640 
Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist.*' [March 1, 1900, 
rupees a year or 30 million franes. Nor, again, 
does this represent in any way the value of the 
coconut industry to the Island. It is the only 
great agricultural product whose home con- 
sumption is even larger than the export trade- It 
is impossible to state accurately the value of the 
products of the coconut palm used by the people 
of the country, in the construction of their houses 
and huts, in domestic utensils, in trade imple- 
ments, in food, in drink, in medicine, in the 
absolute necessaries of tropical life, in luxuries, 
but, even on the moderate calculation that a 
family uses li^ nut a day,J the 700,000 families of 
which the million people in the island may be 
said to consist, would consume million nuts- 
A calculation of the exports of last year showed 
that nearly 400 million nuts were sent away in 
the husk, in the shell, as oil, and after desic- 
cation ; so that the production of the Island can- 
not be less than 800 million nuts. 
It is estimated that, including dwelling gardens, 
about 700,000 acres (280,000 hectares) are planted 
with the coconut palm. This acreage, at 75 
trees to the acre arid 20 nuts to the tree, should 
yield 1,050 million nuts; but a large number of 
trees are reserved for toddy drawing, and the 
distillation there from of the spirit known as 
arrack. The value of the arrack consumed in the 
Island (over a million gallons) has been computed 
in a recent official paper at E7,629,067, and of 
this sum the Government now receives R3,000,000 
a year, or one-eighth of the total revenue, by the 
sale of the monopoly of retailing the spirit to 
" renters-" The importance, therefere; of the coco- 
nut industry to the people and to the country is 
beyond controversy ; and th« growth of the indus- 
try is steadily maintained. 
o 
PEACTICAL HINTS TO HORSE OWNEUS. 
By a. Chinniah, g.b.v.o. 
introduction. 
Ever since I started practising I have observed 
that it is very difficult to explain anything 
based on the rational practice of Veterinary 
science to a client who is not a horseman. Em- 
piricism is all that is known to such. The em- 
piric is always ready to put down anyt^'ing and 
everything rational. The battle between empi- 
rism and rationalism will (as in the case of human 
medical practice) go on till people are forced by 
bitter experience to abandon the former for the 
latter. 
As these hints are mainly intended for laymen, 
it is my desire to avoid technical language as 
much as possible, but if such terms ar« 
unavoidable, they will be explained in footnotes. 
CuAPTEB I.— STABLES. 
Situation. — The stables should be located on 
a spot well raised from surrounding land, so that 
the floor will be as free as possible from mois- 
ture. It is important to see that no hindrance to 
the proix'T circulation of air is possible, and ther« 
is no reason why the stables should not be as 
well constructed and well placed as the master'* 
residence, in point of aspect, situation and proper 
elevation. The distance from the other buildingt 
to the stable should be at least 50 yards. 
Floor. — Many horse owners in Ceylon farour 
granite or cement floors for their animals. The 
preference to this kind of floor is no doubt because 
it could easily be kept clean. The disadvantages 
of such flooring are, however, great, and hence 
their use should be discontinued. Brittle hoof, 
.<?and crack, sprains, &c. are the diteases that 
are brought about by such liard floors. 
The best and the cheapest flooring for a horge'i 
stable should be of earthy material, which ii a 
poor conductor of heat and cold. Again, an 
animal when standing stamps his feet a good 
deal, and if this goes ou on stone or ceMented 
floors, the concussion is greatly felt ; but irhan 
the texture of the material used is of a yielding 
nature, it is modified to a great extent. For the 
tropics a clay floor is the best, and it should be 
made as follows : — 
For the top layer (to a depth of 6 or 8 inches) 
two parts of fine claj' mixed up with one part 
each of sand and lime should be used. But the 
lower stratum should be made of good cabook 
or clay. 
The clay or caboQk should be spread over a depth 
of one foot, without any water being added and 
rammed in with a block of wood. After a day some 
water should be sprinkled over in the evening. The 
next morning more earth should again be rammed 
in and watered in the evening, and on the third 
day the same process should be repeated. The 
top layer (the composition of which is giren 
above) should be spread over then, and treated 
after the same fashion for about three days, and 
then allowed to dry for three weeks, so that one 
full month is required to make a floor. 
A floor made in this way will be found most 
satisfactory, but to keep it in good condition is 
very difficult, unless it is well looked after. 
There are some animals that never stale unless 
they are taken out of the stable. This is an ex- 
cellent habit, and one which should, if possible, 
be inculcated. The practice which is sometimes 
adopted of catching the urine in a bucket or 
chatty is a good one, but if this is not carried 
out earth should be sprinkled over the wet 
ground to absorb the moisture, and the spot 
brushed clean. The spots stained during the 
night should be scraped and then filled up with 
powdered clay, and patted down smooth. A box- 
full of dry earth should be kept in a corner of 
the stable for this purpose. 
The .slope of the stable should not exceed 1 im 
80 ; if (ihoYn that it produces sprain, weakatii 
of the loins, &c. 
(To be cotdinued.) 
MODERN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 
The Nineteenth Century for November last com- 
tains an interesting and instructive article refening 
to a series of useful Agricultural Experiments, 
which are calculated to throw a good deal 
light on agricultural practice : — 
Some eighteen years ago the two founders 
of that New Soil Science were attracted to the 
study of soil bacteriology. Oat of tbw wt 
