August I, 1898.] 
THE TEOPICAL ACIRICULTUKIST. 
81 
COFFEE AND "LADYBIRD" BEETLES. 
Mr. H. Kiiby's cheery letter about the bright 
prospects before our old staple this year in 
Ceylon, ought to prompt the P. A. Coiiiniittee 
to immediate action in respect of tlie "Lady- 
bird" mission. Or, seeing that the Haputale 
P.A. very nearly represents one-third of all the 
coffee acreage left in the island, why should 
its Committee not meet and give the tirst 
impulse to a movement for raising funds to 
enable Ceylon to benefit at the earliest possible 
day in the South-Indian "Lady-bird" importa- 
tion from Queensland '! 
■*■ 
LADY-BIKDS AND COFFEE. 
We call attention to the letter addressed by 
Mr. Philip to Mr. E. E. Green on this subject. 
Surely the decision of certain Uva planters to 
do nothing at this time towards getting^ the 
benefit of lady-bird beetles, is not well-advised ? 
Mr. Kirby spoke of a levy of 20 cents an acre 
on coffee ; but say that it was only 10 cents and 
the coUectioTi was confined to 12,000 acres (as lb 
would be difficult to levy on small gardens and 
acreages) ; yet, in our opinion the resulting Kl,200 
with a similar amount from Government, or 
Iv2,400 in all, should suffice to enable Ceylon coffee 
planters to share in the importation of the anti- 
bug beetles now expected for the benefit of Mysore, 
Coorg, &c. We trust that neither Mr. Green nor 
Mr. kirby will let the matter rest wiiereitis no\y. 
With our old .staple promising so well this year, it 
will be a crreat shame if nothing is done to try 
and get rid of its chief enemy when so good 
an opportunity offers. 
COLOMBO HOBTICULTURAL SHOW. 
blRAY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE COLOMBO 
FEUIT AND FLOWER SHOW-' 
{Bi/ One ivlio was Prescitt.) 
The impetus which has of late been given to Horti- 
cnltural Shows in Ceylon is undoubtedly an indica- 
tion of progress in the right way. Colombo and 
Nuwara Eliya seem now imbued with a spirit of 
emnlacion, vieing with each other as to which will 
be the more rej^ular and successfal with Shows of 
this kind, leaving benighted Kaudy with all her 
floral advantages, to boast only of an annual 
barbarous procession of Perahera. The last Flower 
Show held in Kandy was, if I remember rightly, in 
1883, and since then the paradisaical town has evi- 
dently been eujoymg a blissful state of lethai-gy. 
The success of the Colombo Show just past is a i-e- 
newed proof of the interest aud wholesome spirit of 
competition that such Exhibitions are capable of 
arousing in all lovers of flowers and in all classes 
of people. That the competition, iiowever, in certain 
departments was particularly slack is no criterion of 
what might be the case if Shows were held more 
regularly and at shorter intervals. An Agricultural 
or Horticultural E,xhibitiou held only once in every 
decade can hardly serve the utilitarian purposes for 
which its promoters strive so eagerly and a lapse 
of more than a year is certain to neutralize what- 
ever good may have resulted from it, making the 
undertaking of a succeeding Show always as much 
of a tentative nature as the preceding one. But it 
is in the wind just now, I hoar, that before the present 
energetic Committee disperses an Agri-Horticultural 
Society is to be organised. 
' Written, we may mention, bjforc our editorial 
OU page 57,— Ed. T.A. 
n 
To return to the Colombo Fru:t and Flower 
Show, there were several features and object les- 
sons which must have well repaid a visit from 
those whose attention was not absorb3d in stu- 
dies of fashion and other diversions. In the 
classes for native products, coconuts, jak-fruits, 
and mangoes may be said to have been the moat 
striking both in point of size and in number, 
tlie last-named especially being more remarkable 
for size and variety than for eating qualities. 
The display of tropical edible fruits was very dis- 
appointing, with the single exception of pineapples, 
among which were some very fine exhibits, notably 
the lot from the Eoyal Botanical Gardens, which was 
not for competition. Some fruits shown in this class 
could not possibly be called ■' edible," if indeed they 
were not poisonous, for instance, the " Kiri gedi." 
The same remark could well be applied to articles 
included under the head of yams, the show of which 
was surprisingly poor. As for nfangosteens, the most 
delicious of fruits and " the only fruit which t:ie 
Queen has never tasted," they looked tempting to any 
one acquainted with their delicacy, but from some 
strange causa most of them displayed signs of 
disease, which was readily noticed on trying to cut 
open the fruit, the rind being very hard and corky 
and the inside quite unfit for eating. 
THE EXHIBITS OF CDCOXUTS 
were all good though some were ridiculously large 'n 
number, some exhibitors showing over 300. But it 
must be said that this was not so much the fault 
of exhibitors, as of those who omitted to put reasonable 
restrictions on the number to be exhibited. This 
oversight must have involved some difficulty in the 
matter of judging, not only in this class tut ii several 
others. The selection of coconuts staged by the 
veteran coconut planter, Mr. W. H. Wright, was in 
every way excellent, a"d that it did not include more 
than were necessary of each variety was an additional 
recommendation. Yet with these merits it failed to 
draw the well-deserved medal. 
IX THE CLASS OF MISCELLANEOUS EXHIBITS, 
there were several objects of special interest, among 
which may be mentioned Mr. Wright's handsome 
specimen of a fruit-climber [moastera deliciosa) bearing 
fruit, which as the name implies is said to surpass 
most other fruits in sweetness of flavour. A monster 
clump of Mysore cardamoms quite 15 feet in height, 
shown by Mr. Westland of Matale was also of interest,, 
as showing the height, the plant attains when well- 
grown. Here also were specimens of rubber ''bleached'' 
by a new process discovered by Mr. Parkin of the 
Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya. IBut whatever may be 
said of the exhibits generally, it must be admitted 
that the arrangements reflected great credit on 
THE MANAOES'G COJIinTTEE 
and no small share of which is due in particular to 
Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Davidson. 
The " lady correspondent" in the Ohserver of the lOth 
instant makes some opportune observations, and the 
suggestion that Begonias should claim the attention 
of the country to a special degree sounds very nice 
and lady-like. But the lady correspondent in ques- 
tion does not seem to take into account that all 
plants thrive only within a certain range of tempera- 
ture ; otherwise why would Nuwara Eliya not compete 
against Colombo for coconuts, and Colombo against 
upcountry for English vegetables ? 
» 
TEA -LANTANA— CREEPERS AND 
jroSQUITOES. 
(Bij a Cynic). 
Tea planting like all other Tropical farming 
give- those interested the " jumps. " We are 
exercised one day by advice in local papers and 
brokers' lists to go in for line and careful pluck- 
ng. The ne.\t day we iea,d that the Ck^ii'iuaa 
