November i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
367 
Guano.— The Times, in its notice of the exhibits at the 
Jubilee meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society at 
Windsor has the following respecting artificial manures ! 
— "An >ther large industry which has grown up during 
the last fifty years, is that of the artificial manure 
trades. It is not generally known that the present 
year is the jubilee year of the introduction of guano, 
the first crop having been landed in this country in 
1839. The Anglo-Continental (late Ohlendorff 's) Guano 
Company have therefore prepared for the show an 
interesting exhibit, and also a pamphlet by Mr. Herman 
Voss, explaining and recording the history of its 
use for fifty years. Other noteworthy and instructive 
manure stands are those of Odams' Manure Company, 
Messrs. Proctors & Ryland, and the Native Guano 
Company." — Sugar Cane. 
Mining in Ceylon. — The letter of "Graphite" 
ia a timely and useful contribution to the discussion 
in our oolumns which, wo trust, is likely to result in 
a revolution in the present mode of conducting 
mining and gemming operations in Ceylon. He 
makes out a strong cate for legislation and writes 
so much to the point that if the Government 
take no notice of the matter and do nothing, the 
next Coroner's jury sitting on a man killed in 
a plumbago mine or pit, would be fully justified 
in adding a stronger " rider " to their verdict 
condemnatory of the Executive. The case is one 
indeed for an official inquiry and report as to 
the present condition and system of working for 
plumbago in Ceylon, and on such report, taken 
in conjunction with the legislative measures 
enacted in other Colonies, the needful ordinance 
could be drafted. " Graphite " opens up other 
and interesting topics in connection with the 
wasteful system of plumbago mining observed 
here ; but we refrain from comment beyond say- 
ing that a fresh argument is thus adduced for 
the introduction of British capital to deal with 
the Ceylon plumbago, as well as gem ming fields. 
Jayawardanapora Arrowroot. — The " Satvalokaya" 
of 16th Oct. contains an editorial note on the above 
subject. The editor says : — " That arrowroot is a 
very nourishing diet for invalids and the infirm, 
but what is sold in the market being adulterated with 
the starch of the sweet-pntatoe, the cassawa, and 
rice is not wholesome either for the sick or those in 
health. The arrowroot imported from foreign coun- 
tries and sold in shops is t >o costly for the general 
pubb'c. Mr. R. P. Jayawardana of Cotta made an 
attempt to meet this want, and we are happy to see 
that he has succeeded in his attempt. The article 
prepared by him is quite pure nnd is of a superior 
quality. Though the price is 35 cents per pound it 
can be used witnout feeling any anxiety. It is always 
advantageous iu the long run to buy a superior ar- 
ticle at a high rate than one of inferior quality at 
a cheap rate; a anmple of Mr. Jayawardana's arrowroot 
was sent to Dr. J. L). Macdonald, m.d., the Medical 
Superintendent of the Colombo Hospital, who ex- 
amined it and he has informed the Principal Civil 
Me lical Officer and the Inspector-General of Hospitals 
that it is perfectly pure, and excellent in quality ) 
and in his opinion a better article of diet than 
Brown & Poison's corn flour which is sold at 
double the price, and that he has therefore 
given orders that this arrowroot be used in 
future in the Planters and Anthoniez Wards, and Sea- 
men's Wards of the Hospital to the exclusion of any 
other kind. The Editor of the Observer says in his 
paper that he has had a good report from a house- 
keeper who has tried Mr. Jayawardana's arrowroot 
in several ways. She finds it much purer and whiter 
than which is bought at the door, and can recom- 
mend it as probably equal to aua much less expensive 
than the West India arrowroot in tins. Moreover 
Mr. Jayawardana, has been awarded 2 silver medals 
at two exhibitions held in the islaud. He is pre- 
paring a sample of his article to be forwarded to the 
Now Z inland and South Seas Exhibition, where, too, 
we hope he will carry a prize. 
" Petuoleum Engines." — It is interesting fc 
learn t iat two engines using kerosene oil are now in 
Ceylon and have been tried suoces-fully : one on 
an estate upeountry for some time, and the other 
just proved satisfactorily in Colombo. We have been 
allowed to copyjthe following extract from a planter's 
letter'on the subject as of special publio interest : 
" If you are to get an engine you should get one the 
same as 's petroleum. They are by far the best 
in every way and cost far less than any other driv- 
ing power you can have, unless, of course, a water- 
wheel. Tbey are as simple as an old pump and will 
go without anyone near them for any length of time, 
and if I had 1,000 acres of jungle near at hand I 
would get a petroleum engine. In fact there is no 
comparison, and I have seen working for 
months now. They pour in the cheapest and coarsest 
kerosene oil into a tank, start the engine, lock the 
door of the engine-house, and it will go by itself 
the ;|whole day. No fire or anything of the kind 
near it. It is just like a small cannon wi'h the 
piston rod going inside it ; and the power of force 
is obtained in the same way. Every time the piston 
crank revolves, there is an explosion of one drop of 
kerosene oil which of course drives back the piston 
rod, the oil is ignited inside the cannon breach by 
the electric spark, and you start and stop the engine 
by removing the zinc plate from the galvanic battery. 
There is no noise or sound and sh a works up to 8 H P., 
but you can get them up to 350 H. P. I don't know 
why our Company did not get them Why a steam- 
engine cost3 ten times the amount to work." 
i EYLON EXPORTS AND DISTRIBUTION 1889-90. 
Plum- 
bago. 
1889 
cwt. 
CO 
5784 
12037 
6312 
31840 
Coconut Oil. 
1888 
cwt. 
cm 
OJ © — 
90 : : : : : cxi to : : 
: : cm : : 
- . (7i . : cm 
11041 1 
16565 I 
17858 I 
279U J 
§0 £ 
I 3010 
I 201 
1999 
201 
«n ■ ,-«- . -n 
CO OO rH 
: : 10 . 0 
• IQ 
Cinnamon. 
Chips 
lb. 
2460 
lion 
560 
1 a^TH oo<o 
. . — O •<• CO 
- . . : . : wwoio 

Bales 
lb. 
146286 
'l30 
30000 
7985 ' 176416 
6931| 121654 
4133 8S498 
9715 197185 
v a 
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1 * 
i 
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