THE 
COLOMBO. 
Added as a Supplement Monthly to the "TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST." 
The following pages include the Contents of th« Agricultural Magazine for 
February : — 
Vol. XIII.] FEBRUARY, 1902. [No. 8. 
A VISIT FROM AN AMEEICAN 
AGRICULTURIST. 
R. David G. Fairchild, Agricultural 
Explorer Department of Agricul- 
ture, United States of America, 
left Ceylou on the 16th January 
after spending some time in the 
island. Mr, Fairchild has pre- 
viously viiited Ceylon no less than three times. 
The object of his present risit is to enquire 
into the cultivation of the Mangosteen with 
a view to introducing this much esteemed fruit 
into Porto Rico, where local conditions are 
considered favourable to its growth, so as to 
ultimately supply the American markets with 
the produce. Our late visitor thinks the possi- 
bilities of the mangosteen, as a table fruit in 
the West practically unlimited, and believes that 
fabulous prices will be paid by the moneyed 
men of the West for fine specimens of fruit 
sold in baskets of half-a-dozen or so. Mr. Fair- 
child paid visits to the plantations of the late Sir 
Henry Dias at Haluloya and Mr. H. W. Wright 
at Mirigama, to see the exact environments of 
the trees, and held conferences with the latter 
gentleman and Mr. H. L. Daniel of Lenawatte 
estate, Padukke, (who are credited with knowing 
more about mangosteen cultivation than any 
one else in the island). Regarding the habits 
of the tree, the method of propagating it, and 
all details connected with its cultivation,, a 
good deal of valuable information was gleaned 
from these two lources ; and a number of photo- 
graphs taken on Mr. Wright'i estate and coloured 
drawings of the fruit by a local artist will be 
reproduced in illustrating the brochure which 
Mr. Fairchild intends to publish when h« has 
completed his investigations. 
Though chiefly concerned with the Mangos* 
teen, our visitor was neverthelass interested 
in some of th« other products of cultivation in 
the island. Among these the mango received 
his close attention, and from the grounds of tha 
School of Agriculture, Colombo, where the varioua 
species of mango are well represented, Mr. 
Fairchild took ten cuttings each of tha 
''Rupee," "Jaffna" and what was givaa 
tha distinguishing name of the "Thurston'' 
mango — a variety which is not known to ba 
found growing elsewhere, and was planted 
in the ground* some 30 or 40 years ago by a 
Mr. Thurston who presided over the institution 
then known as the Industrial School. From tha 
buds found on these cuttings Mr. Fairchild axpecta 
to be able to reproduce tha abovementioned 
varieties of the mango on American stocks • 
For those who may desire to preserve cuttings 
for budding purposes, Mr. Fairchild has kindly 
drawn up the following directions : — Have made a 
cylindrical tin case, 10 in. long, 2 in. in 
diameter, with a well-fitting cap 2 in. long, 
in which to- send the cuttings through tha post. 
This case should be fitted in a cloth sack before 
despatching. Cut scions about ]0 in. long, 
making sure they have good buds on them. 
Dip the cut ends in collodion or melted bee'g 
wax, wrap each scions in a strip of light tin 
foil, and wrap these again in oiled payer. Do 
not pack more than four or five in each case 
with slightly moistened saw dust. Be careful 
to put the address on a tag, 
