706 
Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist." [April 1, 1895. 
were begun to be grown. Mauritius grass grown 
on very marshy land h is a tendency to produce 
scour in cattle, especially after the rains, while 
grass manured with refuse maldive-fish manure, 
though of a very luxuriant growth, is much ob- 
jected to by milch cows. 
«■ — ■ ■■ 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
Errata. — In the last number of the Magazine 
the present strength of the school was given 
as "8 resident students and day Scholars." It 
should have been given as 27 resident students 
and 6 day scholars. 
Cn page 73, line 14, for SW&U read yme.ll, and 
line 31, for deceased rea 1 dixewJ. 
On page 79 for Ellataria read Elettaria. 
We have lately been having frequent requisi- 
tions for dhall (Vajanus JndicusJ seed, and 
also for seeds of the cow-pea. The demand for 
these leguminous seeds is significant. 
We would add in continuation of the article 
on Gas-lime in our last issue, that this substance, 
as well as gas-water, is a useful agent as an 
insecticide. Miss Ormerod in her " Manual of 
Injurious Insects'' has frequent occasion So re- 
commend, gas-lime. Both g.n-lime and gas-water, 
as refuse products of our gas works, might 
tints be used for useful ends in agriculture. We 
may, perhaps, again refer to these substances in 
connection with the destruction of insect-pests. 
We hate to welcome a new contemporary which 
lias just appeared, viz., The Ceylon Forester. 
"We are confident that the publication will prove 
a most useful one, in that it will bring our 
unknown and little known forest products — 
many of which that are bound to prove of econo- 
mic value — to notice, and in this way help 
to develope the resources of the country. 
We acknowledge with thanks a copy of Dr. 
Trimen's report on the Eoyal Botanic Gardens 
for 1894. As regards Polygonum Sachalinense, 
We read that "this much-lauded fodder plant 
has made very poor growth ; on three occasions 
during the year the plants were leafless and 
dormant." Of Alfala (Lucerne) Mr. Clark, who 
sent the seeds from Peru in 1891, reports 
from Hakgala : " As many as seven cuttings 
have been made during the year, and, as in 
Peru it continues to crop for fifteen years, 
it may be considered a valuable fodder for the 
higher regions, especially the drier ones, of 
Ceylon." 
Calathea Allouia is reported to grow well 
at Peradeniya Gardens, but the Director remarks 
that its tubers cannot be regarded as a good 
substitute for potatoes, being quite tasteless 
though pleasant in texture. They are said to 
be small, and only 1 lb, 5 oz, was afforded by 
the stool dug up. 
PALM ALL TAKEN AT THE SCHOOL OF 
AGRICULTURE DURING THE MONTH 
OF MARCH. 
1 
. Nil 
12 
•i>2 
23 
... Nil 
Nil 
J 3 . 
. Nil 
24 
... Nil 
3 '. 
Nil 
14 . 
. Nil 
25 
... -94 
4 . 
. Nil 
IS . 
. Nil 
26 
... -01 
o 
. Nil 
Hi . 
•fiO 
27 
... Nil 
(i . 
Nil 
17 . 
01 
2« 
... -3.> 
7 . 
. Nil 
18 . 
Nil 
29 
... 04 
8 . 
. M 
19 . 
01 
30 
... Nil 
9 . 
•17 
20 . 
. Nil 
31 
... 01 
10 . 
. 04 
21 . 
. Nil 
1 
... Nil 
11 . 
. -29 
22 
. Nil 
Total ... 2-55 
Mean ... "H 
Greatest amount of rainfall in any 24 hours on 
the 25th inches. 
Recorded by P. Van Db Bona. 
ABORTION' IN CATTLE. 
Cattle-breeders have to face many serious 
disorders and ailments in I heir stock, both young 
and old, but the most disappointing lasses which 
they sustain are undoubtedly caused by abor- 
tion. Unlike other forms of disease which 
attack stock and which come under the 
observation of the herdsmen, ubortion runs a 
very insiduous course. It can hardly ever be 
anticipated, and there is no hope of averting 
or preventing its occurrence. It need scarcely 
be mentioned that to the cattle-owuer who 
keeps cows for the purpose of milk or who 
breeds draught animals, a loss by abortion is 
equal to the loss of a grown-up animal, and 
sometimes more. A cow generally aborts either 
in the third or seventh month of pregnancy, 
and after it has once had the mishap, apart 
from the risk to the health of the animal itself, 
a second conception is not induced till perhaps 
from four to five months. Besides, there is 
always the risk of a recurrence of the disorder 
every time a cow conceives ; and, furthermore, 
there is the very great risk of its infecting other 
animals of the herd. 
W here breeding is not carried on systematically, 
the catlle-owner often fails to notice the fact 
that abortion has occurred, or to feel the resulting 
loss to himself : but where breeding is carried 
on systematically, and where not only records 
of the dates of serving, calving, &c, are kept, 
but a full account of the profit and loss from 
each animal, its yield and the amount of food 
consumed, is recorded, the loss is patent, and 
keenly felt. 
The occurrence of abortion is attributed to 
various causes. Dr. Fleming, in his exhaustive 
work on Veterinary Obstetrics enumerates 
three forms, viz., Sporadic, Enzootic and 
Epizootic, and gives the various causes which 
may produce these three forms. Sporadic 
abortion may take place, through exposure to 
inclemency of the weather, bad and indigestible 
food, mildewed and poisoned foods, filthy and 
putrid drinking water, auimal and vegetable 
poisons, (such as cantharides, rue, savin, ergot, 
digitalis,) excessive exertion, accidents, excitement 
and fear, access of the b :11 during the period 
