8l6 
Sx/pplement to the "Tiftpical Agriculturist." [May 1, 1899. 
more, till definite arrfiiif,'erupnt6 have been mnde to 
Inuncli ili>-!ie\v intliif-fiy, which is alrendy engiigiiifj 
the ntteiuion of more than one CJ'jiititlisl (yut^ido 
the ishind, and we will only add fhiit we heartily 
congrntulate the promoter of this business which 
should help to further strengthen the pofcition of 
the coconut planters of the Colony. 
IIAINFALL TAKEN AT THE SCHOOL OF 
AGRICULTURE DURING THE MONTH 
OF MARCH, 1899. 
1 
Wednesday . . 
Nil 
18 
Saturday . . 
Nil 
2 
Thursday 
Nil 
19 
Siindaj' 
Nil 
8 
Friday 
Nil 
20 
Mondi'y 
Nil 
4 
Saturday 
Nil 
21 
Tu^'^d»y 
Nil 
5 
Sunday 
Nil 
22 
Wi'dnesdny . . 
Nil 
6 
Monday 
Nil 
23 
Thursday .. 
Nil 
7 
Tuesday . 
Nil 
24 
Friday 
Nil 
8 
Wednesday , 
. Nil 
i5 
Saturday .. 
•50 
9 
Thursday 
. Nil 
26 
Sunday 
•IT) 
10 
Friday 
Nil 
27 
Jlonday 
•05 
11 
Saturday 
. Nil 
28 
Tuesday 
•29 
12 
Sunday 
Nil 
29 
Wednesday. . 
•74 
13 
Monday 
Tuesday 
Nil 
30 
Thursday . . 
Nil 
14 
Nil 
81 
Friday 
Nil 
15 
Wednesday . 
Nil 
1 
Saturday .. 
•28 
16 
Thursday 
Nil 
17 
Friday 
. Nil 
Total. 
1^78 
Greatest amount of rainfall in any 24 hours 
on the £9th inst. -74 inches. 
Mecn rainfall for the month Q'> in. 
Recorded by Mr. J. A. G. Rodeigo. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
Catf'lostles of the Colombo Agri-Horticultural 
Show to be held in July next can he had on ajipli- 
cation to the Honorary Secretary, School of 
Agriculture, Colombo. 
The following are the Agricultural E.xhibits 
required for the Ceylon Court in the Paris 
E.\hil)itionl900.— Group VII. Agriculture (clas.'-es 
35-42) in the Paris E.xhibiiiou official catalogue. 
Class SO. Vegetable Food Products: Rice, Tea, 
('offee, Cacno, Cardamoms, Vanilhi, Pepper, Cin- 
chona, Sugar, Cinnamon. Clas? 41. Non-edible 
Agricultural Products : Rubber, Rumie, Aloe and 
Fibre, Coir, Palmyrah, Kitul, Coconut Oil, Citronella 
Oil, Cinnamon Oil, Lemon Grass Oil, non-cultirated 
oils (such as ]vekuna,]\li, Domba, &c.) and Tobacco. 
Of those the Planters' Association of Ceylon has 
undertaken to collect the whole of class 39, e.\cept 
Rice, Sug.^r and Citiuamon, and also Rubber, while 
the Chamber of Commerce has undertaken to supply 
Sugar and Cinnamon as well as the whole of class 41, 
excepting Rubber, non-cultivated Oils, and Tobncco. 
Rice has been assigned to the Government Agents, 
Western, Eastern and Southern Provinces ; Tobacco 
to .the Government Agents, Northern, Eastern and 
J^o^th-We^tern Provinces; Sugar also to the 
Government Agent, Southern Province; Non-culti- 
vated oils to the Conservator of Forests and the 
Mr. Tliomns Chrinty of Lime Street reports thnt 
he win shortly plHCe a l irge Etock of iipp>ov»^d 
Rubt^er m'ichiiie« on the m irket, the Hpproxim>ite 
price of II roiicliine being £"7. Sume of the^e will 
no doubt very shortly reach Ceylon, an'l liel.i to 
settle the vexed question of what form of rubl>er 
would be most easily grown and remuneratively 
culti rated in the Colony. 
Mr. E. Elliott, of Walawe Eftute, Amblaiitof«, 
reports having received from (iueen^land three 
de.-icriptions of ]mddy seed — one of wliich is put 
down to yield lA to -3 tons per acre \75 to lUO 
bushels). 
Mr. S. \>. Mahan allatenne, Ratemahatnieyat 
of Bal.ingoda, is esiublit-hing an extensive 
garden, both for flowers and fruits, in which 
he is trying different imported vnrietie* of fruit 
with n view (o finding out those which will thrive 
in hi-" district. Natiiriilly, tho exjieriiuenc is 
costing a good deal, but Mr. MihawHlluieniie will 
have the satisfaction of feeling that he ic engagtsd 
in a mo>t laudalde work, which should go a great 
way towards making his district conspicuously 
jirogressive, as well as to confer a permanent bene- 
fit on the inhabitants. Balnngoda possess good 
soil and a climate that should suit many tetpperate 
plants. 
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 
Just at this $tage when the question of art 
Agricultural Department and the reorganising of 
Agricultural Education in the Island is occupying 
the attention of a Commi>bion, the folliminjj 
extract from Dr. Voeleker's report on the improve- 
ment of Indian Agriculture i-; much to the point : — 
"Tlie question next arises : granted that there is 
a need of men more agriculturally trained, what 
inducements are there to be given to them to pur- 
sue the study of agriculture;' If young men go 
to other employments 1 ecausc there aie no ope n- 
ings ffir them in agriculture, how are these "pen- 
ings to he made r Only bj* giving as good prizes ' 
for agriculture as for the Bar or f'T Government 
employ. The Land Revenue Administration needs 
a regular supply of men to fill posts in it. Lard 
Revenue Inspectors are required whose bu-iness is 
•with the people in their agricultural relati-^ns, 
and who have to do with the soil and the crop<. 
Surely those best fitted are the ones who have had 
an agricultural training, and the administrationJof 
matters connected with the land will be best 
carried out by the men who understand agricul 
ture best. In England a land steward is not a 
man who is taken out of a bank, or who has do le 
no more than take a high university degree in 
classics or malhematic-'. So should it be with 
Land Revenue Inspectors ; they should be men 
who have passed through the agricultural classes, 
or through institutions that give a training in 
agriculture. In the course of my tour 1 met many 
Inspectors whose mind seemed to be quite a 
blank on the subject of agriculture; in other 
parts, as in some districts of the Central Pro* 
viuces, I found them to take a decided interest 
in agricultura. These latter were men who had 
passed tlirougU Mr. fuller's Agricultural Classi 
