April 1907.] 



257 



The Kandij Co-operative Agency.— This Agency reports that it is prepared to 

 undertake the sale of every description of agricultural produce, including cattle and 

 poultry, &c. 



Spirit made from the Kaju Puhulan. — Professor Dunstan reports as follows 

 on a sample of spirit supplied to the Imperial Institute by the Matale Branch 

 Society :— 



"The sample of spirit made from the ' Kaiu Poolan,' the succulent fruit 

 stalk (called Cashew Apple) of the Caju-nut. which you forwarded to the Imperial 

 Institute, through Sir Stanley Bois in August last, has been examined here, and I 

 now send the following information regarding it : — 



" The sample consisted of 90 ec. of a clear, faintly yellow liquid, having an 

 aromatic taste and odour ; its specific gravity was , 9012. 



"The examination showed that the product was a dilute spirit containing 

 47*2 per cent, of absolute ethyl alcohol, 0-25 per cent, of ethers (calculated as acetic 

 ether), and 92 per cent, total acids (calculated as acetic acid). The remaining 52 5 

 per cent, consisted of water with a very small quantity of dissolved solid matter. It 

 was not possible to detect the presence of higher alcohols owing to the smallness of 

 the sample." 



The Wellaboda Patlu (Galle) has a membership of 160. A resident landowner, 

 in sending a donation of Rs. 315 on behalf of the Show Fund last year, wrote as 

 follows in appreciation of the work undertaken by the Society : — " I am one who has 

 p rofited by the establishment of the Agricultural Association. I have (being induced 

 by its work) improved a considerable extent ol land which was lying waste for a long 

 time." Vegetable growing has become a recreation with some and an industry with 

 others, and the cultivation has been so largely taken up that 57 gardens were 

 allowed by the Committee to compete for the gold medal awarded at the Show 

 last year. The produce of the Experimental Garden is sold weekly, and seed is 

 being distributed free to villagers. The experiment in poultry farming proved a 

 failure and had to be given up. The Society is offering prizes for vegetable gardens 

 — cultivated according to approved methods— to encourage cultivators. At a 

 Meeting of this Society held on the 16th March, the following resolution among 

 others was adopted :— 



Resolved—" That with the view of encouraging garden cultivation on 

 approved methods, and also lor the purpose of finding occupation and residing 

 grounds for persons having no lands of their own but willing to help themselves, 

 the Government be asked through the Parent Society to set apart about a hundred 

 acres of Crown land, which such persons, on the recommendation of this Association, 

 can occupy and plant on payment of a rent, and on the understanding that the 

 plantations shall not be abandoned without sufficient cause." 



Proposed Centred Agency in Colombo. — The Special Committee appointed 

 by the Board in January last to consider the desirability of establishing a Central 

 Agency in Colombo, after two sittings, have submitted their report, recommending 

 the employment of an auctioneer as agent. The report is tabled for information 

 of the Board. Circulars have been addressed to the Branch Societies as per recom. 

 mendations (6) and (c). 



The Committee of Agricultural Experiments, at a Meeting held at the 

 Experiment Station, Peradeniya, on the 7th March, adopted the following 

 resolutions :— 



(a) "That a return be supplied of all other experiments other than 

 cacao in progress." 



