Sept. 1, 1893.] Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist'" 
watered fertile spots like oases in a sandy desert. 
Grass and other fodder crops may be abundantly 
grown in these fertile places, throughout the 
year or in rotation with the paddy, so as to sup- 
ply forage to the cattle both there and in the dry 
districts around. For instance, in the North, a 
few miles from MuUaittivu, we come across a fer- 
tile spot called Taniuttu, which derives its name 
from a perennial stream by which it is watered. 
The vegetation here is in a very thriving condition, 
and the place contrasts favourably with the dry 
and sterile look of the town of MuUaittivu. The 
flora on the banks of the stream is characteristic 
of comparatively cold places, and bears a striking 
resemblance to that of some hilly districts in the 
centre of our Island. At MuUaittivu cattle puffer 
from a scarcity of food during the dry season, 
and sometimes when the drought is unusually 
prolonged, they are well nigh starved to death, 
^^ow, why should not cattle-owners of this place 
take advantage of the close proximity of the 
fertile and well-watered village for growing a 
large quantity of fodder for their starving cattle ? 
a. Where natural irrigation is not available 
in the vicinity, recourse may be often had to arti- 
ficial irrigation for growing fodder crops. Now, 
that there is a fair sprinkling of tanks, why 
should not a part of the immense tracts of land 
under them be set apart for growing food for 
cattle ? And indeed even where such easy irrigation 
is unavailable, some have found it profitable to 
grow fodder by irrigation from wells by means of 
the •■ picottah,' or ' well-sweep,' though on a small 
scale. For example, in the Mission compound at 
Nellore, there is a nice little plot of guinea grass 
grown in this way. The tall, luxuriant growth 
of it shows that much might be done by this 
method of irrigation. 
■4. Besides straw and grass, there are various 
other kinds of forage used in the districts with 
scanty raiufall ; and the great avidity with which 
half-starved cattle, being compelled by necessity, 
gorge themselves with any trash they come across, 
has become proverbial in the North. But there is 
also a variety of wholesome stufE with which they 
may be fed. 
(i.J The browse of various trees and shrubs is 
one of this class. The live-fence trees such as 
Erythryna Indica, Inga dulcis, &c., which are so 
common, are very serviceable to cattle in this 
way ; and considering the fact that they also 
form strong, durable fences and are useful for 
shade and shelter in addition, the usefulness 
of live fences cannot be too highly spoken of. 
The leaves and tender twigs of some common 
big trees are also sometimes eaten by cattle ; 
and certain varieties of browse are reputed to have 
medicinal properties too. Thus the margosa leaf 
which is freely eaten by cattle in some parts, is 
said to have a tonic action, while the erythrina 
leaves serve as a laxative when taken in consider- 
able quantities. But there are several kinds of 
browse to which cattle do not take very kindly 
until they are specially trained by degrees to eat 
them. 
(^2.) The leaves aud stalks of the maize and the 
straw or hay of the inferior cereals, such as 
' kurakkan" (J^^lcusinc corucana), ' Varagu' (Paul- 
cum miliaceum), ' Tiuai' {Fanicum Italicum), 
' Shami' {I'anicum miliare) are also used for foed- 
iug cuttle ill JaSuaaud 8ow*j adjoiaiug di«trigt3, 
(•3.) The bran of paddy is given to cows and 
cart-bulls. When given to milch cows mixed up 
with tepid water, it is said to increase their 
yield of milk. 
(4.) The mesocarp of the tender palrayrah 
fruit is also said to have a similar effect. By 
way of explanation it might be meutioned that 
all the palmyrah fruits do not mature and ripen 
on the tree. Many of them drop down when they 
are tender, i.e., in the nonliu stage, being shaken 
off by the wind or partly injured by squirrels &c. 
They are then gathered, and after the refreshing 
juice in the ' eyes' of the nonku is sucked up and 
drunk by children, who, by the way, are extremely 
fond of it, the tender fruit is sliced up into 
thin bits and served to the cows. 
There are several other kinds of food which 
are given to cattle in the dry districts of the 
North-East, but as they are of minor importance, 
it is not necessary to mention them here, but 
I trust that these few lines will awaken some 
little interest in the subject of fodder. The 
nacural grass in the South-West and centre of the 
Island is generally so abundant and \infailing 
that most of the village cattle-owners there com- 
placently regard it as a sufficient food for all 
classes of cattle at all times and seasons ; but it 
is in the dry parts of the North where protracted 
droughts occur, that the necessity for raising 
artificial forage is seen. When we remember 
that all the meat, dairj- products, and labour of 
cattle come to us as the result of feeding, the 
importance of growing sufiBcient food for cattle 
will not be undervalued, and I have been induced 
to write these notes in the interests of starving 
cattle, after seeing the careful feeding on scienti- 
fic principles practised at the Government Dairy, 
and the laudable attempts of the Superintendent 
of the School of Agriculture to introduce fodder 
crops into the Island. 
E. T. HOOLE. 
ZOOLOGICAL NOTES FOE AGRICULTUHAL 
STUDENTS. 
We now come to the fourth class of Aimulosa, 
and perhaps the most important group of animals 
so far as the agriculturist is concerned, viz., Insectai 
The Insecta may be defined as articulate animals 
in which the head, thorax, and abdomen are 
distinct ; there are three pairs of legs borne 
on the thorax, the abdomen is destitute of 
legs, and a single pair of antennse is present 
in most there are two pairs of wiugs on the 
thorax ; respiration is carried on by means of 
trachsea. The natural orders of insects which 
possess the greatest interest to the agriculturist 
are Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Ho- 
moptera, and Diptera. The terminatiou ptera 
is derived from the Greek pteron a wing, wliile 
the prefix refers to some peculiarity of that 
organ. 
The life-history of many insects may be 
illustrated by that of the butterfly. The female 
lays eggs which produce caterpillars (or larvic). 
\\ hen full grown these choose a place of security, 
or in some cases spin a cocoon in which to 
change to the chrysalis (or pupa) stage, lu 
due time the outer coat of the pupa cracks 
