256 



tApftiL iwt. 



Agricultural Society Progress Report. No. 



Membership.— The following members have joined the Society since the last 

 meeting held on the 4th March :— Messrs. Martin M. Smith, L. W. A. de Soysa J. P. 

 Abraham, W. S. Goonewardene, W. B. deSaram, Alex. L. Kirk, 0. D. Sparkes, B. D. S*. 

 Abeyaratne, W. Balding ; and the following new Branch Society has been affiliated :— 

 Bopagoda Agricultural Association. 



Branch Societies— The Bopagoda Branch was formed as a result of a public 

 meeting held on the 20th March, Mr. N. Wickramaratne, Agricultural Instructor 

 being present. He addressed the gathering ou the objects and uses of such Societies, 

 and 549 members joined the new Society from the following villages :— Puwak- 

 bodaowita, Dehigaspe, Lenpotdeniya, Kotagala, Hattotuwa, Urumutta, Kehelwala 

 Deviture, Welihena, and Dematapassa of the Morawak korale. 



The Organizing Vice-President and the Secretary visited the Southern 

 Province, and were on tour from the 21st to the 27th March. The itinerary included 

 Weligama, Telijjawila, Matara, Dampella, Sultanagoda Farm, Talpawila, Galle, 

 Baddegama, Kimbiya, Nagoda, Gangaboda pattu (Galle), Hinidum pattu, Hikkaduwa, 

 Wellaboda pattu (Galle), Weragoda, Kalutara, Panadure, Walana, Lunawa, and 

 Kiriwattuduwa. At suitable centres opportunity was taken of meeting officials of 

 the Branch Societies and conferring with them, and of visiting school gardens where 

 they exist. A full report on the visit and the work done during the tour is presented 

 to the meeting separately. 



Under orders from His Excellency the President, the Organizing Vice-Pre- 

 sident and the Secretary will be visiting the Batticaloa District about the middle 

 of this month. 



Pasdum Korale East will start work shortly. The Assistant Government 

 Agent of Kaiutara reports in his Diary for February as follows :— " The Mudaliyar of 

 Pasdun liorale E.tst is preparing to start a Branch Association of tiie Agricultural 

 Sociecy in his division. He proposes to have two experimental gardens, as Ms 

 division is rather extensive, and to devote a portion of each garden to fruit and the 

 rest to vegetables. There is considerable room for development in market gardening 

 in this district. All kinds of fruit and vegetables suitable to the low country will 

 grow here in profusion." 



The Vavuniya Branch is conducting a number of experiments in the cultiva- 

 tion of cotton and other crops. 



The Forwarding Agency under the auspices of this Branch is actively engaged 

 in trying to find a good market for various products. It has already sent black 

 cattle and buffaloes, eggs and limes, yams and nux vomica seed to Colombo. The 

 price realized for nux vomica, Rs. 3-50 per cvvt., is considered low, and further in- 

 quiries are being made with a view to finding a better market. One indirect benefit 

 resulting from the Agency is that traders buying locally are now forced to offer 

 better prices for cattle, viz., Rs. 20 to 25 per head, instead of Rs. 12 to 18. 



The Agency is offering to book oranges in quantities of not less than hundred 

 at Rs. i per 10U, exclusive of freight. 



Mr. A. Y. Daniel, the Colombo auctioneer, writing on the subject of a Central 

 Agency, of which he will act as agent, says :— " Rs articles available for sale, I mark 

 a scarcity of fruit. This, I think, should command a ready sale, and consignments 

 should be encouraged. 1 note that the Ambalaiigoda Branch (Wellaboda pattu) 

 proposes to send flower pots. This, in my opinion, would not be advisable, as the 

 cost of transport will be heavy, besides the risk of breakage, Friday mornings will 

 be suitable days on which sales should be held." 



