August i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
121 
A GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CEYLON. 
The interesting letter of our correspondent 
"C. D." (page 116) adds emphasis to the suggestion 
we have so frequently repeated that the geological 
formations of Ceylon, some of them curious in a 
scientific point of view, and others of economic 
value from the wealth of minerals they bear, should 
be thoroughly examined and reported on, after 
the fashion of the Geological Survey which has 
been carried on now for so many years on the 
opposite continent of India. Such questions as the 
existence of comparatively recent plutonic action 
amidst, and of archaic glacial influence on, our 
rocks ought to be set at rest. We fear all idea 
of the discovery of coal must be abandoned, but 
it is more than probable that a thorough explo- 
ration, aided by such appliances as the diamond 
drill, might reveal the existence of ores, such as 
those of gold and silver and copper, and of crystals 
and gems rich and rare, which might add largely 
to the wealth of the oommunity. Heat, pressure, 
magnetism (another word for electricity?) may 
have converted many of the clays and other 
formations of our lower strata into forms of 
beauty and value, such as surface evidenoes have 
scarcely enabled us to appreciate. 
«. 
AGRI-HORTICULTURAL SHOWS GENE. 
RALLY : — AND THE APPROACHING 
HORSE SHOW IN PARTICULAR. 
We take no little credit to ourselves for the 
revival in the Colony within the past fifteen years 
of Provincial and District Agricultural Shows. 
In season and out of season, and especially on 
the arrival of successive Governors, we pressed 
on the attention of Government and the Re- 
venue Officers, the advantage to the people of 
establishing periodical Shows at the capital of each 
province or large revenue district. The advan- 
tage consisted not only in the stimulus to local 
industry, the incitement to healthy rivalry, and 
the fostering of a desire to earn honours — in 
medals and certificates— which are about the most 
fairly won of any open to the natives of the 
island ; but also in the promotion of social good- 
feeling among different races and classes and, 
last but not least, in providing one really inno- 
cent and pleaBant if not profitable holiday time 
in the year. To give something agaiu, for the rural 
Xandyans and lowcountry Sinhalese and Tamils 
to think and talk about, besides their last and ap 
proaching visits to the law courts and temple, would 
in itself be an indubitable benefit, and in some 
cases our full anticipation has been more than 
realized. Suggestions in the press deserve very 
little credit even if acted on, compared with the 
credit due to the officers who at much personal 
trouble, worry, and often expense, have set them- 
selves to get up such Agricultural Shows and 
Entertainments for their people as we refer to. 
Notably has this been done more than once or 
twice with the greatest possible success by that 
model Assistant Agent, Mr. Eaumgartner, in the 
Matnra district : and to some considerable and 
meritorious extent by Mr P. H. Price at Kegalla 
and by Mr. Burrows in Matale. The Provincial 
Shows at Kandy have not been so much the design 
or work of one man; but ouV regret must be that 
the good example of Kandy has not been followed 
at other Provincial capitals. An exception must 
be made in favour of Jaffna and its Government 
Agent Mr. Twynam. It is time now that Uva 
was making arrangements for a Show at Badulla, 
though there may be an inclination to delay until 
10 
the railway is finished in order to carry large 
numbers of visitors on the occasion to the anoient 
Principality. No such reason can be given for 
delay at the capital of Sabaragamuwa and of other 
provinces where no Agri-Horticultural Show has 
as yet been undertaken. 
Meantime, it is difficult to understand the somno- 
lence which has overtaken Colombo and the Wes- 
tern Province for a good many years back in the 
omission to provide any Agri Horticultural Show. 
In days gone by, Colombo always led the way as 
it ought, in this respect ; but there is one indispen- 
sable condition of success for such a General Show 
at the Metropolis, and that is the cordial sympathy 
and Bupport of the head of the Government. Now 
rightly or wrongly, of recent years, the provincial 
administrative officers at the Colombo Kacbcheri 
have been regarded as ocoupying very much " the 
cold shade of the Opposition benches." without 
much encouragement to do aught beyond the abso 
lute duties which each day called from them. 
This may possibly explain the hiatus. We should 
be very sorry indeed, however, to see the old system 
of a periodical Agri-Horticultural Show — say once 
in every two or three years — abolished, and we there- 
fore at the outset, viewed with much suspicion 
the announcement that the Government Agent 
or ex-Government Agent and other friends were 
interesting themselves in any suoh sectional 
and fractional affair as a mere " Horse Show." 
Ceylon is by no means an island distinguished 
for its stock. — though that may be regarded by 
some as all the more reason for stimulating im- 
provement in this direction, — nor is it under any 
circumstancf s likely to see successful horse -breeding 
establishments. Throughout Australasia, South 
Africa and even the old country, Horse Shows 
may be regarded as gatherings of national con- 
cern and interest. Here it is impossible to say 
that a Horse Show can be a matter of more than 
sporting and individual interest. We say so much 
to prevent Mr. Saunders or any other Western Pro- 
vince revenue official running away with the idea 
that the public can accept the approaching Show 
as a substitute for the Agri-Horticultural Exhibi- 
tion long past due in Colombo. On the advent 
of a new Governor one of the very first duties of 
the gentleman who may then be administering the 
Western Province and of his Assistants, should 
be to make arrangements and to do all in 
their power to promote a successful and repre- 
sentative Agri-Horticultural Show in the metropolis. 
This might well come off in the early part of 
1891 and we feel sure that all classes of the 
community would be ready to unite in making it 
a great success. 
Having thus done our duty, in reminding our 
leading Revenue officers what is expected of them 
in the early future, we have nothing but good 
wishes for the minor and sectional, though at the 
same time in its way, important and inter- 
esting Show which was arranged for under such 
influential auspices at a gathering last week. That 
the Committee thus appointed have not been idle 
is shown by the businesslike statement and 
comprehensive programme published elsewhere. 
We think the Committee have arrived at a wise 
decision in treating " subscription " as a guarantee 
fund to be operated on according to necessity, 
the hope no doubt being that receipts for admis- 
sion will cover nearly all the expenditure in get- 
ting up the Show, providing medals and other 
prizes, cfec. We think the selection of Slave Island 
patch for the Show a very good one as on the 
whole the most central, convenient and generally 
suitable of all avilable sites. No doubt it is anti- 
cipated that the Show may result in permanent 
