390 
Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist.' [Oct. \, 190*. 
A complete set of grafting and budding tooli 
was procured from Messrs. Carter & Sons, London, 
and they are at present being used in the stock 
garden before utiliziug them for demonstrations at 
BChool gardens. 
I have made a nnmler of experiment* with 
insecticides and fungicides and the means of apply- 
ing them, and have devi^ed a convenient hand 
pump with " cyclone nozzle " attachment for deli- 
vering sprays in the form of a mist. 1 was led to 
do this in consequence of " knapsack " spraying 
machines preving too cumbersome for work out 
here. I am keeping a slock of materials for mak- 
ing up kerosine emulsion and Bordeaux solution for 
use in school gardens whenever necessary. As a 
cheap and non-poisonons insecticide I recommend 
a mixture of castor oil and soap, emulsified with 
the aid of carbonate of soda. As both the oil and 
Boap lire procurable by teachers, it would only be 
necessary to supply them with the carbonate, 
which is cheap enough and can be forwarded in 
parcel form through the post, thus doing away 
with the inconvenience of having to send fluid pre- 
parations. 
The treatment of betel disease has also received 
my attention. In December 1 took in hand a 
diseased plot of betel in Jawatta, situated at a con- 
venient distance from my office, and visited the 
garden often M'hile it was under treatment. I am 
glad to report that the measures adopted by me 
were attended with very satisfactory results. 
In conclusion, I should wish to acknowledge the 
service of my only assistant, Mr, Alexander Perera, 
who has done good work both in the stock garden 
and my office. 
C. DRIEBERG, b.a., F.H.A.8., &c., 
Superintendent School Gardens. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
RAINFALL TAKEN AT THE GOVERNMENT 
STOCK GARDEN FOR SEPTEMBER, 1903. 
1 
Tuesday 
Nil 
17 
Thursday 
. -40 
2 
Wednesday. . 
2-30 
18 
Friday 
. Nil 
3 
Thursday ... 
•10 
19 
Saturday 
. •SI 
4 
Friday 
■20 
20 
Sunday 
. •OS 
6 
Siiturday . . 
3-40 
21 
Monday 
. -22 
6 
Sundiiy 
Nil 
22 
Tuesday 
. 1-10 
7 
Monday 
•05 
23 
Wednesday . 
. -03 
8 
Tuesday 
•22 
24 
Thursday 
. •82 
9 
AVednesday.. 
. Nil 
25 
Friday 
. Nil 
10 
Thursday .. 
. Nil 
26 
Saturday 
. Nil 
11 
Friday 
. Nil 
27 
Sunday 
. -06 
12 
Saturday .. 
. Nil 
28 
Monday 
. 1-00 
13 
Sunday 
. Nil 
29 
Tuesday 
. ^23 
14 
Monday 
. Nil 
30 
Wednesday . 
.. .37 
15 
Tuesday 
Nil 
1 
Thursday 
.. -65 
16 
Wednesday.. 
Nil 
Total in.... 11^54 
Mean, .in.' •SB 
\ Greatest amount of rainfall in any 24 hours, 
from 4tli to 5lh 3-40 inches. ^ jjj 
^No. of days ou which rain fell 18, 
Alex. Pebeba. 
The question of raising fod ler grnsses and 
leguminous crops suitable for fodder — besides the 
two stock grasses grown in the Islan d — 
has once again come to the frotit as a result of the 
deliberations of the Commi,«sioa that lately ent 
on the Government Dairy, The only two grami- 
naceous plants hitherto cultivated for soiling pur- 
poses are the Mauritius or water grass 
(Panicum muticum) and Guinea grass (Panicum 
maximum), and the succeps which 1ms attend- 
ed the cultivation of both these introduced 
epecies has led to the opinion that a persistent effort 
should be made to establish other exotic specie=< of 
graminaceae, and, if possible, also leguminosae, to 
give greater variety to stock food, and 
furnish a material for the preparation of hay, 
which is prnctically unknown except in the form 
in which it is imported from Australia for racers 
and high-class hacks. 
In connection with the fodder question we might 
mention that seeds of Paspalum dilaitum (about 
■which we reproduce some interesting information 
elsewhere) were not long ago distributed through 
the Royal Botanic Garden?, Peradeuiya, and a plot 
of this has been established at the Government 
Stock Garden worked in connection with the School 
Garden scheme, Mr. Nock, Superintendent of 
Hakgalla G'lrdens, who visited the garden last 
month declared that the grass shewed as good 
growth as he had seen anywhere. The crop of 
herbage taken oft this plot was cut about the end 
of last month, and Mr. Alexand-^r Perera, Manager 
of the Stock Garden, reports that the grass was 
readily eaten when placed before horse and cow- 
Seeds of the Mauritius ground-nut grown in ths 
Stock Garden have been freely distributed to schooU 
in «11 parts of the Island, and many applicatioiKi 
from private pereonshad unfortunately to be ref u.sed 
owing to the limited quantity available for distri- 
bution. The Stock Garden is little more than an 
acre in extent, and yet it has to supply some fifty 
school gardens with seeds and plant^, and though 
demands from private individuals are readilj' met, 
when pojsibln, applicants wlio have not been able to 
get what they have asked for will understand the 
difficulty of supplying more than a limited number 
of applicants in addition to the School Gardens, 
Through the Stock Garden also plants of the mala 
bamboo {Dendrocalmus ttrictus) and Queensland 
bananas have gone far and wide, and have served 
as. a rendy means of exchange for plants wanted. 
The facilities offered by the garden in this 
way are fully appreciated by private laud 
owners who form a large proportion of the 
visitors to it. When available seeds are 
•upplied to private parties on the under- 
standing that the villagers living near estates 
where the seeds are grown will be given every 
encouragement to cultivate the varieties distri- 
buted. So tliat by various ways and means the 
object of the scheme is being attained, and no one 
can reproach the Stock Garden with being a show 
place without any influence for practical good. 
