March 1907.] 



191 



of the money raised by the sale of the paddy has been lent for the present yala 

 season to a Committee of ten accredited persons in the district, for the purpose of 

 purchasing seed paddy for the most needy cultivators in the villages of Tambutte- 

 goda, Bonala, and Palalla, where it was discovered there was very great scarcity of 

 seed for sowing. 



The Battiealoa Branch has for the present abandoned the Agricultural Show 

 originally proposed to be held early this year, owing to the want of sufficient snpport. 

 The Government Agent, Eastern Province, offered to give a liberal donation towards 

 the Show, but support from other quarters did not come up to expectations, the year 

 1906 having proved a very bad one for the district. 



The Welimada Branch has decided to hold an Agricultural Show early in 

 May. Mr. D. A. M. Fernando, the Honorary Secretary, offered to supply shoots of 

 sugarcane to members willing to experiment with it, and the teacher of the Welimada 

 school has distributed seeds of Kangaroo grass and cotton. A prize of Rs. 10 has 

 been awarded to the school gardens at Welimada for good work during the year. 



The Balangoda Branch held a meeting on the 16th February, when among 

 the subjects considered was the question of castration of cattle. A demonstration 

 was fixed for the 25th May- Several headmen agreed to open private gardens to serve 

 as seed-distributing centres and object-lessons to the villagers. 



The Vavuniya Forwarding Agency continues its operations. Consignments 

 of eggs and limes were sent down during the last week in February, and negotiations 

 are in progress for sending down a further consignment of cattle. A meeting of the 

 Special Committee appointed to consider the question of establishing a Central 

 Receiving Agency in Colombo was held this morning. 



The Telijjawila Society proposes to take over the Sultanagoda Experimental 

 Farm from the Village Committee, under whose control it has hitherto been managed, 

 and to finance and work the institution on improved lines. The success of the 

 venture will mainly depend on the sagacity of its Secretary, Mr. James Wickrama- 

 ratne, Mudaliyar of Weligam Korale. 



The Society's Medals. — The Society is still in communication with Messrs. 

 Spink & Son, Ltd., London, with regard to the design for the Society's medal, but it 

 is hoped that arrangements will shortly be completed, as details have practically 

 been settled. 



Agri-Horticultural Shoivs.— The Show proposed to be held at Battiealoa, as 

 above mentioned, has been abandoned. 



Dumbara Society will held a Show in August, 1907. 



The Show in Colombo under the auspices of the Colombo Agri-Horticultural 

 Society will be held in June. 



A Show will be held in Katana under the auspices of the Branch Society. 

 The object of the promoters in organizing the Show will be gathered from the 

 following extract from a letter received from Mr. J. D. Vanderstraaten :— " I may 

 mention that we intend this to be purely a local Show, intended to foster and develop 

 a taste for floral and vegetable growing and fruit culture, and give encouragement to 

 village industries, such as carpentry, <fcc. ; and I have suggested that, as the Negombo 

 district is well known as a tobacco-growing area, we should show not only cured 

 leaf for chewing but for cigar-making, and that prizes should be offered for locally- 

 manufactured cheroots, whether made from Negombo tobacco or from tobacco grown 

 in other parts of the Island." The Show will be held some time in November. 



The Kegalla Branch proposes to hold a Show at Kegalla on the 28th and 

 29th June. 



