Sept. 1, 1808.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
161 
DAMAGED PADDY. 
Tlie tollowing has been handed to us ior publica- 
tion : — 
To the Director, Koyal Botanic Gardens. 
Sir,— I have the honour to return the enclosures, 
relating to samples of injured paddy from Bata- 
aliy in the Haiiitigam Korale. 
2 I have caref'illy examined the samples sub- 
mitted. In addition to the insects noticed in 
previous samples, I now hnd a considerably larger 
betle, apparently allied to the genus, Tenebrio : 
also large numbers of the larvae of another 
grain heetle—Tcnchiides Jllaun'taniciis — a species 
that is found in stored grain all over the world. 
While itself feeding upon the grain it is partly 
carnivorous and will attack and destroy the 
grubs of other grain-feeding insects. The pre- 
.sence of a few small earwigs was probably acci- 
dental. 
3. With a view to testing the relative amount 
of injjiry caused by the several species of beetles 
occurring in damaged paddy, I have confined liv- 
ing examples of the insects in separate boxes, and 
supplied them with sound uninjured grains of 
paddy. I have been considerably surprised to find 
that after .several days (in one instance eight 
daj's) the grain has been absolutely untouched. 
In one instance only a discoloured and defective 
grain had been perforated. It would appear there- 
fore that vjcll developed and properly dried grain 
are impervious to attaek. 
4. A question therefore arises as to the veal 
a|use of the excessive injury to stored grain 
and the sudden inciease in grain-feeding insects 
noticeable in Ceylon at this time. It should be 
ascertained if any difference in the quality of 
the grain was noticeable at the time of harvest, 
whether a larger amount of defective grains were 
pres ent ; whether there had been any disease 
(fungal or otherwise) in the growing paddy ; or 
whether any circumstances occurred at the time 
of harvesti ng to prevent the proper drying of 
the grain before it was stored. — I am, etc., 
(Signed.) E. Ernkst Green, 
Hon. Government Entomologist. 
Eton, Pundaluoya, June 21, 1898. 
The Director of the Royal Botanic Gardeus re- 
ports as follows on the above: — 
The insects appear to be beetles and earwigs. 
There appear to be more insects than in the 
previous samjjles, but the naptlialene treatment 
IS equally efficacious with <a!l. 
I would call attention to paragraphs 3 and 4 
of the report, which seem to indicate that the pest 
is largely due to bad drying of the grain before 
storage Would it be possible to find out through 
the headmen, if anj'of the causes suggested in pai a 
4 by Mr. Green have been at work? 
(Signed) J. C, Willi.s, Director, Koyal Botanical 
Gardens. 
The Kachcheri, Colombo, July 1. 
WEEVILS. 
Sir,— I have the honour to inform you that, 
from reports receive>l from the Mudaliyars, it ap- 
pears that the weevils are largely decreasing. 
The drying of the paddy in the sun and mixing 
it with certain leaves seems to beeftective. 
2. Some of the Mudaliyars attribute the disease 
to the fact that tiiere were heavy rainsat harvest time, 
and that the paddy was not properly diied. It has 
now been noticed that paddy stocketl in houses 
or near fire places has not been attacked, and 
it seems probable that tlie existence of the 
animals is due to the dampness of the paddy 
when stocked. — I am, etc. 
F. R. Ellis, Government Agent, W. P. 
J. S. Dkii:berg, Office Assistant. 
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. 
Mr. Willis reports on the above :— 
This confirms the statemen*; made by Mr. 
Green in Report referred to. I think the weevil 
will probably soon die out, but appear in numbers 
again at some future season, when people have 
once more become careless about drying. — 1 am, etc. 
(Signed) John C. Willis, Director R.B.G. 
Peradeniya, July Sth 1898. 
THE DIRECTOR OF THE JAVA BOTANI- 
CAL GARDENS IN CEYLON. 
HIS IMPRESSIONS. 
We briefly referred, the other day, to the viait of 
a distinguished scientist to our shores in the person 
of Dr. Treub, the Director of the Botanical Gardens 
of Java. Dr. Treub arrived in Ceylon, on the 23rd 
of June, and since then has been visiting several 
places of interest in Ceylon, accompanied by his 
curator, Mr. Wignam. He has come in hia official 
capacity, but the doctor's visit has no special aims, 
hi informed the reporter of a contemporary 
that beyond collecting information of interest to him- 
self. The lirst place he visited in Ceylon was the 
Peradeniya Gardens, and then he went on to Hakgala- 
Badulla, and Anuradhapura, to all of which places 
he was accompanied by Mr. Willis, our Director. Dr. 
Treub also went on to Galle, whence he returned 
and then went to Heneratgoda to inspect the 
gardens there. Questioned fiist as to 
THE PEKADENIYA GARDENS 
the doctor said that what struck him most in con- 
nection with it was its extremely fine situation. It 
was the best situated Botanical Garden he knew of, 
what made it so being the beautiful river that skirted 
the gardens, which with such au advantage 
HAD NO EQUAL. 
What they had iu Java was only a mountain 
stream, and nothing like the Mahaweli Gauga of 
Peradeiiiva. The gardens besides had excellent slopes 
and the general scenery was very striking, while the 
place, he thought, was very well laid out iijdeed. 
As to the botanical specimens in the gardens, he was 
much struck with them, and particularly with the 
giant bamboos. The rubber trees near the entrance 
he considered ve y fine specimens indeed ; while the 
banyan trees were also striking. Dr. Treub spent 
some time in Peradeniya collecting information, and 
he is loud in his praise of Mr. Willis for hia unre- 
mitting atteution and hospitality. 
HAKGALA P.SAISED. 
From the Peradeniya gardens, Dr. Treub went on 
to Hakgala, and when asked what he thought of 
the garden there, he started with the exclamation 
" Oh 1" and said be never saw anything like it in 
the topics. In fact he never saw such a grand garden 
in Europe; and he was much struck with the splendid 
display of European flowers. They were excellent 
specimens, aud the garden was well laid cut and 
apparently well cared for. The advantage was that 
it was near Nuwara Eliya, which gave many people 
an opportunity of visiting it. In Java, they had 
mountain gardens at an altitude of 5,000 feet; but 
they were isolated aud were seldom visii-ed. Dr. 
Treub also spoke very well of the orchard at Hakgala, 
aud specially mentioned the luxurious growth of the 
papaua fiuit. In regard to 
THE GARDENS AT liADULLA AND ANURADHAPURA 
Dr. Treub, of course, had not much to say, but he 
considered them very profitable things, aud thought 
they should be kept up, ihough he did not think 
much of the soil at Anuradhapura, as he thought it 
too sandy. In speaking of his visit to Badulla and 
Anuradhapura, the doctor, referring to the scenery 
generally, enthusiastically praised it, 
