May 1, 1901.] 
THE TROPICAL AGEICULTURIST. 
765 
ways are abundant, and penetrate the forests. 
These woods will stand till they are wantetl, 
for the sound of the axe is not heard in them. 
In many the natives do not know even how to 
handle the implement. When making the Uganda 
Railway for instance, the natives were so a\vkward 
at its use that they begged to be supplied with 
swords instead to cut down the bush. — Spectator, 
Marcli 9. 
THE LINN^AN SOCIETY. 
At the last ordinary meeting, held at Burlington 
House, Piccadilly, Profeasfor Sidney Vines, r. k. s,, 
the President, occupied t!fe chair. Mr H B Smedley 
exhibited and described a series of botanical models. 
Among the most striking were a flower of Sap'iesia 
Arnoli'ii, about a yard across, a native of Sumatra, 
parasitic on the stem and roots of a sps cies of vine, 
the cups of. pitcher plants, sections of garden flowers, 
and, on a greatly enlarged scale, the reproductive 
organs of the pine, showing the process of pollina- 
tion, the development of the pollen, the struc- 
tiure of the ovnle, and the process of fertili- 
sation. With these were shown some models, 
also greatly enlarged, of amceba ingesting food, the 
slipper animalcule, the bell-animalcule and the green 
hydra in section, with bud and ovary, to emphasise 
its two modes of reproduction. A paper by IMiss 
Gulielma Lister on the occurence of j'Vji^ic/irt //.y/;«oi- 
dcs in Jigypt was communicated by Mr Arthur 
Lister, p.ii.s. This species belongs to a group of 
aquatic moss-like flowering plants growing on rocks 
more or less covered by flowing water. It was met 
with among the islands below the First Cataract 
and tlie interest of the find lies in the fact that 
till now it was believed that the species did not 
flourish north of Abyssinia. — B, and C. Drurjqist 
March 15. 
^ 
MINES AND MACHINERY ORDINANCF. 
The following regulation made by [lis Excel- 
lency the Governor, with the advice of the Ex- 
ecutive Council, under the provisions of section 4 
of " The Mines and Machinery Protection Ordi- 
nance, 18'J6," is published for general information: 
— Every entrance to or exit from any mine, and 
all machinery at or about such entrance or exit, 
shall, it situated within 20 yards of a public road, be 
screened by a screen at least 8 feet high of boards 
or other sufficient material so as to be efTectually 
excluded from the view of persons and beasts of 
burden using such road. — Gazette, 
— — ♦ 
A ORYPTOGAMIC BOTANIST FOR 
INDIA. 
The second appointment in the British 
Empire of a scientific man to devote his time 
to the organisms causing disease and death 
to plants was recently made in London 
and the recipient, Dr. Butler, with 
Mrs. Butler, has been staying a few days at 
Peradeniya ; but will "leave by the ss. 
"Borneo" for Calcutta. His official designa- 
tion is not Mycologist, but the perhaps 
more correct title of "Oryptogamic Botanist." 
Dr. Butler, who has already done excellent 
original M'ork, ha3 studied in Ireland under 
Prof. Marcus Hartog of Cork University 
(whom we remember well when under Dr. 
Thwaites in Ceylon), and. later when in 
receipt of a research scholai ship, in Paris. Dr. 
JButler is an enthusiastic "plant doctor" 
and no doubt will be of great service to 
Indian agriculture, although his field of work 
between Cape Comorin and tlae Himalayas is 
wide enough, we would think, for lialf-a-dozen 
or more of Cryptogamic Botanists. 
CEYLON TEA JN RUSSIA. 
ANOTflER RUSSIAN TEA FIRM TO BE REPRE- 
SENTED IN COLOMBO. 
One of the best evidences of the progress of Ceylon 
tea in Russia is to be found in the increase in the 
number of Russian tea buyers in Colombo. The 
latest arrival is Mr. W P Anipenoffe, who represents 
one of the largest firms in Russia, known as " The 
Trading Company, successors to Alexis Goobkin, 
A Koosnetzoff (& Co." Mr. Ampenoffe will be heartily 
welcomed by the whole of the mercantile community. 
The firm which Mr, Ampenoffe represents has been 
dealing largely in Ceylon teas, and he hab been sent out 
to Ceylon owing to the increasing business of the firm. 
Hitherto, there were three Russian and one English 
house buying tea for them locally. Speaking of the pro- 
gress of Ceylon tea in Russia, Mr. Ampenuffe testified to 
the growing taste for it. A good deal of it was sold pure, 
be said, but the people still preferred a mixture with 
China tea. The medium class of Ceylon tea was 
liked best. Mr. Ampenoffe, from some figures in his 
possession, pointed out that the Ceylon exports to 
Russia could hardly he compared to the 55 000,0001b. 
of cengcu tea alone that was now imported, but he 
believed that the amount of Ceylon tea going annually 
to Russia was bound tw increase. What chances 
Ceylon green tea would have m Russia he was unable 
to say. A good deal of China green tea was now sent. 
— Local •' Times." 
RICE IN COCHIN CHINA. 
BICE-MILLS INCREASIN(t. 
Saigon, March 3. — A new rice mill has been 
started this year— the "Yee Clieong" mill. 
This brings the number of our mills to nine, 
of which seven are Chinese and two European, 
all of which are big ones, This seems also 
to be cMi indication of the prosperity of the 
country, if we consider that in Tonkin not 
a single steam rice-mill exists yet. Cochin 
China exports yearly almost 12 millions of 
plculs of rice or paddy of different sorts and 
everything is on the \ncx&&se.— Hongkong 
Weekly Press, March 16. 

Adiantum ■ Farleyense. — This magnificent East 
Indian species may well be termed the Queen of 
Maidenhairs. The large lobes of the fronds are finely 
crimped, so that the effect is splendid. As an exhi- 
bition plant there is no mistaking its value, either 
as a single specimen or in a collection of Ferns, 
judges too rarely seeing it in perfection. I have 
found the most commoir error is to put too much 
peat in the compost. In commencing the cultivation 
use clean pots and ample drainage. The compost 1 
have used with conspicuous success consisted of two 
parts of loam, one of fibrous peat, leaf mould and 
coarse silver sand. Cover the drainage with the 
rougher portions and pot somewhat firmly, lightly 
watering the following day. Place in a temperature 
of 55° or 60 ° , being particular not to overwater or ex- 
pose to bright suushine, or the plants do not assume 
the rich, deep colour found in shaded planta. When 
the roots fill the pots it will take a good share of 
water, but too much or not enough will completely 
ruin its prospects. As Adiautum Parleyense produ- 
ces heavy fronds a little staking is quite necessary ; 
this, if carefully done, will show no unsightlinesg, 
