Feb. 1, 1902.] Supplement to the "Tropical Agriculturist." 
571 
RAINFALL TAKEN AT THE SCHOOL OF 
AGEICULTURE DURING THE MONTH 
OF DECEMBER, 1901. 
1 
Sunday 
Nil 
1 "7 
17 
Tuesday 
•05 
2 
Monday 
. Nil 
18 
Wednesday.., 
. "90 
3 
Tuesday 
at; 1 
Thursday 
Uo 
4 
Wednesday . 
Id 
Friday 
. Nil 
5 
Thursday 
,. Nil 
21 
Saturday 
Nil 
6 
Friday 
at; 1 
Sunday 
oZ 
7 
Saturday 
ATM 
2o 
Monday 
Nil 
8 
Sunday 
. Nil 
24 
Tuesday 
, Nil 
9 
Monday 
,. Nil 
25 
Wednesday... 
, Nil 
10 
Tuesday 
. Nil 
26 
Thursday ... 
Nil 
11 
Wednesday . 
. Nil 
27 
Friday 
Nil 
12 
Thursday 
. -07 
28 
Saturday ... 
Nil 
18 
Friday 
. Nil 
29 
Sunday 
Nil 
14 
Saturday 
. Nil 
30 
Monday 
•03 
15 
Sunday 
. Nil 
31 
Tuesday 
Nil 
16 
Monday 
. Nil 
,1 
Wednesday... 
Nil 
Total... 
1-91 
Mean... "06 
9 Greatest amount of rainfall registered in 24 
hours on the 18th Dec, 1901, ^90 inches. 
Eecorded by C. Deiebehg. 
EAINFALL TAKEN AT THE SCHOOL OF 
AGRICULTURE DURING THE MONTH 
OF JANUARY, 1902 
1 
Wednesday . 
. Nil 
17 
Friday 
Nil 
2 
Thursday 
.. Nil 
18 
Saturday ... 
Nil 
3 
Friday 
. 102 
19 
Sunday 
, 0-43 
4 
Saturday 
. -03 
20 
Monday 
Nil 
5 
Sunday 
.. Nil 
21 
Tuesday 
Nil 
6 
Monday 
. Nil 
22 
Wednesday... 
Nil 
7 
Tuesday 
,. -07 
23 
Thursday ... 
Nil 
8 
Wednesday .. 
,. Nil 
24 
Friday 
Nil 
9 
Thursday 
, Nil 
25 
Saturday ... 
Nil 
10 
Friday 
. Nil 
26 
Sunday 
Nil 
11 
Saturday 
. Nil 
27 
Monday 
Nil 
12 
Sunday 
. Nil 
28 
Tuesday 
Nil 
13 
Monday 
. Nil 
29 
Wednesday... 
Nil 
14 
Tuesday 
,. Nil 
30 
Thursday ... 
Nil 
15 
Wednesday . 
.. Nil 
31 
Friday 
Nil 
16 
Thursday 
.. Nil 
Total... 1-55 
Mean... -05 
Greatest amount of rainfall registered in 24 
hours of the 3rd Jan., 1902, 1-02 inches. 
Recorded by C. Driebebg 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
Erratum, — In our December issue, page 55, 
line 1st, coloum line 19, from the bottom for 
" part " read " per cent," 
Mr. George Weerakoon, Mudaliyar of Wela- 
boda Pattu, Mataro, contributes the following 
interesting note on the subject of Kiiil Lands 
•which was the subject of an article by Mr. 
Frank Modder, of Kurunegala, in the Agricul- 
tural Magazine, Vol. XL, No. 12 :— 
Mr. Modder's letter re Kiiil is interesting, see 
p, 103 of your journal for June, 1900. 
Vapid — that is having the strength or essence 
evaporated — would be the meaning of the word. 
Kiiil land is to be foutid nearly i.i every tract 
of paddy-fields, but not in esteasive plot.s. 
Every goiya knows what it is. The soil may 
be well tilled and even mauuryd, but the water 
left stagnant any length of time assumes a 
Vermillion hue, and any striiy seed germinating 
becomes a stunted plant and gives no yield. An 
absence of salt is one of the causes attributed. It 
is within my observation that a small paddy-field 
at Dandeniya was proverbially barren and was 
hardly cultivated in a decade. Four years back 
a citrouella still was opened in proximity to 
this field. Of course the refuse, and chiefly the 
ash, found its way to the field. Kiiil has com- 
pletely gone, and this field is now regularly cul- 
tivated returning 10-fold, which is equal to 
any fertile field here. Another paddy land at 
Kekauadure-turned fertile by the same agency — 
is in the mouth of every body in the village. 
You will wonder how the ash of an arrack 
distillery differs from that of a citronella dis- 
tillery ? Well, in the latter the used-up grass 
is dried and used again for fuel. It is largely 
employed in manuring paddy-fields and sells 35 
cts. a cart load. 
The following table shows the record of the 
Rainfall taken at the School of Agriculture 
during the past year; — 
Total, 
Mean. 
January 
7^48 
•24 
February 
264 
•94 
March 
8-94 
•28 
April 
8-91 
.29 
May 
7 34 
•23 
June 
fl-79 
•21 
July 
6-45 
•20 
August 
1^27 
•04 
September 
3'6I 
•10 
October 
6-29 
•20 
November ... 
21-26 
•70 
December 
1-91 
•08 
Total . . 
82-89 
•28 
A gentleman from Ceylon who is making a 
tour of the Australian Colonies, sends us the 
following chatty account of his impressions : — 
During the last fortnight I have had some 
experiences of real bush life. I left Sydney 
on the Saturday before Christmas, and by a coast- 
ing steamer I reached Melbourne on the following 
Monday night ; then after 175 miles of a train 
journey I arrived atmy destination on Christmas 
Eve, After duly celebrating the great day with 
friends whom I had come to know, I began a 
round of visits to what are called " Station Farms," 
One holding I visited was 20,000 acres in extent, 
only 100 acres of which are put under wheat 
per annum, the balance being left for sheep 
and a few horses. The large acreage is not 
surprising, considering that every head of sheep 
needs an acre and a half in this part of 
tha country — often more. The scarcity of the 
water and the bush fires which take place 
