18 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[July 1, 1896. 
COCONUT PROPERTY AND CULTIVATION 
IN IHE NORTH. 
We are indebted to an intelligent yiroprietor 
of coconut estates in Jaffna for the following 
comment on our remark that K20tJ per acre 
seemed a low price to pay for coconut palms 
in bearing, and also for information as to ex- 
tension of cultivation by natives. Our cor- 
respondent writes :—" Several natives are clearing 
and planting yearly small portions of land whicli 
will in time develo)) into fair jiroperties. At 
present they can only be c;illed native gardens. 
I notice your remark' on the prices supposed to 
have been paid for estates here lately. R200 an 
acre is considered a very good figure here, and a 
large advance on old prices, considering that 
coconuts are rather at a disadvantage in the 
Northern Province. The almost yearly recurrence 
of eight months' dry weather, leaving only four 
for cultivation, is a great drawback. Tlien the 
existing facilities for transport are uncertain and 
difficult. With them we can take no advantage 
of the favourable fluctuations of the market." 
The last drawback should be relieved by tiie rail- 
way if only coconut produce can ad'ord railway 
transport tor so great a distance as to Colombo 
orKandy? Were the line a cheap narrow one 
— or a tramway — over so great an ex))anse of 
flat country, it could afford to carry pro- 
duce at rates far below what must be charged 
on a broad-gauge line. 
* • 
THE "VINE" EXPERIMENT AT 
THE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE. 
In answer to an enquiry in connection with 
our "agricultural review, we regret to have 
the following report:— "The vine-growing experi- 
ment under M' Zanetti's care was very promising 
while it lasted and it is a pity that Government 
could not see its way to continue the license for 
more than twelve montlis. Signor Zanetti who 
brought over the plants from Australia offered 
to demonstrate vine growing at the School on 
certain terms, which at the end of a year he 
wished altered so as to make it worth his while 
to continue the trial for another year ;"but Gov- 
ernment not accepting his terms he decided to 
sell all his plants (about 1,000) whicli are now 
to be found no doubt in various parts of the 
island. It is satisfactory to know that the vines 
were not taken out of Ceylon and that some 
are in the hands of Mr. levers at Jaffna and 
others in the hands of Mr. E, Elliott at 
Tangalle." 
» 
PRESERVATION OF GRAIN FROM WEEVILS. 
Here is information on this important subject 
from the Agricultural Magazine for December 
last 5 — 
(Note by Prof. Church.) 
The only cheap and perfect application of the pre- 
vention of the attack of weevil upon corn and grains 
consists in the employment of bisulphide of carbon. 
The quantity required, provided for the grain is kept 
in closed vessels, is very minute — not more than 
IJ lb. to each ton of grain— so that 8d is the cost 
of preserving a ton of Wheat. The bisulphide leaves 
no disagreeable taste or smell behind, and the quality 
of the grain remains unimpaired. When bags are 
uaedl instead pf the iron cylinders specially prepared 
for nse in the bisalphide proceae, the protective in- 
fluence of this chemical soon ceases, and a fresh 
application of the bieulphide mutt be made. In 
eitbf^r case the liquid is applied as folluwd. A ball 
of tow is tied to a btick of euch * \engtb that it 
can just be plunged into the midd).j of the vetbel 
containing the grain. The tow receives the charge of 
bisulphide like a sponge and is then at once pluugcj 
into the sack or cylinder and left there, the mouth 
being closed tightly. When necessary the stick may 
be withdrawn and the charge (1 oz. bisulphide to 
100 lb. grain) renewed. 
{Note by F. M'. Cabaniss, Aesittatil Dirtctor of Agii- 
culture, Jlunita, on the Pre> tntion and 
Destruction of Mack W^eevU.) 
I have teen trying for several years a uomber of 
experiments, with the object of finding a cheap and 
simple method of preventing the ravages of thi8 
weevil. I think that I have found it iu the use of 
naphthalene powder. My method of using the powder 
is nere given for the benefit of the grain de&lerk of 
Burma. It is best to place the naphthalene powder 
at the bottom of the bin or bulk of grain. To ac- 
complish this take a bimboo, about \k incbeii m 
diameter and long enough to reach from the top to thj 
bottom of the bulk of grain. Punch the joints out 
of the bamboo, so as to be able to pass a Etick 
through from one end of the bamboo to the other. 
Have the stick made to fit the cavity in the bamboo. 
Pass the bamboo, with the stick in it, down through 
the bulk uf grain from the top to the bottom. With- 
draw the stick, and drop into the top of the bam- 
boo about half a teaspoon of naphthalene powder. 
The bamboo can then be drawn out, as the ua- 
?htbalene is safe at the bottom of the bulk of grain, 
f the bulks are large (his should be done once to 
every 10 feet square of the bulk. Repeat the appli- 
cation every 15 or 20 days as the powder evaporates. 
The weevil that can leave the grain will do so, 
and those that cannot leave are killed by the odour 
of the' naphthalene. I do not believe that naphtha- 
lene thus used can cause any injury whatever to 
grain. For seed purposes the germinatiog powers 
appear not to be affected in the least. For market- 
able grain the colour is not affected, and the odour 
will leave in a short time if fresh naphthalene is 
not applied to it. The quantity of powder used is 
infinitely small in proportion to the quantity of grain, 
and the powder is entirely destroyed by evaporation, 
so that for food purposes the effect is nil. 
Naphthalene powder can be procured at the 
Medical Halls in Rangoon at R2-80 per ounce, and 
a few ounces of it will be sufficient for one season 
for any gr.iiu dealer in Burma. 
[There are two species of weevil (CurcuUonidae) 
belonging to the division Rhyncophora which attack 
stored wheat and other grain. One is Calandra 
(SitophUus) Gratuiria ani the other Calandra {St'op- 
hilus) Oai/zae. The former is found principally in 
Europe, America and Canada. The latter which re- 
quires a high temperature is chiefly confined to India 
and other hot climates.] 
BURMA: AREA UNDER, AND TRAFFIC 
IN RICE. 
At a time when the question of a rice supply 
from Burma to Ceylon is under discussion, it 
may be well to quote the following information 
from Dr. Watt's standard work on " Economic 
Products of India": — 
The Agricultural Statistics of British India, pub- 
lished by the Imperial Government, show that the 
province of Burma had 5,67.^,542 acres under, rice 
during the year 1888-89. Of this area, 4,067,606 
acres were under cultivation in Lower Burma and 
1,605,936 in Upper Burma. The following figure 
show the principal rice-growing districts of the tw 
aecticna of the province ; Upper Burma, Ye- 
(250,0C0 acres) ; Mimbu (176,880 acres) ; ghweb 
