660 
when young. There is, it must be confessed, 
however, rntlier a rank odour about tlie fruit 
which does not make it universally jtopular. 
Egyptian-grown luffas have become quite an 
article of commerce, being exported mainly to 
Etigland and Germany, the packages contain- 
ing 1,000 to 1,500 each ; but a small proportion 
of these are of the whiteness and (fuality that 
indicate a proper care in preparation. When 
a sponge cucumber is dried whole, the nett- 
ing is easily separated, but its fibre will have 
a brownish colour, and will have lost much 
of its textile strength. Naturally the reti- 
culation is ot silvery whiteness, but this can 
easily be preserved by a proper method of 
cleaning it from the rind, seeds and pulp when 
the fruit is mature but .still green ; and the 
whole must be done at one operation or the 
sponge will change colours. When the fruit 
is mature it will be known by its green rind 
lightening in colour and becoming more dry ; 
it should then be cut off and hung in the hou.<e 
for a week or more until the juice, in large 
measure, dries out of the rind. The cucumbier 
should then be pared and the cap at the lower 
end removed, to open the seed channels. It 
should then be kneaded and squeezed under 
a large pan of hotwater till the seed or pulp 
are washed out. When fully ripe the .^eeds 
are yet black. When the reticulated skeleton 
has been well cleaned, hang it up on a pin- 
hook and string to dry indoors, when it 
should become of a silvery whiteness. By ex- 
posure to the air, even when kept in darkness, 
the whitest luff a sponges changes to a light 
orange yellow. The colouring matter i.s, how- 
ever, to a great extent soluble in water with 
soap, and much of it may be washed out. 
Sponges in frequent use become of a light 
greyish tint and slowly weaker in fibre, par- 
ticularly in the outer or circular layer which 
is not so tough as the internal longitudinal one. 
The sponges are, however, quite durable com- 
pared with those got from the sea, and are odour- 
less when well washed ; no fabric wlien wet 
has as decided an effect as a rubifacient on 
the skin, and care must be taken that it does 
not take too deep a hold when the skin i.< 
young and tender. For delicate skin and chil- 
dren the immature skeletons should be selected, 
or the small end of mature ones which is 
much finer in fibre than the base. In Ceylon we 
have two indigenious varieties of luffa, viz., L. 
.^gyptica (Sin. Niyan-veta-holu) and. L. Acutan- 
gula (Sin. Veta-kolu or dara-veta-kolu). The 
fruits are used as vegetables, and but seldom 
allowed to mature for preparing luffa-glones. 
GE>'£AAL ITEM& 
The idea entertained by eoma p«K>ple that a 
browu-.><hened eg^; is richer than a white- 
shelled one is simply a theory that lias no 
foundation in fact. The colour of the egg, 
however, indicates the clatk of hen whicli laid 
it. For instance, thH Cochins and Bruhutoas lay 
brown-shelled eggs, the Leghorn^, Spnni^lj and 
Minorciis lay white-t'helled eggs, while certain 
intermediate breeds, i^uch ns the Plymouth Rock^ 
and Wyandottes lay liglit brown or cream- 
coluured eggs. It is tlie yolk of the egg which 
is an indication of its richneets. 
A hundred pounds of ,san<1 will absorb twenty- 
five poun<ls of water ; KW Ib.s. of loam, 4t» lbs ; KKJ 
lbs. of clay loam, lbs ; 100 lbs. of clay, 70 lbs. 
In the Cuttack District a variety of betel is 
grown which \n\* a strung scent of camphor, 
and the leaves are used as a sacred offering in 
the worship of the gods or reserved for dibtiu- 
guibhed visitors. 
Tliese has been some discussion in poultry 
circles onth« question, whether the colour of a 
bird has any influence on its egg-producing quAli- 
ties. A correspondent writ«s :— I liave made tlie 
subject one of considerable thought aud study, and 
1 must admit that birds po8ses:«iug black plumage 
(much as I dislike them) will lay the greatest 
numberof eggs in a given lenglhof lime, all things 
being equal. My ob.servatiou has been that parti- 
coloured birds, e.vcept those possesbing a portion 
of white in the plumage, come next in order 
of proltiftcacy, while those possessing much white, 
or purely white plumage, range lowest in the 
.scale. 1 have also observed that black fowls 
beget the largest percentage of chickens from 
eggs set, and of a more vigorous nature. 
Soot has a considerable manurial value, but is 
worth more as a manure for some vegetables 
because it repels insects, and makes the ground 
warmer by absorbing the heat of the sun which 
falls upon it. Soot, moreover, has the valuable 
property of absorbing ammonia from the air and 
retaining the nitrates in manure. 
The absence of sun is bad for the flowers of 
the tomato setting well, and the fruit is very 
slow in colouring. A moist atmosphere or soil is 
detrimental to the plant and one of the chief 
causes of cladiosporium fungus. 
