July 1, 1899.] Siqypiemeni to the '^tropical Agriculturist.'' 
67 
to another country where the red variety may be 
growing, and only the paste is made and sent to 
the market. In the foregoing remarks I have not 
mentioned the method of drying the boiled mass 
which is done by a centrifugal machine, and also 
spread on linen and hung over a fire. This 
machine is the same about to be utilized for 
manufacturing indiarubber, 
A. VAN STARKEX. 
Matale, 20th June, 1899. 
^ 
RAINFALL TAKEN AT THE SCHOOL OF 
AGRICULTURE DURING THE MONTH 
OF MAY, 1899. 
1 
Monday 
Tuesday 
, Nil 
17 
Wednesdays. 
. -22 
2 
. Nil 
18 
Thursday . . 
1-2 
3 
Wednesday . 
. Nil 
19 
Friday 
7-65 
4 
Thursday 
. Nil 
20 
Saturday . . 
1-94 
5 
Friday 
. Nil 
21 
Sunday 
Nil 
6 
Saturday 
. -87 
22 
Monday 
Nil 
7 
Sunday 
. 1-26 
23 
Tuesday 
•12 
8 
Monday 
. -08 
24 
Wednesday. 
. Nil 
9 
Tuesday 
. Nil 
25 
Thursday . . 
Nil 
10 
Wednesday . 
. Nil 
26 
Friday 
Nil 
11 
Thursday 
. Nil 
27 
Saturday . . 
•48 
12 
Friday 
. Nil 
28 
Sunday 
•3 
13 
Saturday 
. 2-25 
29 
Monday 
•55 
14 
Sunday 
. 3-o5 
80 
Tuesday 
•23 
15 
Mond.Ty 
. Nil 
31 
Wednesday. 
Nil 
16 
Tuesday 
. -56 
1 
Thursday . . 
Nil 
Total.. 21^24 
Greatest amount of rainfall in any 24 hours 
on the 19th inst. 7'65 inches. 
Mean rainfall for the month '68 in. 
Recorded by Mr. J. A. Rodrigo« 
OCCASIONAL NOTES 
We should have mentioned in referring to Dr 
Dodge's book on " The Useful Fibre Plants of the 
World" that we are indebted to Mr. John Warr of 
Paterson, New Jersey, for his assistance in enabling 
us to procure us a copy of the valuable work, for 
which we tender him our best thanks. 
In this issue we give the flrst part of a paper on 
the subject of Fibres with which Dr, Dodge 
prefaces his book. It is a short but comprehensive 
account dealing with the different aspects of the 
question, and is full of instruction to the student 
of Economic Botany. 
We are glad to notify that we shall from time 
to time publish Veterinaiy Notes dealing with 
cases occurriug in actual practice in Colombo, and 
which for that reason should prove of value to all 
horse and cattle owners. The contributor of the 
notes in the present issue is a qualified Veterinary 
Surgeon, who has started practising in the 
Metropolis under favourable auspices, and as a 
past student of the School of Agriculture, we are 
pleased that he should be once again connected 
with the institution through the Agricultural 
Magazine. Mr. Chinniah has set an admirable 
exapipl? to hia bretliran ia his new departure from 
the beaten tract of veterinary medicine, by 
making a trial of the preventiVe treatment for 
rinderpest, and we heartily congratulate him oa 
the encouraging results of the trial. 
We understand that the report of the Com- 
mission appointed by H.E. The Governor of 
Ceylon to consider the advisability of organising 
a department of Agriculture for the Island is due 
next month, and its contents are being eagerly 
looked forward to. It is to be hoped that the 
Commission will see its way to recommend some 
practical measures for the improvement of the 
agriculture of the Island, particularly the native 
side of agriculture, and that some properly 
organised controlling body will be appointed to 
overlook the agricultural interests of the Colony. 
The approaching J^^ri-Horticultural Show to 
be held in Colombo bids fair to be a great success. 
The awards which, as a rule come a day after the 
fair, have been received betimes. They consist 
of 12 gold medals and 200 silver medals ; the 
former worth £7 10s. the latter I5s. each. The 
Hon. Mr. F. R. Ellis, who is just now absent 
from Ceylon, evinced the greatest interest in the 
Show, and through his headmen disposed of no less 
than R8,000 worth of tickets in the villages, so 
that there should be a large attendance of the 
peasantry for whom the Show should have 
special attractions and valuable lessons to teach. 
The Hon. Mr. G. M. Fowler, who has succeded 
Mr. Ellis as Government Agent of the Western 
Province, is no less keen in making the Show a 
success. It is to be hoped that Governuient will 
help the Society in making the Show an annual 
event. 
— 4> 
FIBRES. 
[A PAPEE BY Db. ChAS. RiCHAEDS DoDGE.] 
Definition of Fibres. 
The tissue of plants when viewed under the 
microscope is seen to be made up of cells which 
are compacted together as they are formed during 
the growth of the plant, thus slowly building up 
roots, stems, and leaves. The walls of these cells 
inclose the life germ, or protoplasm, and the sub- 
stance of which they are composed is known as 
cellulose, which chemically is very similar to 
starch. 
Regarding the size of the cells of which common 
plants are made up, Dr. Gray states that their 
ordinary diameter in vegetable tissue is between 
one three-hnndredth and one five-hundredth of 
an inch. The smaller of these sizes would allow as 
many as 125,000,000 cells in the compass of a cubic 
inch. " All soft cellular tissue, asHeaves, pith, and 
green bark, is called parenchyma, while fibres aud 
woody parts are composed of prosenchyma, that 
IS, of peculiarly formed strengthening cells." We 
are also told that those cells that lengthen and at 
the same time thicken their walls form the proper 
woody fibre or wood cells ; those of larger size 
and thinner walls, which are thickened only in 
certain parts so as to have peculiar markings, and 
which often are seen to be made up of a row of 
cylindrical cells, viih the partitions between 
absorbed or broken away, are calhd ducts, o? 
