efforts of Mr. J. E. de Silva, President, 

 and Mr. A. Namasivayam, Secretary of the Branch. 



The Kegalla Branch has decided to postpone the Show originally fixed 

 for 6th and 7th July, on account of the heavy drought in the district. The final 

 dates have not yet been fixed. 



An excellent exhibit of flowering plants and specimens of disease on plants, 

 &c, was made by the Royal Botanic Gardens at the Nuwara Eliya Slioiv. One 

 of the Assistants at Hakgala was sent to this Show to instruct exhibitors in the 

 vernacular and to explain any cultivations shown. 



The attention of Local Branches is invited to the prize of Rs. 100 (or a Gold 

 Medal) offered by the Society to the Local Branch making the best exhibit of 

 samples of native products grown in its district at the Colombo Show on 22nd and 

 23rd June. Samples should be five pounds in weight, and should be well dried 

 Samples of paddy need not be more than 2 or 2^ pounds. Allowance will be made 

 in making the awards for the climatic condition, &c, of the different districts 

 competing. 



It is proposed to hold Agri-Horticultural Shows at Kandy and Teldeniya 



in 1907. 



Cotton.— Messrs. Nieland & Wilson of the "Times" Buildings, the Fort, 

 Colombo, undertake to purchase any cotton sent in to them, and to supply Sea 

 Island cotton seed free. There will be a supply of this seed available later at 

 Maha Illuppalama, which can be sent free to any member of this Society. 



Reports of successful experiments with cotton in the North-Western 

 Province, at Balaugoda, and in the Udakindapalata of Uva have been received 

 by this Society. 



Ground Nuts.— Messrs. Freudenberg & Co. have applied for quotations for 

 10 tons ground nuts with their shells on and 10 tons without shells. Tne attention 

 of Local Societies and individual members have been invited to this request- It 

 is most important that a local market be found for this cultivation, which, as 

 regards yield, has been found to do very well in different parts of the Island. 



Soy or Soya Beans — A supply of i cwt. of Soy beans has been received 

 from the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, and sent to the Telijjawila Branch, which 

 applied early for this variety. 



