April i, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
cognition as foes )>y the unfortunate planter ; and 
the best counsel we can give is to urge on the 
sufferers the necessity for an accurate biological study, 
continuing Mr. Ilaldaue's praiseworthy beginning. 
Tlic very excellent work in the Reports of Riloy 
and other American economic entomologists may be 
taken as a standard. 
So far as they go, Mr. Haldane's observations are 
eminently intelligible and appeal to the common sense 
of his readers. The system of planting has developed 
an abundance of food more suitable for the larva: 
of tho beetles than their natural pabulum, and the 
excessive rainfall of the last four years has me- 
chanically aided their increase by loosening the soil, 
facilitating its penetration both by the grub and 
perfect insects. Rich soil, especially where there is 
decaying timber, seems to be most aff'ectod. 
Mr. Maldano has instinctively tried all the methods 
which have sufficed for keeping down the injuries 
occasionally inflicted by our European cockchafer ; 
but the luxuriance of tropical life is far too great 
for such superficial safeguards as hand-picking, col- 
lecting on 6heets, &c. We may note that French 
agriculturists have found alkaline dressings the most 
certain, speedy, and economical mode of destroying 
the larva:. It is during the earlier stages, when 
these arc accurately known, that the real work must 
be done : and it surely is not too much to expect 
that at least the most destructive kinds should 
be readily and thoroughly investigated, ab ovo. At 
present there seems some discrepancy of opinion as to 
the larvse of some of them, though, from 'the figures 
giveu, we should thiuk the "grey grub" most prob- 
ably that of one of the Otoniidse. It is stated 
(p. 19) that larva; of this kind, which presented no 
distinguishing characteristics, " turned into two distinct 
vorietics of beetles, a proof of how impossible it is 
to distinguish variety in the immature insect." The 
author's note shows tint he recognizes the inaccuracy 
of these remarks ; there would, of course, be little 
difficulty to an entomologist iu discriminating between 
the larva; of a Cetonia and of a Melolontha (amongst 
other things the head is not as broad us the body 
in the former, though it is in the latter), and there 
must have been eome confusion in the erpiriment. 
In detecting the sexes .also, the autcnn.'e will generally 
be found of use, as the foliated club is (sometimes con- 
spicuously and usually appreciably) larger in the male. 
One of the Bupre-tnkc is represented, with the 
remark that it probably does no harm. But the 
larv.e of speoies of this family are all internal veget- 
able feeders, and nre occasionally very destructive 
to plant lilV; so Mr. Haldane's first idea in liguring 
it among the enemies was most likely correct. 
The natural enemies of the "grub" are referred to, 
and an instance of attack by a carnivorous beetle is 
recorded at p. 13. This, in ail probability one of the 
grc.v family Carabidaj, is imagined (p. 31) to be a 
dung beetle by another observer, whose notes are re- 
■Oauced. Among them is an expression of belief 
(bat the plague lias takon so firm a hold on a largo 
part of the coffee districts, that individual efforts 
can have no effect in reducing it, and that the aid 
of Government must be invoked. The home author- 
ity is hore intended, as "it appeaiB to bo useless 
to expect much activity or assistance from tho local 
Government." 
12 miles west of Balangoda. There is a hardly 
practicable foot-path to the spot from Pelmadulla. 
Early in 1881 several largo "catseyes" were found here, 
and during tho middle 
over a thousand men 
about Kekunagahado 
a mile to tho south, 
of diggers established 
perty iu the forests 
galla, where they foun 
they sank are about 
the depth of about 4 ] 
is found, discolored t( 
matter; below this the 
eighteen inches thick 
pebbles, in all respect 
is time a large number 
es on the private pro- 
gastenna and KunJia- 
md sapphires. The pits 
eep and 15 square. To 
sual reddish \ellow soil 
ie surface by vegetable 
ratum of from a foot to 
1, sand and well-rolled 
o the bed of a stream . 
mil DIGGING l\ BAM BARABOTUWA, CEYLON. 
{From an Old Colonist ) 
About tho beginning of last year gem-digging was 
commonced on a large scale in Bimb.irabotuwa. Tho 
lir-t Spot that neotns to have attracted attention was 
Kekunagabadola, on the lower end of tie I'etigal- 
Wanda range, as it joins the U.imli uabotuw a lulls, about 
106 
It is iu this stratum that the gems are found. In 
some of the pits, tunnels have been formed for 
many yards, which must be very dangerous, as no 
attempts are made to shore up the enrth. Some 
months ago the Assistant Government Agsnt of Ralnn- 
pura brought a certaiu number of diggers before 
the District Court, and it is said that the District 
Judge fined them RIO each. They appealed to 
the Supreme Court, and the judgment of the Dis- 
trict Court was quashed, the fines being refunded to 
the diggers, who immediately renewed their operations 
on the Crown lands in the forests about Kekunagai a- 
dola, where there are at present several hundreds 
at work. 
The Massana estate is at the upper end of the forest 
to the east of Kekunagahadola and Lilwalnhena, 
and a small piece of land on the property has been 
rented to the diggers at the rate of R50 a month. 
Here also catseyes w ould appear to be the pi incipal gems 
found. When poor Ciii well was in charge of this estate, 
tho late Dr. Rudolf Oygax went with him and some other 
friends iu search of precious stones, and though they 
found nothing of much value poor Gygax considered that 
a properly organized search on scientilic principles 
would be likely to prove highly remunerative, but 
we were all so sure of making fortunes then v ith 
coffee, that no one liked the idea of allowing a y- 
thing to take his attention oil' the one absorbing pur- 
suit. Amongst the rumours in Boltumbe and Bam- 
barabotuwa, it is said, that a Moorman with two 
Kandians from Balangoda went into the Wellaw. a 
forest, up tho bed of the Welawe strea..i, 
and in two days returned with a catseye, for which 
they were offered 1U.U00 iu Balaugoda. The roads 
opened over thirty years ago iu Bambara- 
botuwa and Boltumbe, are in many places almost 
obliterated. They were traced by Government, at. I 
sections were made of them, and they were forme I 
into very superior bridle-paths by the planters. Such 
portions of them as are used by tho villagers are still 
almost fit for cart traffic ; iu some places they haw 
been blocked up for chena cultivation, and the approache- 
to the chenai cut through, eo that tho trace is 
difficult to find. The Road Committees seem to ignore 
tbo line altogether, although few parts of the island 
are in such great need of being opened up by roads. 
If there were any well-defined law on the subject 
of gem-digging, it is more than probable that capital 
would bo forthcoming for the duo prosecution of tho 
search for precious stones, and that an importaut 
business WOuM spring up, and bring wealth and civil- 
\i. diou into what, is now tho wildest and moat savage 
part of Ceylon. But in tho pre-eut uncertainty as 
to the claims of tbo Government, and the apparent 
absenco of all law on tho subject, no ono who has 
anything to lose can engage in such a Kpcculntion. 
The consequence is that the persons now occupied in 
gem-digging nr«J more like banditti than lal> irert, 
and 1 M a very lawless and NOklett sort of n ••• 
