CG 
Supplement to the ''Tropical Agriculturist:' [Jily 1, 
there is vro lielicve never a cl<'an bill of I'.eilLli f )r 
the whole Island. It lias bean liai'l that the dis- 
ease is le<s i'atal than in lonner times, but the 
following extract from the Colombo Agricultural 
Magazine shows it quite bad enough." 
A Mr. Griffiths, described as an old Ceylon planters 
lias been recommending the planting of Coconuts 
npside down in Fiji. The idea is certainly novel, 
find as our experience lias been that the planting 
of the nujs upriglit instead of sideways (as some 
advocate) is the most satisfactorv, we are iiardly 
prepared to cndor.*e Mr. Griffiths' ifcommen- 
dation, nor are "we inclined to think there is any 
good grounds for it, tliough it is averred that 
ttees thus raised come into bearing a year sooner 
than under ordinary conditions of planting ! 
The statements of accounts of the late Fruit .ind 
Flower Exhiiiition show that it was worked as 
successfully from a financial point of view as in 
otUer respects. The total receipts from subscrip- 
tions, sale of tickets, kc were I{2,14;J-73, and the 
expenditure was 111,915-54, f.o that a balance 
remains of E228'19 to the credit of the Show Cim- 
mittec. • This is certainly a very satisfactory state 
of affairs, and should give further encourage- 
ment towards making the Show an annual event. 
The credit of making the Show a succors is 
in a great measttre due to ilrs. Ellis, Miss Taylor 
and Mrs. Davidson who rendei'ed invaluable assis- 
tance to the gentlemen on the woridng committee. 
Of these latter wo wonld specially mention Sir 
Frederick Saunders, Messrs. W. E- Davidson 
(Mayor of Colombo), W. Nock, II. ]\racMilhui 
(both of the Eoyal BotaniclGa:'dens), C II. Tate, 
and W. .Ebert. Me- srs. L. VanDort andjO. de Meil 
also rendered great help in the office, while the 
masters and students of the School of Agriculture 
worked like men. 
!a young bull and a heifer were procured by 
life Manager of the Government Dairy for the French 
Consul' 'in Colombo for shipment to Hongkong. 
We understand that they are required for breeding 
experiments by Dr.. Jersin of plague fame. 
Mr. AUred Diieberg, an old boy of the 
School ■ of Agriculture, is at present working 
under Mr. E. Elliott, on the Walawe Estate, 
Amblantottc, near Tangalle, where some interest- 
ing experiments in paddy cultivation are being 
carried out. 
Vv^c have had enquiries about the flowering 
and seeding of Fisonia (the lettuce tree) so com- 
monly frown in Colombo gardens, particularly on 
the sea side. On refening to many growers 
of the tree wlieve it is found of the greatest age, 
we were told that none of them had seen the 
seeds, or even the blo.^som. Some two years ago 
we saw a tree in flower in a Colpetly garden, 
and" Mr. F. Lewis, to whom we mentioned the 
'fuct, said that it was. tlie second time he had 
beard of any one who had seen the tree blossom, 
he himself, "with his large experience, not being 
so fortunate. Cu.iously enough, Ferguson in 
]iis "Timber TreJS in Ceylon," referring to Fisoma 
(jleracea says " flowers freely and bears stammal 
flowers only.'" Trimen in bis 'Cc-ylon Flora' 
referring to the tree as P. Morbid ifolia, says 
the male tree l:as tlie leave? much darker green, 
and is therefore not much pi nvn. It rin-Iy 
flowers here." 
Mr. J:is M.jlli-!on, Superintendent of Finns iiiilie 
Bombay J're-idency, wIk) renJormI giicli vnluatiie 
piTvice in the selecLiou of a lierd for the Ceylon 
Govcniment Dairy, was a visiting to th« I-lnnd some 
weeks ago. He is much iiiterest^id in our indi- 
genous cattle, and we have promised toeend him 
photograpli.s and raeasureinents to accomp my 
a descriptive account of Histern breeds. 
Regarding7'//<'7)e«?j ■a/)07m/wea(!he iiulive"Suriy!i' 
or English " tulip tree'') at one lime so cominuii 
as a road-ide tiej in town, we lind Dr. Triineii 
in his "Flora" s.iying : "It. ripens its seeil 
only ill the dry region." We hive, however, 
had more than one expt!riencc of old tree»! in 
the iieighbourhooil of Coloralo t-eeding profusely 
and found the ground under the tree-i tliickly 
covered with seedlings. 
THE "DEMONSTHATIOXS" AT Tllli 
FRUIT AND FLOWER SHOW. 
One of the features of the late Sliow wns what 
was designated the practical demonstrations held 
on the occasion. These consisted of the ])rpcesse« 
of budding and grafting, cream-.'^epiraling, kc. 
We hope to see at future Shows a cK-velopnieiit of 
this excellent idea. 
The demonstration in budding andgrafiiiig was 
on the first day cirricd out by Mr. Macniillaii, t!ie 
Curator of the Royal IJotanic (iardens, i'eradeniy.i, 
and, on the second day, by a Sinhale.'-e assi.-:taiit of 
the Botanical Staff. Tiiis was a commendable 
arrangement, as on the first day the maj )iiiy of 
visitors were of the Eiiglish-sjieaking classes, while 
on the second the Sinhalese predominated. Many 
were the enquirers who wished to be informed as 
regards a process wiiicli to the ordinary horti- 
; culturist is a mysterious operation jiot to be at- 
tempted by him. This particular demonstration 
proved, for one thing the advantage that may be 
! expected to result from a coiiibinaiion of the 
; botanical and agricultural ii:tcre-ls, and tiie benefit 
, that is to be looked for by utilising the talent of 
experts available in the Colony for educational 
; ends — though an educational establishment such 
as the School of Agriculi nre. As regards this 
latter cotisideration it is a matter for regret that, 
; under existing conditions, the " talent" .'hould be 
);id within the circumscribed area of B')tanical Gar- 
i dens, while the opportunity offered by making the 
3 school a medium for utilizing expert knowled^re to 
, its full advantage should be neglected. It will be a 
i good day both for the school as well as the agri- 
) cultural and horticullur.il classes iu Ceylon when 
, i\Iessrs. Vvillis, Nock and Macmillon become asso- 
i ciated with the curriculum of the School of Agri- 
l culture. The cream-separating demonstration as 
, conducted by tl;e Manager of the Government 
I Dairy was a decided revehition to many hundreds 
I who visited th.e Show, and it must have suggested 
I many jiossibilitie?. In this connection we might 
1 refer to the advantage derived both by the fa> 
