Oct. 1, 1902.] Supplement to the " Trnpical AgrkxiUuristJ' 
293 
nutriment for the future use of tlie plant. 
This reserve food chiefly consists of starch, 
and as you know such tubers nre used as food 
by man. As examples of such fairnaceous 
tubers, I may mention the potato (arthapal), 
yams (kondol and various kinds of "ala"), 
arrowroot (hulankiriya), and edible canna (but- 
sai'aiia). But the stems of certain Urge trees 
also store up fairnaceous matter, ns, for instance, 
the sngo palm (sow) and the kitul, somtftiraes 
called the "Bastard Sago" palm, the flour 
(piti) of which you are no doubt familiar 
with. 
We may now consider for a little the uses 
of the parts of the stem. I have already 
referred to the value of the wood of certain 
plants as timber. We have, as you know, many 
excellent timbers in Ceylon, some particularly 
valuable and used for ornamental furniture, 
such as ebony (karuwalu) and calamander 
(kalumederiya) ; others useful for building pui- 
poses such as juk (ko.«) and teak (Tekka). I 
need not here refer to the different uses of 
wood for fuel, paper-making, &c. 
The bark of trees which yield tan are used 
for tanning or the preparation of leather ; the 
"Patanaoak" (kahata) and the common country 
mangrove (kadol) are instances of such tree?. 
Some woods yield dyes, e.i/., jak (kos) yields 
a yellow dye, and sapan (pataiigi) a red dye. 
Many important drugs are got from the 
stems of plants. It is sufficient to mention 
one, viz., quinine, which is obtained from the 
bark of the Cinchona. 
Some trees such as the Hiil yield a valuable 
resin, others like the Dorana yield oil, others 
again (e.ff., Cuju) yield gum. Another class of 
trees, to which the Indian rubber tree belongs, 
yield rubber. 
Many trees, such as Sunhemp (Hana) are 
valued for the fibre they yield. 
Exceptionally we find very suft and spongy 
stems as in the pith plant (mahadiya siyambala). 
Tlie soft succulent stems of certain herbaceous 
plants such as amaranthus (tampala), and Lassia 
(kohilii) serve as vegetables. 
Another very useful substance obtained from the 
stem is cork, but almost the whole of the cork 
of commerce is got from one species of onk 
which is found in Spain, South Italy and 
North Africa. 
I have told you a good deal about the uses 
of the stem in order to interest you, but 
what I want you to remember is the important 
functions performed by the stem, as well as 
something of its structure; and to take advan- 
tage of every available opportunity to examine 
and compare the stems of plants and to study 
their structure and peculiarities. 
C. D. 
RINDERPEST. 
Mr. D. Hutcheon, the Colonial Veterinary 
Surgeon at the Cape, where he has had better 
opportunities of «tudyiiig this fell disease among 
cattle, is about to publish a pamphlet ou the 
subject. The Agricultural Journal of Cape Colony, 
which we are indebted for the following extracts 
from an advance proof, siiys with reference 
to tile diagnosis of the disease — often rendered 
difficult owing to the absence of what are 
generally considered characteristic symptoms, 
especially in the earlier stages. Tlie tempera- 
ture is usually an excellent guide, but this cannot 
always be relied upon, as we often get a high 
temperature in other diseases involving the 
digestive organs. Por example, there are many 
cases of Rinderpest in wliich the flow of tears 
is not very marked, and the disciiarge from 
tlie nose barely discernible. Tliere is invariably 
more or less of a dribbling of saliva from the 
mouth, but we get that associated with Red water, 
also congestion of the liver, and other derange- 
ments of the digestive organs; while a violent 
diarrhoea, the freces being mixed with blood and 
mucus, is often the accompaniment of the bowels, 
cuised by cattle eating certain irritant bulbous 
plants, such as tulp. Numerous cases of acute 
catarrh [are met with also, which simulate 
the symptoms of Rinderpest very closely, but 
the discharges from the eyes and nostrils are 
more viscid than in Rinderpest, while there is no 
flow of saliva from the mouth, and the foeces are 
usually normal. In all outbreaks, therefore, iu 
which only one or two animals are affected, it is 
necessary to make a postmortem examination, 
and even then, unless the case is sufficiently 
advanced, the typical appearances —the yellowish- 
grey exudate of the mucus membranes, and the 
ulcerous erosions of the fourth stomach and bowels 
— may not be sufficiently developed to lead to a 
decided opinion on the case, and unless there is 
evidence of contagion, further developements 
must be awaited. 
The following are the extracts we are permitted 
to give from the Journal referred to ; — 
" On viewing the carcase of an animal that 
has died of Rinderpest, the body is generally 
much emaciated, and the natural orifices are 
soiled with a dirty discharge, and the carcase 
exhales a peculiar foetid odour. The piincipal 
and pathognomonic lesions of Rinderpest have 
their seat in the mucous membranes of the diges- 
tive tract, the respiratory pussoges, and the 
urinary apparatus. The mucous lining of the 
mouth is congested, and covered over with a 
slimy mucus. It presents a bright salmon colour, 
but if the beast has been killed and bled before 
examination, this bright pinkish colour dis- 
appears. The epithelium is frequently found 
detached iu places, leaving small ulcerated- 
looking spots. These are met with most fre- 
quently on the under surface of the tongue, 
inner surface of the lips, and on the denial 
pad. The mucous membrane of the fauces 
and pharynx is the seat of catarrhal iiifl;im. 
mation, and covered with thickened mucus — 
sometimes purulent. The nasal mucous membrane 
is likewise the seat of catarriial infl:immation, 
its surface being covered with purulent mucus, 
and towards the openings of the nostrils, small 
ulcers or abrasions are frequently met with. 
After passing the pharynx and larynx, there 
is very little change to be observed iu either 
