May 1, 1902.] 
Supplemeni to the " Tropical Agriculturist." 
783 
Agricultural Shows, while run in the interests of 
the general slight-seeing public, are especially 
designed to benefit and promote the farming 
industry. The question i.*, do the Shows fulfil 
their object in this direction?" and so on in the 
same strain. 
We read in the report of the Government Agent 
of the North-Western Province ( Mr. L. W. Booth) 
for last year, that two Cottagers' Shows were held 
during the year, one at Habarana and the other at 
Rambewa, where both attendance and exhibits 
were numerous. The opprrtunity was taken to 
distribute seeds to all who cared to take them. 
RAINFALL TAKEN AT THE SCHOOL OF 
AGRICULTURE DURING THK MONTH 
OF APfllL, 1902. 
1 
Tuesday 
. Nil 
17 
Thursday ... 
•21 
2 
Wediif?day . 
. Nil 
18 
Fiiday 
•13 
3 
Tliursday 
. -05 
19 
Saturday ... 
•82 
4 
Friday 
. Nil 
20 
Sunday 
Nil 
5 
Saturdiiy 
. Nil 
2] 
Mondiiy 
Nil 
6 
Sunday 
. Nil 
22 
Tiiesdiiy 
Nil 
7 
Monday 
. -m 
23 
Wednesday... 
1-66 
8 
Tudfdny 
. Nil 
24 
Thursday . , 
Nil 
9 
Wednesday . 
. Nil 
2.> 
Fiiday 
Nil 
10 
Thursday 
. 03 
26 
Saturdny 
•44 
11 
Friday 
.. -04 
27 
Sunday 
•01 
12 
Sat urday 
. -13 
28 
Monday 
•20 
13 
Sunday 
. -07 
29 
Tuesday 
14 
Monday 
. Nil 
30 
Wednesday 
•70 
15 
Tuesday 
..■ Nil 
1 
Thursday .. 
•13 
la 
Wednesday . 
.. Nil 
Total... 10-50 
Mean... -35 
Greatest amount of rainfall registered in any 
24 hours on the 29th April, 1902, 5'65 inches. 
Recorded by Albx. Ferera, 
COTTON. 
Some years ago a good deal of attention was 
given to the question of Cotton Cultivation in 
Ceylon, but though a number of small experi- 
ments were started at the time, we are not aware 
that a proper trial under the most favourable 
conditions was given to the cultivation of the 
plant. With the opening of the Northern Rail- 
way the subject is once more being ditcussed in 
view of the possibility of suitable areas being 
found in the regions through which the new 
railway runs. 
The amount and distribution of rainfall has 
much to do with successful cotton cultivation, and 
this fact must be borne in mind in selecting soils. 
The plant thrives in a very warm atmosphere, 
provided the latter is moist and that severe 
drying winds are not prevalent. In the typical 
cotton climate the mean daily temperature 
increases from the time of seeding till the plant 
las reached its greatest vigour and stored up all 
tie re.-erve food it needs for the production a»id 
niituring of fruit. The best type of soil for 
pi^ducing favourable results is a clay loam or 
medium heavy sandy loam. The soil should be 
deep and the sub-soil not heavy a,nd compact. 
The cotton plant has a well-developed tap-root 
extending according to the vigour of the plant 
and the character of the soil, to a depth 
of three or more feet". The lateral or feeding 
roots begin usually within three inches of the 
surface and seldom extend beyond a depth of nine 
inches. It is a question whether the practice of 
planting on ridges is as good as working up the 
laud deeply and -then sowing the seed on the 
level ground. The ridge system gresv out of the 
practice of shallow working to a depth of a few 
inches, thougii the seed bed is deepened by trow- 
ing up the soil till a depth of ten inches or more 
is obtained. A good seed bed is -thus formed it is 
true, but it will not re.-ist drougi<t as would a 
level culture accompanied by deep working. 
The object of cultivating the land during growtli 
of crop is to prevent loss of moisture in the soil. 
This is accomplished by maintaining a surface 
layer one or two inches thick in a thorouglily 
pulverised condition. At the same time and by 
the same means weeds and grass are kept down. 
It is very important that the surface layer of 
loose soil should be constantly maintained. E-pe- 
cially after rain when the soil tends to settle 
and form a compnct surface, a stirring of the 
top layer should tnke place. With the production 
of crop, cultivation should cease, and the plant 
helped by reducing water supply by preventing 
surface evaporation. It is precisely reversing 
the process desired in the early stages of growth 
with the object of checking farther developement 
of foliage and directing the energies of tlie phint 
towards making use of the materials it has already 
accumulated for the production of fruit. 
As regards time of planting &c, local conditions 
must be consulted befare deciding these points, 
but the object should be as far as possible to 
secure for tlie plant an early start and a long 
season in order to successfully mature its fruit 
and enable the crop to be gathered in good 
condilioi). 
On the question of fertilizing or manuring we 
do not propose to enter, but a good deal of 
useful information under this headmuy be derived 
by a handy pamphlet on "Cotton Culture" pub- 
lished by the German Kali Works for which 
Messrs. Freudenberg & Co. are tiie local agents. 
This publication should prove useful to intending 
cotton growers as it has proved to us in collating 
the foregoing informatiou. 
¥/e are hopeful of suitable land being found 
for raising cotton as well as tobacco, which is 
just at present also being much talked about, in 
tlie vast areas now made accessible l)y the open- 
ing of the Northern Railway. With tliis itlea 
we are making arrangements for trials of suitable 
varieties of cotton, of which a small supply of 
seeds has been indented from Egypt. 
We have already a local Spinning Company 
which ought to be some encouragement to intend- 
ing growers. There is also a Sinhalese panplilet 
on Cotton Cultivation compiled by Mr. W. A. de 
Silva which should serve to bring the subject to 
the notice of the natives. A revised edition of 
this pamphlet — brought up to date — and a Tamil 
translation of the same, might be published with 
