July 1, 1898.] Supplement to the Tropical Affrici/liiirist.'" G7 
■feeirg speculator in town and the villoge cattle- 
kee}:ers in the Bombay Presidency. Tlie latter 
residing in remote rural districts is iniablo to find 
a markec for tlie milk got from his cows, v.liile 
lie liuds it impossible to send his produce to town 
owing to the peculiarly perishable nature of milk 
in the tropics. Tlio former, while looking to his 
own iIlter^^sts, comes to the re-cue of the Tillagers 
by invosring in one or more cream separators 
V. hich he sets up at one or more rural centres to 
which mi!k is reidily broiiglit for sale, as readily 
l)urcliased and worked out as cream. The cream, 
which may be said to be less p&riihalile than milk, 
and indeed is im])roTed for butter-making purposes 
by keeping, is carried into town and there con- 
verted into butter, V.'e are inclined to think tliat 
such an industry as is here indicated can, wich 
tlie same mutual advaritage, be carried on in 
Ceylon where a good deal of the milk, milk of 
cows and buffaloes are allowed to run to waste in 
remote villages. 
Bee-keeping on rational principles as demon- 
strated by Mr. Charles .\ndree "^'as another very 
suggestive side-show which must have struck 
many as iiulicating a possibility of a coraraeu- 
rtable by-industry, not v>-ithout remuiieralicn 
cmsidering its inexpensive character, paiticularly 
suitable for the women in a husbandman's family. 
Mr. Audree proved to sati-faciion in carrying 
on his demonstration amid an assembly of over 
2,0G0 persons, his dictum that " if you do not 
hurt the lees they will not hurt you." Gentle 
treatment and an improved hive — costing but a 
few rupees — vv'ould seem to be all the necessary 
conditions for the production of a pure article of 
diet — admitted by all authorities to be amongst 
the most wholesome food products — for home 
consumjition or disposal. Bee honey, as has to be 
accepted in Ceylon, is an objectionable substance 
if it is not in many cases a noxioiis compound,- 
it would be out of place to describe its origin 
here, — and the popularizing of apiculture as a 
home industry to find occupation for the hus- 
bandman's family daring their many hours 
of leisure, between seasons of paddy cultivation, 
shouKl have a more beneficial and far-reaching in- 
fluence in the villages than at flrst appears. 
Among other exhibits to be seen in the same 
department of the Show were various insecticides 
and the means of using them. These should 
have jiroved of interest to many who probably 
had never seen or heard of Paris green or Loudon 
purple or naphthaline {^^pecially recommended 
ugiinst the paddy weevil), nor were aware 
that there were convenient; and cheap spraying 
m'lchiues that would enable to u=:e certain in- 
secticides most effectually. 
-We are inclined to include another exhibit 
in the cla«s to which vve are referring, we mean 
Mr. George Warr's excellent show case illustrating 
the various and numerous uses to which the 
fibre of the rhea or ramie plant — now grown in 
many parts of the Island — can be put. There 
were many who considered this exhibit amo.ig 
the most striking objects in the Show. There 
are a number of capitalists who are ready to 
grow ramie extensively if they were only satisfied 
that the decorticating and degur.iming processes 
can be sati-fuctorily got over, and, if Jlr. AVarr 
saw his way to bring over an ellicieut machine 
for decortication, and also to show growers how 
they should set about the after-treatme;it of the 
fibre, lie would 1)3 conferring a boon on the local 
planting community. 
THE COLOMBO iHUIT Al-iD FL0TYJ2E 
SH.OW, 1898. 
It is admitted on all hands that the Show which 
was held on the 9th and 10th of June was a crreat 
success, that is to say, fruits and flowers as well as 
the additional classes of vegetables, poultry, dairy 
produce and miscellaneous products were all well 
represented. Considering the fact that such Shows 
are held only at long intervals, and that they are 
as a rule hastily got up, it must have been a plea- 
sant surprise to the promoters of the Show to find 
that their efforts gave such general satisfaction. 
But as has been pointed out in the local press the 
benefits derivable from Agricultural Shows cannot 
be expected to be of a permanent character, unless 
Show^s are held frequently, at least annually, on 
dates wdiich should be notified 6 months or even 
one year before; If,asisreported,itisinteiided before 
dissolving the present Coma.it;tee of Management 
to appoiut a Standing Committee for tire promo- 
tion of annual shows an important step in advance 
will have been taken. Sucli a body from gaining 
experience in conducting recurring Shows may 
after a few years be expected to become experts in 
the management of the^e exhibitions on the most 
economical as well as utilitarian principle lines. 
To adopt the model of European Shows has not 
been found the very best plan, and the endeavour 
to make local agricultural exhibitions sufncieutly 
comprehensive to fully represent the various 
departments of agricukure has generally ended 
disastrously. The better plan appears to be to give 
prominence to one or two of such departments, 
while at the same time some recognition is given 
to agricultural operations in general. For in- 
stance, fruits at one time, vegetables at other, 
poultry and cattle on a third occasion, might form 
the principal class at a Show just as the chief 
features at the late Show were flowers and 
fruits. Exhibitors, themselves, have also to learu 
the real object of Agricultural Shows. There are 
many who are under the impression that odd and 
curious specimens are the most acceptable kinds of 
exhibits, and good normal specimens are of ouly 
secondary importance. They have yet to grasp 
the face, that quality as well as size as regards 
fruits and vegetables are to be reckoned in judgitrcr 
of the merits of exhibits. It is very necessary 
that the number of specimens of any one exhibit 
should be limited by the Committee, so that all 
exhibitors will be showing under the same condi- 
tions. If it; ii thought advisabla to call for large 
collections of different varieties of any one product, 
there should also bean opportunity for competiti n 
as regards the best commercial specimens of that 
product. All these points will no doubt recei\e 
full consideration on future occasions, with t! e 
result that the best results will be achieved. 
The advantage of annually recurring Sho^^8 
should be seen in the uniform quality of cultivi - 
tiou that will have to be kept up "to meet tl e 
requirements of healthy competition, while many 
competitors will find new and important tacts 
