416 
THE TEOPICAL agriculturist. [Dec. 1, 1902. 
1 What is the maximum minimum and average 
mean degree of saturation of the air in Colombo? 
How do the figures compare with Bombay, 
M dras and Calcutta? 
How do lliey compare with Kandy and Nowara 
Eliya ? 
What is meant by the term complete satu- 
ration of the atmosphere ? 
ONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW, YOU KNOW. 
[Our scientific referee kindly answers the 
<«Bquiry :— 
"A given volume of air at a given temperature 
can hold a certain quantity of water vapour in 
the state of transparent gas. When this quantity 
is exceeded, the water vKpour condenses into 
spherules which become visible as mist, fog or 
rain. The air is said to be saturated when it 
holds the greatest possible quantity of invisible 
vapour. The figures given in the above tables 
represent the proportion of invisible water 
vapour in the atmosj)liere at the time, to the 
maximum f^^ount it can hold in that state ; the 
latter being represanted by 100. 
Colombo 
Kandy 
Ktiwara Eliya 
Calcutta 
Bombay 
Madras 
" The absolute maximum rises to 100 at every 
station in every heavy rain-storm. The absolute 
minima recorded are : — 
Colombo 53 in April, 1884. 
Nnwara Eliya 41 in March, 1892. 
Kandy 41 in March, 1899. 
"I regret I cannot supply you with the same 
information at the Indian stations.— H, O. B."] 
Mean 
Mean 
Yearly 
max. 
Month. 
miu. 
Month. Avr. 
82 
Jane 
69 
Feb. 77 
88 
Aug. 
62 
March 71 
92 
Ang. 
54 
Feb. 76 
90 
Aug. 
75 
April 83 
88 
Sept. 
66 
Deo. 78 
. 85 
Oct. 
61 
June 76 
TEA LEAVES FROM MADULSIMA. 
[Here is Mr. Carruthers' report ou the 
( effected tea leaves sent us very lately by a 
fMadulsima planter.— Ed. T.A.\ 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Oct. 29. 
The diseased spots on these leaves are on 
naked eye or lens examination not typical 
of any of the injuries caused by any of our 
known fungi. The Government Entomologist'' 
to whom 1 showed the specimens, tells me 
that he has seen similar spots on tea leaves 
in upcountry estates, but was unable to find 
any proof of their being of insect origin. 
On making sections of the leaves through 
the diseased spots, and searching under the 
miscroscope very little mycelium of a fungus 
is to be found and only in dead cells of the 
leaf. On the surface of the leaves are to be 
seen many of the fruiting stalks of a fungus 
Penicillium sp. These are confined to the 
dead portions of the leaf at the centre of 
the discoloured spots. As the fungi named 
Penicillium are all saprophytic, i.e., living on 
dead matter, it is probable that this fungus 
is an after effect, and not the cause of the 
disease. I have, however, begun an experi- 
ment of inoculating some leaves on a healthy 
tea bush with spores from these leaves, and 
will note if any effect is produced, that is 
\t the fungus wrll grow on, living tissuQ. 
The material sent is not sufficient for a 
diagnosis of much value to be made The 
eavlier stag^s should be examined and the 
conditions under which it, arose should be 
known. 
All such leaves should be taken off and 
burnt and it should be noted whether there 
are any fresh cases after the old ones are 
removed, J. B. CARRQTHEKS. 
GREEN TEA AND PERCENTAGES. 
Nawalapitiya, Oct. 31. 
Dear Sir,— I have made Green Tea for 
the past two years and all you can turn 
out in a 12 months inclusive of fannings and 
big yellow leaves picked out. is 22^ per cent. 
The man, who can turn out 25 per cent on his 
blacks (unless he goes in for crediting 5 per 
cent below his actual plucking for each day) 
is a smart man and deserves well at the hands 
of his agents and employers. — Yours truly, 
C. T. 
INDIAN HEMP-OR " GANG A." 
Oct 31. 
Dear Sir, — Could you tell me wh.at the 
law is as to the cultivation of Cannabis 
Sativa? I mean on a large scale, for it is 
a common thing in certain parts of the 
Island to see a few plants of •' ganga" 
growing round dwelling houses. The produce 
of cannabis goes into the hands of the peri- 
paletic moorman. — Yours truly, D. 
[We do not think there is any Ordinance 
at present in the local list prohibiting the 
cultivation of Indian hemp, any more th.an 
of the poppy ; because in deference to the 
Buddhist prohibition of such drugs, nothing 
has ever been done in Ceylon worth notice 
in this direction. But it will certainly be- 
come necessary now, in view of what our 
correspondent states, to pass such a law 
guarding the cultivation. Very possibly under 
the Opium or Bhang Ordinance any one 
turning the hemp or poppy into drugs for 
personal use or sale, can be punished.— 
Ed. T.a,] 
CURE FOR RHEUMATISM. 
Colombo, 9th Nov., 1902. 
Dear Sir, — The following reference to a new 
" cure for rheumatism " taken from Country Life 
is worth reproducing. — Yours truly, D. 
Abont a year ago there was pnblished in a London 
paper a recipe for the cure of rheumatism. Since 
then scores of people have written to thank the 
editor for it, many of them informing him that the 
simple preaoription cured them after having been 
unsuccessfully treated by three or foar physicians. 
Others, who have heard of the cure, have asked ns 
to reprint the prescription. Everyone either suffers 
from rheumatism or knows someone who does, aud 
we recommend onr readers to paste the recipe on a 
card-board and take great care of it. Lord Anson 
feeling that it was a shame that such a reoipa shonld 
be so little known, paid £300 to a medical man for 
the privilege of making it known to the public. Tbeaa 
are the ingredients : — Sulphur 1 oz ; cream of tartar 
1 oz ; rhubarb i oz ; gnm guiadum 1 drachm ; honey 
16 oz. A tablespoonful of this ia taken night and 
morning in a tumblerful of white wine—hock, fo; 
iQBtance— Mid hot nater. 
