June 1, IS'JP.] 
Supplornpnl In the " Tropical A()ricnllHr!^iy 
883 
llALVFALL TAXEX AT THE SCHOOL 01' 
AGRICULTURE DURING THE MONTH 
OF APRIL, 1899. 
1 
Saturday 
, zo 
1 fi 
lo 
Tuesday , 
2 
Sunday 
\rii 
. i\ U 
1 O 
Wednesday . 
•97 
3 
Mouday 
, Uo 
Thursday . 
'/ O 
4 
Tuesday . 
f^i I 
• i> 11 
91 
1' lUl.lJ 
5 
Wednesday . 
1 -A", 
. i U'J 
09 
Zzt 
Saturdiiy . 
Nil 
il 11 
a 
D 
Thursday . 
9'^ 
Sunday . , 
7 
Friday , 
9 1 
Monday , , 
, 1> 11 
8 
Saturday 
0.7 1 
lo 
Tuesday , , 
• 1 
. 10 
9 
Sunday • 
•16 
26 
Wednesday , 
. Nil 
10 
Monday 
". Nil 
27 
Thursday . . 
Nil 
11 
Tuesday 
. 1-47 
28 
Friday 
Nil 
12 
Wednesday . 
. -40 
29 
Saturday . . 
Nil 
13 
Thursday 
. Nil 
30 
Sunday 
Nil 
14 
Friday 
. -11 
1 
Mouday 
Nil 
15 
Saturday 
. -10 
16 
Sunday 
. -10 
17 
Moudoy 
. 1-47 
Total . 
.rt-99 
Greatest amount of rainfall in any 21 hours 
on tlie 8th inst. 2-74 inches. 
Menn rainfall for the month "33 in. 
Recorded by Mr. J. A. G. Rodrigo. 
VETERINARY NOTES FROM THE VILLAGES. 
The vedarala who heats cattle is, like the veda- 
rala, who heats human beings a prominent figure 
in rural society. Sometimes the same person who 
treats men practises the healing of the lower 
animals, as is the custom in certain parts of 
Central Europe ; but very often we meet with 
distinct cattle vedaralas. 
2. The classification and nomeclature of diseases, 
according to the native method, are rather peculiar. 
They are based chiefly according to their symp- 
toms, and the same disease may go by different 
names when different symptoms are prominent. 
The village method of treating cattle is also more 
empirical than rational. 
3. Nevertheless, some of the remedies prescribed 
by the vederalas are very efficacious, and they ure 
mostly vegetable drugs which may be procured 
fresh from ihe neighbouring jungles, or bought in 
the bazaar for a trifling sum of money. Mineral 
substances .sold in the bazaars, such as the various 
crude salts, are also prescribed. 
4. The vederalas have for their guidance and 
information certain old oln books which may 
have been handed down to them by some ancestor 
who was famous in the healing art. Reference is 
also made to Sinhalese and Tamil printed books, 
such as the " Gawaratnaya,"' by the present 
generation of hnrak vedemlns. 
5. It was not without some surprise that I saw 
this well-known work on cattle diseases in the 
hands of a young cattle vederala in one of the 
remote villages of the North-Central Province. He 
evinced an anxiety lo know some of the more 
modern and scientitic pha-esof the Veterinary ar"^, 
and asked me for inftu-mation on a good many 
piiinta, on which I was only too glad to impart 
iiistructi')n to hitu, seeing his anxiety to obtain it. 
6. The " Gawaratnaya" is a Sinhaliiso book on 
cattle diseases by 0)ie Mr. Perura, and may be 
looked upon as a sort of connecting link betweea 
the ancient and modern systems of tro.iting the 
diseases of cattle. It is divided into several parts, 
some of which are in proae and some in poetry; 
While on the one hand it contains many manthrami 
or incantations and appeals addressed to demons, 
on the other it also contains several useful 
vegetable remedies for some of the commonest 
diseases of cattle. One part of it treats of certain 
brand-marks to be placed on different parts of the 
body for different cattle diseases. Most of thesa 
murks are phautastic in form, and it is difficult to 
trace the connection between them and the 
diseases they are calculated to cure. The closing 
part of the book treats of the use of some of the 
well-known disinfectants, such as carbolic acid 
and phenyle, in connection with rinderpe t and 
Qther contagious diseases. 
7. Odd though such a book would be aa 
to the nature of its contents, it is still useful to a 
certain extent, and, as already stated, contains 
several valuable prescriptions. It also represents 
t,he ideas prevalent among half-educated natives 
,|bout the diseases of cattle and their treatment. 
8. As in most other matters connected with the 
native villager, superstition has found its way into 
this subject of cattle diseases. Just a few days 
ago 1 was surprised to find that a virulent foim of 
rinderpest, which had been prevailing on an 
ertate in the neighbourhood of Horana, was 
seriously spoken of a.s the work of a demon called 
Palhom, and firing a gun occasionally was pre- 
scribed as a method of preventing the disease. 
Even the native conductor on the estate profe-ses 
to believe this, and the suddenness with which 
several animals succumbed to the disease wts 
given as the foundation for this belief. 
It is, however, known to science that rinderpest 
not unfrequeatly assumes a very virulent form 
at the commencement of an outbreak causing 
death without even h aving sufficient time for the 
infected animals to develop the symptoms of the 
disease fully. Latterly, however, the disease 
assumes a comparatively milder form, and the 
symptoms of the disease are more fully evident, 
as was the case with the cattle on the estate 
referred to. 
9. A scientific knowledge of the various diseases 
which are more commonly prevalent among 
village cattle, imported in a simple manner, would 
go a great way towards dispelling the delusive 
and superstitious popular ideas about them, and 
will tend to save the lives of a great many cattle. 
10. The little poraphlet called ''Notes for 
C ittle-Owners," recently published by Government 
is very welcome when looked upon from this 
point of view. Vernacular copies of this work are 
now found in possession of most of the headmen 
of the villages, and are bound to do a great deal 
of good. Two of the most common diseases, viz., 
rinderpest and foot-an<l-raouth disease have been 
dealt with in this pamphlet- It is highly desirous 
that the good work tlius begun should be con- 
tinued, and tiiat information abouc other 
common disoa'ies, both c uitagious and non-conta- 
gious, such i\& kandamala i , 01 malignant sore tliroftf, 
hoven, &c., should be placed widiin reach of 
cattle owners in the village.s of tlie backward 
provinces. K. T. H, 
(To be cmtiuHnl.t 
