Nov. 1, 1899.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUEIST. 
327 
have been received from Mr. Van Starrex. In 
addition to these, oils have been forwarded by 
the G. A. of the North-Central Province. There 
are, too, cases of arecannts illustrative of their 
use?, some of which probably come under this head, 
and show what can be done with this product. 
In connection with this and the other departments a 
case of oils (open to visitors) will be shown for 
testing purposes, 
Resins are sent from Anuradhapura : para and 
ceara rubber from Heneratgoda gardens, thougli 
there is room for improvement in the latter, not 
so much in regard to quality, as to the form in 
which they are to be exhibited, for the specimens 
admit readily of attractive design and this is at 
absent present. 
In drugs there is much to interest. The 
Government Agents and the Assistant Govern- 
ment Agents of the various provinces are still at 
work and are sending in collections illustrative 
of the medicinal resources of the island. To the 
uninitiated visitor these exhibits will be "mere 
rows of bottles," but to many, we hope, there 
will be light thrown on the resources of a 
colony like Ceylon. The Government Agent for 
the Western Province sends in four cabinets 
which will when complete contains 360 
varieties of drugs, all prepared from 
native recipes, and for each of which in the 
native pharmacopeia (unpublished we believe; 
there is a distinct use stated. 
A small case, sent in by Don Gregoris Kappura 
Bandara, contains specimens of 200 cases of 
medicinal oils, all the products of Ceylon 
plants, &c. Another feature, too, is Mr. Stouter's 
bpecimen of plaintain flour. The production of 
this flour in the West Indies is developing into 
an industry of some importance, and why shouU 
it not find permanent root in Ceylon, especially 
in connection with a food-consuming population 
like that Australia boasts of. 
In regard to 
AGRICULTURE 
there is a very interesting collection, made in 
miniature at the instance of the Government Agent 
of the Western Province, of Sinhalese imple- 
ments of agriculture, in reference to which a 
good deal might be written. There is here need 
again for effective arrangement, combined with 
judicious colouiing, but in any case to the curio- 
hunter the collection will prove of more than pas- 
sing value. The model of Peradeniya Tea Factory 
has been before described in these columns. It was 
exhibited at Chicago and has been thorouD;hly 
renovated so that it will show to our French 
neighbours the manner in which tea is manipu- 
lated in Ceylon at the present date. 
Nor must we forget in the enumeration of the 
specimens the results of hunting and the speci- 
mens of 
GAME I\ CEYLON. 
It is too early yet to speak of the big elephant, 
which is being taxidermically treated at Kurune- 
gala : and of the many other specimens that we 
could refer to, which are hereafter to be received. 
We can only just name the horns and skins 
sent by the Government Agent of the Eastern 
Province of spotted and barking deer, elk, and 
also cheetah skins. From the Central Province 
have been received, not only specimens of 
the Veddah costume (if it can be so described), 
but also of their implements and weapons of 
hunting, fishing and otherwise gaining a living. 
Amongst the curious things shown are the bags 
of bark skilfully torn in their entirety from trees 
(riti generally), and gourd bottles. 
Minor industries in Ceylon (though we do not 
make anything but a rough calculation as to 
what should be classed under such a heading) 
include : baskets and mats sent by Mr. J A 
Weerasinghe, of Kalutara : carved coconut shells 
of fantastic design and with very interesting re- 
sults : edible bird's nests (sent hy Mr, Kellow) : 
carved ivory handles for fans (well finished but 
too heavy tor actual use); cloths from the Eastern 
Provinces, the work of hand-loom weavers : brass 
work from Negombo district (an industry that 
needs developiut'): double coconut shell lent by 
Mr. Plate : fan, made of wood work with paddy 
interwoven in a very interesting manner. 
THE MODELS 
of Mr. Kosb we have already referred to, and 
they are not amongst the exhibits at the Agri- 
cultural School, as they will be packed and des- 
patched from the studio at De Soysa Buildings. 
There are, however, comprised inthelattercoinplete 
costumes of natives, including a Tamil Chetty, 
^and we may add that Mr. Andriesz, s^culptor, will 
make models, taken from life, of Veddahs. 
Under instructions from the Government he has 
gone to the Veddah Country to prepare them. 
But among the more interesting specimens of 
Ceylon industries, should be included the speci- 
mens, representing what may be fairly claimed 
to be amongst the 
ART INDUSTRIES OF CEYLON 
The calamander, ebony and tortoises-shell boxes 
shown, inlaid as they are with ivory, all admirable 
specimens of island workmanship. In one there 
are miniature representations of the conquest of 
Ceylon by Wijayo. At the instance of Mr. 
Lane, the mountings of the album presented by 
the Planters' Association to the Emperor of Aus- 
tria, will be placed in a frame of velvet, The 
specimens of Kegalla workmanship in silver, in- 
cluding as they do models of a dagoba, and a 
jubilee amblam, as well as a salver, are very 
striking. A carved egg-shell (set in ivory) is also 
noticeable, while Meedeniya Ratemahatmaya of 
Kegalla has shown (in miniature in some cases) 
the silver apparatus used by a wealthy betel 
chewer, — a case of instruments that fliU repay 
a half-hour's scrutiny. Then there are specimens in 
silver, artistically engraved, including penholders, 
pencils and hair ornaments, &c. 
ST. BENEDICTS' INST-ITUTB, 
Although not received we may state the fact 
that St. Benedict's is sending drawings — thirty 
in number — all representative of local life, the 
handwork of pupilss of the Institution. There 
are representations in oils, water colours, pen- 
and-ink etchings, drawings of Sinhalese architec- 
ture, maps, etc. A striking bit of work is a 
Eicture three feet by two feet — a map of the 
=land, surrounded with drawings (from photo- 
graphs) of the busts of all the Governors of Ceylon 
from tiie earliest to Sir Arthur Havelock. On the 
top ifi the British Court of Arms. At the 
bottom appears a view of Colombo Harbour. 
Another drawing is a map of the Island 
surrounded with water-colour paintings. Tlie 
paintings represent many subjects : A Sinha- 
lese chief and his wife ; the Moorish moon- 
stone cutter ; the other subjects are a Mudaliyar 
and his wife ; An appuhami and his wife ; a 
Ceylon chetty and his wife ; a Bombay mer- 
chant ; a Sinhalese Buddhist Piiesfc ; a Ve(.ldah| 
