340 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [J^ov. 1, 1901 
sample of Tea packed in foil paper which had been 
kept for one month and the tea had deteriorated. 
He therefore propoaed that we would go to the ex- 
pense of using lead, and thought a Diier, for use in 
packing, esseotial to success and suggested that a 
Drier should at once be purchased for this purpose. 
Mr Koight read letters from men in South Tra- 
vancore who approve of the scheme and are willing 
to subscribe to a Fund which he thought should 
be raised for the purchase of a Sirocco, and other 
incidental expenses necessary for the starting of 
the scheme, also a letter from the Honorary 
Secretary of the Wynaad Planters' Association 
asking for information. An attractive wrapper he 
thought was necessary. He also stated that 100 
chests of tea of 90lb. each were now on their way 
to Madras, Messis. Parry and Co., having written 
that they were quite ready to commence opera- 
tions. This quantity had been readily contributed 
in the District. After some considerable discus- 
sion in Committee, the Chairman put the fol- 
lowing Resolutions in open Meeting, which were 
unanimously adopted : — 
1. That members of this Association do agree to 
contribute at the rate of 3 annas per acre (cultivated) 
to the " South ladiau Tea Exploitation Scheme,' and 
that growers not being members be invited to subscribe 
to the Fund so raised and participate in the benefits, 
2. That this Association do instruct Mr Enight 
to purchase a No. 1 Sirocco for the proper working 
of the scheme. 
3. That this Association do conaider that the 
design for wrapper should be left to the Com- 
mittee, and would suggest that a Brahmany Bali 
should be on one side and iaslractioua for making 
Tea on the reverse in the Vernacular. 
4. That the Honorary Secretary do write to the 
U.P.A.S.I., urging the necessity for expediting 
Election of Committee. 
Kesolved that a vote of thanks' be tendered 
to Messrs Parry and Co. 
With a vote of thanks to the Chair the Meet- 
Dg ended.— i)/. Mail, Sept. 29. 
CASTILLOA RUBBER SEED AND ITS 
VITALITY. 
The pei'iod during which the seeds of 
Various economic plants retain their vitality 
is being investigated at the Royal Botanic 
Gardens, Peradeniya ; but the following 
flgvues, supplied to us by Mr. Carruthers, 
may be of interest to any win may 
Wish to send the seeds of Castilloa to a dis- 
tant place. 
2,000 seeds were sent off from Paris 
to Peradeniya, packed in leaf mould in 
four small tin-boxes, each containing 500 
seeds. Upon being opened at Peradeniya 
on September 26th, six weeks after pack- 
ing, the seeds were found to be as fol- 
lows : — 
Box 1. 
Fully E:erminated... 96 
Split and beginning 
togerminate ... 30 
Gooa hard seeds 
unsplit... ... 14 
Bad seed — destroyed 
by bacteria, etc... 350 300 338 
This gives a percentage of 37 
(20 per cent fully germinated, 
starting germination and 9 per 
2. 
3. 
4. 
Total. 
128 
67 
96 
387 
55 
20 
63 
168 
12 
68 
75 
169 
seeds unsplit), and 63 per cent destroyed by 
bacteria or otherwise killed. The packing 
in leaf mould which usually contains 
nv^merous bacteria, fungi and insects, is not 
to be recommended. Probably if sterilised 
sand had been used, the proportion of good 
hard seeds would have been very much 
greater. 
This seed is an especially unsuitable one 
for travelling, as it possesses no protective 
coat which prevents the inroads of insects 
or bacteria. 
The short time tliab various economic 
seeds are credited with retaining their 
germinating power is, undoubtedly, in many 
cases, due to the fact that no special pre- 
cautions are taken to prevent the attack 
of insects, fungi and bacteria, which find 
a congenial home in nearly all seeds. 
Most of the seeds, which do not grow, are 
found by their appearance and odour to 
have lost their vitality by the presence of 
foreign organisms. When the experiments, 
with regard to the seeds of Para rubber, 
tea and other Ceylon economic plants, have 
been conclude i, the matter will be dealt 
with in one of the Circulars of the Royal 
Botanic Gardens. 
TROUT OVA FROM NEW ZEALAND. 
5,000 RAINBOW TROUT OVA FOR 
THE C.F.C. 
The Ceylon Fishing Club has previously 
tried, by way of experiment, the i mportation 
of trout ova for the Nuwara Eliya and other 
upcountry streams from New Zealand Hat- 
cheries and the fact that another large batch 
of ova has just been imported appears to 
speak well for the first trial. Mr. H D 
Elhart, Curator of the Nuwara Eliya Hat- 
chery, of the O.P.C , was down in Colombo 
last month to receive a consignment of 5,000 
ova of the rainbow species which was 
brought out from New Zealand by the 
P. O. steamer "Oroya." The ova, so 
far as can be ascertained, has been well 
packed and has received good attention 
from those in charge of the consign- 
ment on board the steamers, but it still 
remains to be seen how they will hatch 
out at Nuwara Eliya, We heard recently 
that the stew-ponds at the Sanitarium were 
cleared out and the fry put out into the 
streams, so that the arrival of the present 
batch has been well provided for. With the 
interesting correspondence from local anglers 
which we have lately had showing that the 
"rainbow" is taking kindly to our sfireams 
and showing its appreciation of our streams 
by spawning freely. We are, perhaps, not far 
from the time when importation will cease— 
an event which will reflect much credit on 
the zealous efforts of the Ceylon Fishing 
Club. 
260 1,248 
good seeds 
8 per cent 
cent goo4 
lIiGHc.vND Tea Co., Ltd.— It is satisfactory 
to learn that this Company has paid an 
interim dividend of two per cent, the same 
as they did in 1901, the full dividend for that 
year being four per cent, 
