240 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST, fOcr. 2. 1893. 
quarters in praise of your agent in that country, 
of bis energy, his truetwortbioess, and his de- 
termination not to be cowed by the most seri- 
ous obstacles placed in his way, that personally 
I feel a plyaeure in putting his caee before your 
readers with all the strength of conviction felt 
by myself in the good the exercise of those 
qualities has effected on behalf of Oeylon. It 
is the hope of many of us here that some way 
may be devised of enabling him to extend 
those benefits while at the same time legitimately 
ssrving his own interests. — London Cor. 
THE DESTRUCTION OF FLIES AND 
GHEEN BUG. 
The subjoined letter and its enclosure is published 
in the (Jazctli; for general information: — 
iiy His JExcellency's command, J. A- Swbttenuam, 
Acting Colonial Secretary. 
Colonial Secretary's Office, Colombo, Aug, 17th, 1893. 
The Assistant Government Agent, Matara, to the 
Government Agent, Galle. 
No. 735. Matara Kachcheri, July 31st, 1893. 
Sir, — I have the honour to annex copy of a report 
No. 1,1.58 of the 23rd instant from the Mudaliyar of 
the "Weligam Korale, and to suggest that it be 
published for general information. 
2, I believe that in the use of these sprayers and 
" London Purple" is to be found a remedy for the fly 
that is so destructive to paddy in the Kandyan Pro- 
vinces, and possibly for green bug on coffee as well. — 
I am, &c., C. j. K. Le Mesukiek, 
Assistant Government Agent, 
Report referred to. 
The Mudaliyar, "Weligam Korale, to the Assistant 
Government Agent, Matara. 
No. 1,158. Teijjawila, July 23,1893. 
Sir,— In continuation of my letter No. 1,1-12 of the 
20th inst. I beg to submit for your information the 
highly successful results obtained by the use of the 
sprayer to destroy " godavellus," and the general 
feeling of gratitu e among the cultivators, particu- 
larly those of the fertile' paddy tracts of the Malim- 
mada division, where the sprayer was lately used, 
that a remedy has at last been discovered to avert 
what has been the curse of the cultivator from "time 
immemorial." 
Thegodavella was hitherto believed to be indigenous 
to the soil. The introduction of the sprayer has 
now brought the information that instead of its being 
so, it is a kind of caterpillar that comes from an egg 
that is laid by a moth that flies about during night 
from place to place. 
These insects generally appear about three days 
after sowing, in such numbers that the tract literally 
swarms with them, two or three of them attacking 
each paddy plant. If left unheeded the tract is 
converted into such a complete waste within seven 
or eight days that a second sowing is required. 
Flooding the tracts where water was available for 
that purpose was the only remedy known, and where 
this was not possible the more primitive methods 
of "polgehima" (coconut throwing) and " ankeliya" 
(horn pulling) and their connected feasts were resorted 
to, by which it was expected to propitiate the deities 
from whom this pest was supposed to be a visitation. 
The belief in such methods was maintained by the 
mere comcidence that as the period of these cere- 
monies drew to a close the godavellus, in the course 
of nature, disappeared. 
The first attempt to devise a more practical way 
of destroying them was made at your suggestion 
early in 1892. This was to sprinkle with the hand 
— like seed being thrown in sowing — a solution of 
one part of keros'ne oil to sixteen parts of water 
over the attacked tracts which had been previously 
flooded for the purpose. After a few hours the 
water was drained off, and the insects were found dead 
or were swept away dying with the ebbing water. 
I tried this in several large Iracts io Aparekka in 
the Welleboda pattu, but &khough the reaultu wera 
Batibfactory it bad its drawbacks in the Oiauaer of 
sprinkling, whicli was tiece.HBiuily ^lov^. aud iu the 
fact, too, that the »olutiou could be used only in 
flooded fields, or there was the danger of damage 
to the crops The sprayer removed the former, 
while the insecticide (London Parplej supplied tbie 
har\est li as removed the latter. \\ c have now an 
unfailing remedy, obviating, too, the oftcu impossible 
necetsity of flooding, to take the place of the 
pristine methods of '• polgehima " and "ankeUya" of 
our forefathers. 
Early in July there was great apprehension in 
Mahmmada, Uninduwela, and Kaduwa, some of the 
finest paddy tracts in the Province, owing to the 
appearance of godavellus in denser swarms than before, 
even prior to sowing, wherever a field was seen above 
water. This occurred just about the time theamu- 
nas wore to be broken for sowing. I deferred sowing 
for another week for fear of the insects getting into 
the fields when the water was drained off, and re- 
ported the state of affairs to you. The sprayer with 
the insecticide was sent. It was freely used in the 
parts of the tracts referred to, which were not 
flooded by the amunas. and the effect was even better 
than was expected. The insects operated on in the 
morning were found dead at sun-turn This was so 
reassuring that the cultivators, who opposed the late 
Mudaliyar in using the solution of kerosine oil, and 
who were clamoroua for the retention of the amanas 
even longer than I wished, of their own accord 
opened them, and allowed my men to spray the in- 
secticide, with the results stated. Within a few days 
there were no godavellus in thia tract. What speciaUy 
commends this treatment is that, unlike afi other 
methods, godavellus never appear in the same 
tract again, and that the powder is perfectly 
harmless to the plant, obviating, as I said, the ne- 
cessity for flooding the crops. There was a scramble 
for the sprayer among the cultivators when the 
first results were seen, and it was used here and 
there, so that the exact extent operated upon 
cannot be stated, but I put it down at thirty-five 
amunams. 
I am so satisfied with this experiment that I 
would recommend that six sprayers may be supplied 
to my district with the necessary insecticide, so 
that they may be used simultaneously all over the 
district in future occasions— I am, &c., 
Jas. a. Wickbe-meeatna, 
Mudaliyar, WeUgam Korale. 
NOTE BY THE ASSISTANT OOVEHNMESTT AOENT. 
The sprayer is a copper vessel containing akoot 4 
gallons of liquid. It is slung on a man's back and 
easily worked by him. the pump handle with one 
hand and th& jet with the other. I obtained my 
sprayer from Mr. J. H. Starey, of the Eastern 
Produce Company, at a cost of R68-27 in Colombo. 
The London Purple is used in the proportion of 
lib. to 100 gallons of water. It costs, I think, about 
f2 per cwt. in London, and it is sold by the 
Hemingway's London Purple Company, Limited, 
Loudon and New York. One pound is sufficient for 
about ten acres of paddy. C. J. R. Le Mesurier, 
A.ssistant Government Agent. 
BRAZIL COFFEE, 
In their Market Report, dated on the 13th Augt. 
Messrs. Vaughan, McNair & Co., of Bahia, says: 
" In the superior gp:adesof coffee, values are steadily 
rising, whilst the lower qualities, of which but few 
are bought by exporters, prices remain very steady. 
It is expected that moet of this eeason's coffee will 
pass through the hands of the machine clea.Jng 
companies before reaching exporters. Crop reports 
continue of the best and a total hars'est .of not less 
than 400,000 sacks is expected, Some dealers expect 
fully half as much again, but we consider the figures 
given as being nearly correct."- A'jo iVcus. 
