Supplement to the "Tropical Agvkulixwist? [November i, 1889. 
present situation of the Veterinary profession whose 
relation with the medical profession is daily becom- 
ing closer: every year showing more plainly the 
necessity for co-operation between the two : while 
the British Parliament calls on members of the Veteri- 
nary profession for evidence in enquiries concerning 
public health. And what is the position of Veteri- 
nary Science in Ceylon? Why not a whit better 
than what it was in England in 1861: The tradi- 
tional nostrums which Professor Axe so indignantly 
refers to are the sheet anohor of ignorant, cattle 
owners, who blindly hand over fees to " miserable 
quacks" always ready to dupe them. I have seen 
ermgh of their vicious treatment during the recent 
r\n emic I But how long is this state of things to 
Kmc? While we are beautifying our parks and public 
gardens, are we going to allow disease and loss and 
misery to affect cattle and through them the people, 
and not move a finger in the matter? 
It is a good sign that medical men have made a 
move, for often in a country that is passing through 
a stage such as ours is, it is thought necessary that 
some person "of high social standing" should foster 
a subject which till then is considered infra dig. to 
discuss, and make it elegant. Let us not despise 
the means, but let us have security at any cost. 
Our cattle owners should know what precautions 
necessary in cases of epizootic attacks, they should 
adopt; and acquaint themselves with the rational 
remedies for ordinary ailments. They should be 
made to see that better shelter means less food 
for the beasts, and immunity from the many ills that 
originate with careless exposure : further they should 
better understand the subjects of food and feeding and 
their results in the production of more wholesome 
meat and more nutritious milk : while the sanitation 
of cattlepens should command their careful attention. 
COTTON. IV. 
By Aba. 
In the early stages of its growth the cotton plant 
is of a very delicate nature and it becomes a mat- 
ter of the greatest difficulty to suit it both in climate 
and soil, neverthless localities do exist to a limited 
extent where both the climate and the soil are suit- 
able. Keeping this in mind it becomes a matter of 
the greatest importance to the cotton planter to un- 
derstand the peculiarities of the soil (leaving alone 
that of climate as beyond his control), to search out 
the deficiencies where they exist, and as far as prac- 
ticable to remedy these by artificial means. It may 
not be possible to remedy all the imperfections, yet 
it is within the province of the planter by a judi- 
cious mode of cultivation to endeavour to meet the 
peculiar wants of the cotton plant. 
Land on which cotton may be grown is found in 
various conditions, such as forest-land, chenas, ordi- 
nary garden land, &c, but I shall not stay to make 
any remarks about the preliminary operations required 
to be done in bringing any of these lands, under 
cultivation, as the operations of felling, clearing, &c, 
are known to every planter or cultivator. I shall only 
say that all lands, when practicable, should be thoroughly 
broken up with the plough long enough before plant- 
ing to allow the atmosphere to act upon the soil. 
Experience in America has taught that ploughing is 
of the greatest importance in cotton growing. It has 
increased, it is said the lowland crops of cotton at 
least one-third. 
I will now proceed to describe the mode of culti- 
vating cotton which is followed on the Saidapet Ex- 
perimental Farm where some of the happiest days of 
my life were passed. The land is first well ploughed ; 
then harrowed, rolled, weeded, &c. It is afterwards 
thrown up in ridges of two feet apart. In the fur- 
rows between these ridges farmyard manure at the 
rate of 20 cart loads to the acre iB applied. The ridges 
are now split through the centre with a plough, one- 
half being cast over the manure on either side, thus 
raising new ridges. These ridges are harrowed 
with the chain harrow to consolidate them, and Indian 
corn and cotton sown along their tops. This is the 
best method of cultivation that is suitable on arable 
lands. The Indian corn would cover the cost of 
growing the crop &c. Instead of Indian corn some 
other "fine grain" crop may be sown between the 
rows of cotton. 
Let us suppose that the intending cotton planter 
having selected his land has prepared it for sowing 
by ploughing or otherwise. The next thing to be looked 
to is the careful selection of the seed. The vitality 
of cotton seed is soon impaired; therefore the planter 
should be careful to procure fresh seed. 
The planting should be done at the proper season ; 
if indiscriminately done the drying of the pods might 
take place in wet weather and the cotton get da- 
maged. It would be quite useless for the plants to 
grow well and the staple to get spoilt by wet weather. 
Bearing this fact in mind the planter should select a 
season for planting, so that the picking may come on 
in dry weather. 
It has been ascertained by experiments recently 
carried on that the months of August and September 
are the best for cotton planting in Ceylon. In South- 
ern India where the conditions are much the same 
as ours, planting is mostly done in these two months. 
The object aimed at in selecting these months for 
planting is to get the pods to ripen in January and 
February which are usually dry months with us. 
I have already briefly noticed the different varieties 
of cotton, and will now give directions for planting 
each variety. 
The Pernambuco or Kidney Cotton. — Two pounds of 
seed of this variety are sufficient for planting an 
acre. As the seeds are attached to each other, they 
should be separated previous to planting. The Kidney 
Cotton grows to a large size, and single trees are 
generally found growing in the compounds of native 
houses lasting for many years. Holes should be made 
at a distance of 4 to 6 feet apart each way accord- 
ing to richness of soil, in the prepared land, and 
two seeds put down in each hole. This variety of 
cotton it may be safely said is the best suited to the 
requirements of our climate and soil. 
The Egyptian, although a perennial plant, is treat- 
ed as an annual in cultivation. As this variety is not 
naturalized in Ceylon, it is well occasionally to pro- 
cure first supplies of seed from outside as it tends to 
degenerate after several seasons of growth. Three 
pounds of seed are sufficient for an acre of ground, 
and the holes for planting should be made 3 feet apart 
each way. 
American Cotton. — Of the American cottons the New 
Orleans variety should be preferred above all the others. 
It is especially suited for high cultivation, and where 
this is not followed it will not produce good results. 
As the plants resemble the Egyptian a good deal, the 
seed of this cotton should also be planted 3x3. 
The Tinnevelly is generally sown broadcast, but 
better results may be obtained by planting. The seeds 
should be put down closer as the plant does not 
grow so large as the other varieties of cotton. 2x3 
feet apart would be about the best distance to make 
the holes. I have found it useful to steep the seed 
in a mixture of fresh cowdung and water before 
planting, as the plants are thus made more vigorous 
during the earlier stages. 
PADDY CULTIVATION AND TEANSPLANTING 
IV. 
By W. A. De Silva. 
Irrigation. — Hitherto I have described briefly the pro- 
cess of selecting the Seed paddy, raising it in the nursery 
and then planting out. But the principal requisite in 
paddy cultivation is irrigation, and this is a process 
which involves a good deal of time, labour and ex- 
penses. 
It is generally admitted that paddy is a semi-aquatic 
plant, and it can grow to perfection only in the pre- 
sence of water, and hence water is considered as the 
