THE 
AGRK^OLTORAL mAGAZinG, 
COLOMBO. 
Added as a Supplement MontJihj to the " TEOPICAL AGEICULTUBISTr 
The following pages include the Contents of the AgricuUural Magazine for 
October ; — 
Vol. XL] OCTOBER, 1899. [No. 4. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
HE Keu) Bulletin for January 
and February last contains a re- 
ference (with plote) of cacao dis- 
ease in Trinidad. It would 
ajipear tliat the disease is almost 
entirely confir.ed to the pods, and 
is caused by two species of fungi, Phytophthom 
omnivora and Nectria hainii. The latter is said 
to be of the same character as the cause of 
the cacao disease of Ceylon as described by Mr. 
Carruthers. Mr. Hart of Trinidad is inclined to 
think that the cacao in Ceylon has a much lower 
vitality than in Trinidad, and consequently more 
liable to disease. The pod disease is of course 
no new thing, but it is said to have been more 
than usually severe last year, in some districts 
causing a loss of as much as 50 per cent of 
crop. The fungus Nectria bainii has becu so 
named in complement to Mr. Bain wlio first 
called attention to the disease, by Mr. Massey 
of Kew, and is fully described by the latter. 
The Committee of the Colombo Agri-Horti- 
cultural Society met on the 19th September, and 
considered a report made by the Honorary Secre- 
tary (Mr. C. Drieberg). Annexed to the report was 
a statement showing the financial position of 
the Society, which showed that there was a 
fairly large balance ou hand. No arrangements 
were made for a Show being held next year, 
jDQuding the arrival of the Hon. Jlr, F. K. Ellis, 
the permanent Chairman of the Society, though 
the Committee appeared to favour the idea of 
holding future Shows annually in the rural 
districts, and only once in three years or so 
in the capital. 
Mr. Pearson who left Ceylou last year after 
making scientific investigations in connection with 
the extraction and preparation of Hubber, is we 
see appointed assistant (for India) in the Har- 
barian of the Royal Gardeiis, Kew, in successioa 
to Dr. Stapf. 
We are glad to hear of lliu success which 
has attended Mr. Veterinary Surgeon Chinniah's 
inoculation of cattle against rinderpest ou 
Oodeville Estate, Kandy, We understand that Mr. 
Chinniah finds pure bile more satisfactory than 
glycerinated bile as an inoculating medium, 
It is reported that the Commission appointed 
to consider the advisability of establishing a 
Department of Agriculture are about to recom- 
mend that a Board of Agriculture will suflice 
for present needs, and further that the School 
of Agriculture should be transferred to Kandy, 
As a centre where both low and upcountry pro- 
ducts could be grown, Kandy is much to be 
preferred to Colombo as a site for the school; 
but it is to be hoped that there will be ample 
scope for practical work, of which there is 
little opportunity under present conditions, and 
that the classes will move about the country 
instead of being confined to one ppot, 
