650 
Supplement to the " Tropkat Agriculturist." [March 2, 1903. 
It ia stated that the Goveniment of India hnve 
finnlly decided to organise the proposed O'laimercial 
-Bureau from the next official year. The Bureau 
. will be indepei'dent of all semi-official intelligence 
bureaus and other agencies which carrj' ou business 
in commercial intelligence. 
flape Colony haafollowed theexampleof Australia 
in restricting the immigration of Asiatics. The 
test imposed — that of ability to write English, — 
■will have the effect of excluding a large porportion 
of Ind ian traders. Unlike Natal. Cape Colony is 
not one of the territories to which coolies proceed, 
so that the newly-imposed rule is not expected 
to affect the labour market. 
From an external source we learn that a syndi- 
cate of planters in the Kelani Valley have con- 
cluded negotiations for the purchase oi 600 acres of 
hind for the cultivniion of para rubber at Bulat 
Kohupitiya, not far distant from Euanwela, in the 
Three Korales of the Kegalle district. 
According to the general memorandum on the 
grount nut crop in Bombay and Madras, 1902-03, 
we learn that in Bombay the total area, according 
to the latest reports, has risen from 39,500 acres in 
October to 46,650 in November, but is still less 
than half of last year's area and of the average, 
the decrease being due to deficiency of rain. In 
Madras, vphere the crop is grownin only nine 
districts to any appreciable extent, the total area 
at the end of December was 421,900 acres. This is 
a considerable increase on the cultivated area of 
recent years. 
The latest addition to periodical agricultural 
literature is the " Transvaal AgriculturalJournal," 
published under the direction of the Transvaal 
Government, and edited by Mr. A. E. E. Burton. 
The journal is for the present issued quarterly. 
Mr. Gerard, the well-known chemist and chief of 
the Paris Municipal Laboratory, pronounces citric 
acid a prophylactic against cholera. He experi- 
mented on the bacillus of both cholera and typhoid 
fever, and found that in the acid the microbes can- 
not live. The same competent authority says that 
15 grains of citric ncid added to a quart of tainted 
water will effectually destroy all germs of microbes. 
W ith this view of the beneficial effects of lemon 
juice he recommends the drinking of lemonade 
during the prevalence of any disease or during 
epidemic. Citric acid is believed to owe its great 
virtue to its strong affinity for and solvent powers 
over urea, with which it, unites to form a soluble 
salt. Uric acid is the Jjane of civilized man, and 
to this chemical body in some form oi other we 
are most indebted for our various forms of rh«u- 
matism, gout, neuralgia, and kindred disease-^. — 
Agricultural Journal, Natal. 
Here is a new method of planting tomato seed- 
lings : — Make a case of stiff paper with a small hole 
at the apex. Pass the root of the plant outward 
through the hole, the stem remaining within the 
case. Some earth is put round the stem and the 
plant thus removed is put in the hole in the soil, 
so that the rim of the case is an inch or two above 
the surface. The case protects the plant for cut 
•worms and prevents the drying of the earth 
around it. 
When sweet potato and other leaves are attacked 
by red spider, use kerosene emulsion or dust with 
a mixture of lime four parts an(f flowers of sulphur 
one part. Either will prove successful if used at 
the commencement of the attack. 
A simple home-made liniment saysthe Australian 
Farm and Home, that is almost magical in effect 
is composed of kerosene, camphor gum and sweet 
oil. Into a quart bottle put one pint kerosene, 
and add as much camphor gum as will disslove, 
add a little more day by day, shaking thoroughly. 
Now add half pint sweet oil and shake well, and 
the liniment is ready for use. Cork well and keep 
away from children. It is excellent for cuts, 
burns, bruises, slipperies, sore throat, &c. 
