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JOURNAL R. A. S. (CEYLON), [VOL. II., PART I. 



addition to other productions, and it will grow upon land which 

 is not good enough for hill-paddy. Many different seeds are 

 sown with kurakkan and are cropped afterwards ; a few of these 

 are Mun-eta, Kollu, Ulundu, and Bume, all vetches. Panna 

 a kind of corn, Aba (mustard), Miris (chillies), Asamodagan 

 (a curry stuff), Iringu (Indian corn), Amu (small grain), M6- 

 karal (a kind of bean), Wambatu (brinjal), with Kekiri, 

 Tigambard, Alu-puhul, Rata-pu/iul, Diya-labu, and Vetakolu, — 

 all different kinds of gourds and cucumbers. 



Tobacco. 



So very little tobacco is cultivated by the natives of Ceylon 

 generally, and in the District of Sabaragamuwa less than in 

 many other parts of the Island, that a very short notice will 

 suffice to describe the simple operations connected with its 

 culture. When it is intended to plant tobacco, cattle are penned 

 upon the ground to manure it, after which the surface is broken 

 up with the mamoty or hoe. After this, at distances of three 

 feet apart every way, holes are dug about eighteen inches wide 

 and as much as two feet deep, which are filled with cow-dung 

 and soil. 



In the meantime a nursery of young plants has been 

 prepared, on newly-cleared ground under shade, well manured 

 by the ashes of the burnt chena. When the seedlings have 

 attained the size of three leaves, they are considered best to 

 transplant into the holes ; after which the utmost care is taken 

 of them by shading and watching until the roots have taken 

 firm hold of the ground. From this period until they arrive at 

 maturity, the plants are continually inspected, to remove decay- 

 ing leaves and insects to which they are very liable. Having 

 attained the. height of 2^ feet, the top of the plant is cut 

 off, and it is well earthed up round the roots ; this prevents 

 the plant running rapidly to seed and promotes the growth of 

 the leaves. About three months is sufficient to bring the plant 



