THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [May 1, 190L 
CLOSING OP THE AGRICULTUEAL 
SCHOOL : 
MR. C. DKIEBERG. 
The fate of the Agricultural School, 
like that of the ■' Allred Model Farm, ' 
shews the folly of trying to achieve 
agricultural improvements among the natives 
of Ceylon save through the medium of the 
revenue officers and their headmen, the 
latter being specially influenced to spend 
themselves and be spent by the prospect 
of '* honours." That is the talisman that 
always works wonders among the most apa- 
thetic of Orientals and we cannot see why 
it should not be more fully utilised. Why 
should the Governor not introduce a native 
*' Order of Merit " to be bestowed, with- 
out reference to caste, creed or position, 
on all natives who lead the way with 
" new products," or other improvements, — 
who make two blades of grass to grow 
where only one grew before 'i Let the re- 
commendation still come tiirough the 
revenue (and judicial) officers of the Ser- 
vice, but let . the badge and medal be 
given with due ceremony at an annual Durbar; 
and we feel sure there will soon be stirred 
up a spirit of emulation such as we haye not 
seen among the rural Sinhalese for a long 
time past. 
But if the Agricultural School is to be 
pronounced a failure, and to be relegated 
into forgetfulness, we feel quite sure this is 
in no way due to any want of adequacy on 
the part of the highly-trained, accom- 
plished and zealous Principal. Mr. C. 
Drieberg has always proved himself a most 
useful Public Officer. He is " a handy man " 
only second to Mr. Ellis. What would 
the Society of Arts, or this or that Exhibi- 
tion do without Mr. Driebere: ? while, as 
Agricultural Principal, he was never pro- 
perly backed nor got fair play. We earn- 
estly trust he will have more liberty in his 
new vocation as Agricultural-Inspector, and 
that his very useful " Agricultural Maga- 
zine " may continue to the benefit of Aga- 
cultural teachers, intelligent natives, and 
even Europeans all over the island. 
THE PROPOSED ZOO FOR COLOMBO. 
SOME USEFUL INFORMATION FROM THE 
MYSORE GARDENS. 
( Communicated. J 
We have noted with pleasure the proposed 
scheme for a Zoological Gardens for Colombo. 
It is a wonder that a city and port of such 
importance, the very playground of all sight- 
seers to the East, and one so easily acces- 
sible by steamer to all parts from the globe, 
should so long have been without one. 
A few dciys ago a letter reached us from 
the enthusiastic practical collector of wild 
animals, who has been for some time in charge 
of the Zoological Gardens 
IN THE NATIVE STATE OF MYSORE 
Some of his remarks are exceedingly 
interesting, those especially referring to 
the hatching of ostriches, in which he has 
auggeeUed, veiy Avell, being the first person 
in South India who has so succeeded. The 
young birds we have ourselves seen, and they 
are very fine, healthy specimens, although 
born in captivity. Mr. Hughes, the Manager, 
at tiri-t attain pted to rear them by means of 
an incubator, and the young ones were so 
hatched, but proved weakly and died when 
a few weeks old. The incubator used ^'as 
one by Messrs. Heai'son & Co. , Regejt-st., Lon- 
don. It was a No. 35 machine and would 
hatch from one hundred to one hundred and 
fifty poultry or pheasants' eggs and was large 
enough to hatch ten ostrich eggs. 
THE INCUBATOR 
was however not made for a troi)ical 
climate, and, although for one sea- 
son, when quite new, it acted well, it after- 
wards warped and cracked owing to the heat. 
Had it been made of teak wood, instead of 
pine or dealw'>od, it would probably have 
better stood the test, and satisfactory re- 
sults would have been olitained. 
The working of tiie machine is verysimple^ 
With each machine illustrations are supplied 
and also two thermometers, one of which 
is a long one for use in the tank, while the 
other is a small cliirical thermometer to test 
the temperature of the drawer in which the 
eggs ai-e placed. 
To save time, warm water may be poured 
into the tank, and the temperature brought 
np to 76 degrees. The best oil should be used 
for the lamp, as the cheap and heavv oils 
smoke too much and clog the tube through 
which the hot air passes. 
When the temperature reaches 96 the 
capsrrle inside the drawer expands and allows 
the hot air to pass directly upwards instead 
of passing through the tube : as soon as the 
temperature in the drawer falls below 96 
degrees, the damper lowers and the air passes 
through the tube thereby keeping the 
machine working automatically. There is a 
screw on the top which can i)e screwed up 
or down according to the tempei'ature re- 
quired, so regulating it exactly. 
The «ame temperature will do for all kinds 
of eggs except the ostrich, and the number 
of days varies according to the subjoined 
table. 
Days. At a tejnperature of 
degrees. 
Ostrich eggs 42 102 to 104 
Fowl eggs 21 100 
Duck eggs 28 100 
Turkey eggs 28 100 
Pheasant eggs 23 100 
Messrs. Hearson & Company supply books 
at 1/0, which give full information. 
Nevertheless, 
BIRDS NATURALLY HATCHED ARE MUCH 
MORE HEALTHY. - 
About February, ostriches may begin to 
lay, and the birds should then be 
carefully watched. If the mother- bird be 
seen to dig a hole, she will prob- 
ably lay an egg there in a day or two. 
If so, the space should be enclosed with mats, 
so that she may be quiet and screened 
from the view of visitors or passers by. 
No bird likes to be watched or disturbed at 
the laying season. If the mother-bird has 
selected m unsuitable spot, and if a bettey 
