790 
Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist.'* [May 1, 1903. 
The fngenulty of the sskilled gardener has pro- 
duced mnrvellous results in floriculture; not merely 
in the developcment or supressioii of organs, but 
iiho in the multip-lication of the parts of flowers, 
the increase of the number of one series with 
the corresponding decrease or suppression of 
another. With the possibility of such results, 
the apparent marvel of changing the sex of 
flowers loses its marvellous character. For 
change of sex would be nothing more than the 
developement or suppression of the stamens or 
pistil, resulting in the productiom of male, female 
or hermaphrodite flowers. The sexual character 
of the flower would thus appear to be, to some 
extent at least, controllable, and dependent on 
the influence of external farces. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
Many people complain of the great difficulty in 
raising vegetables by the sea-side. That such 
difficulties exist it cannot be denied, but there are 
crops that will thrive, and thrive well for the 
greater part of the year, quite near to the sea. 
What is wanted is experience and that can only be 
gained by trials of different varieties. It would 
nppeftr that cucurbits are not unfavourably 
affected by proximity to the sea, and Luffa grows 
particularly luxuriantly in such situations. 
A eontribu-tor to the Agricultural Gazette of 
N. S. W. writing on Faspalum dilatatunt, which 
he says "is now so much grown everywhere,'^ 
refers to its reputation as " hard to germinats, 
and explains this by stating that it produces very 
little good seed, the percentage of fertile seed 
being very low, only i to 2 par cent. It is sur- 
mised that the seed is greatly affected by external 
conditions, or perhaps like some other known 
grasses, only few seeds are produced, and of these 
only a small percsntage fertile. For propagation, 
therefore, the writer concludes that " without 
doubt, division of thi roots remain the best 
method," In our own experience propagation by 
seed is very diflicult, but, witk root divisioi^ 
there is little difficulty in establishing this grass 
which may be seen growing in the Government 
jStock ©aaden i«i Colombo, 
-li ' — 
A very common plant in Dumbara, growing 
with the grass and sticking close to the ground, 
with outspread leaves, is the " et-adi " or elephant 
foot, so called no doubt owing to some remots 
rescmblaneo to the print of the mammoth foot. 
In spite of very dry weather it seems well able to 
hold its own amid tke shart dry grass, eate» down 
by ca*tle and scorched by the sun, but itself 
apparently untouched. Botanically the plant is 
Elephantopui scaber, belonging to the order Com- 
positae. 
The generic name Elephantopus ia Linnscua' 
tmaslation of the native name et-aii (Sinhalese) 
and Anieho-iiadi (Tqpiil), both me.auing " eleplniBt's 
footiirmt," nnd, lUke meMoma (black mouth) 
» 
embodies an attribute of the plant as noted by the 
native observer. Trimen says of this plant, " One 
of the commonest weeds in turf, and owing to ita 
long roots, difficult to eradicate. The leaves are 
used OS an external application." 
Enquiry has been made for Equisetum debile as 
a material for making a cooling drink. The plant 
is described by Watt as " a vascular cryptogam with 
creeping rhizomes and fluted stems," and is said to 
be used in India as a cooling medicine and for 
gonorrhoea. Though found upcountry we doubt if 
it co<uld be got in sufficient quantity to meet a large 
demand. We have, however, supplied samples to 
be sent to Germany from whence the enquiry came. 
Mr. A. Despeissis, writing on Tropical Fruit to 
to the Journal of the Department of Agriculture 
of Western Australia, says that the weight of the 
breadfruit goes up to 30 lb. This is a stupendous 
weight for the breadfruit and will astonish readers 
in Ceylon, where the breadfruit grows so well. 
On the other hand the smooth Cayenne (Giant 
Kew) pine is said to weigh from 6 to 10 lbs., 
whereas a weight of 20 lbs. (the record we should 
say) has been reached iu Henaratgoda Gardens, 
while in Matale (as noted in our last issue) Dr. 
VauRoyen has succeeded in raising pines weighing 
16 lbs, and over. 
Mr. G. S. Sykes writing to the Indian Agri' 
eulturist speaks of " banana meal or flour prepared 
from the ripe banana fruit." Surely this is a 
mistake ? Banana meal or flour, as we know it 
and prepare it, is made from the unripe but 
"hard "fruit. 
^ 
BAINFALL TAKEN AT THE GOVEENMENT 
STOCK GAEDEN FOE 
APEIL, 1903. 
1 
Wednesday 
,. Nil 
17 
Friday 
Nil 
2 
Thursday 
.. Nil 
18 
Saturday ... 
Nil 
3 
Friday 
.. Nil 
19 
Sunday 
Nil 
4 
Saturday - . 
.. -35 
20 
Monday ... 
Nil 
g 
Sunday 
.. -06 
21 
Tuesday ... 
•03 
6 
Monday , 
.. -06 
22 
Wednesday... 
•tl 
7 
Tuesday 
,. 2-15 
23 
Thursday ... 
•11 
8 
Wednesday , 
.. Nil 
24 
Friday 
Nil 
9 
Thursday 
.. -24 
25 
Saturday ... 
Nil 
10 
Friday 
.. Nil 
26 
Sunday 
Nil 
11 
Saturday 
.. -71 
27 
Monday 
•17 
12 
Sunday 
,. 1-23 
28 
Tuesday 
Nil 
13 
Monday 
.. -10 
29 
Wednesday... 
Nil 
14 
Tuesday 
.. -01 
30 
Thursday ... 
•92 
15 
Wednesday ., 
-03 
1 
Friday ... 
•07 
16 
Tliursday 
.. -05 
Total in.. ..6-60 
Mean iii> . > '22 
The greatest amount of rainfall in any 24 hours, 
OD 7th April, 1903, 2-15 inches. 
