THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTUfJIST. [June 2, 1&02. 
It is worth special mention, at a time when 
so much is said about malaria and mosquitoes, 
that the smolte of the husic or shell of tlie 
seed is particularly odious to these unwel- 
come insects. The shell is put into a pot or 
chatty and allowed to smoke in a room 
during the mosquito season, and it is believed 
to be effective in keeping away these insects 
so long as any trace of the smoke is left. 
Cattle are made to inh.ale this smoke in 
some diseases. It may also be mentioned 
that the gum which exudes from the tree 
when the hark is hacked is the best i)aste 
that could be obtained locally. Enough has 
been said about the medicinal properties of 
the leaves, bark, and oil, and it is unneces- 
sary for me to revert to it again further 
than to say that the leaves and twigs are 
believed to have a magic.il effect in the hands 
of the class of native pliysicians or devil- 
drivers who administer gentle blows with a 
bunch of them on the .affected parts in cases 
of sprains, swellings, or snake-bites— or .all 
over the body, in cases of so called possession 
of devils —Yours truly, A. Is. 
II. 
Kaytp, May 1st. 
Dear Sir, — The leaves of the vemhu tree serve 
as disinfectants cliiring the time of sniall-))ox 
and other epidemics. The bark is a fel)rifu^e 
like the cinchona bark. The twigs are used as 
toothbrushes in tlie mornings, the bitter taste 
promoting appetite. The discovery of cinchona 
in America has to a considerable extent diminished 
the value of the veinbu or margosa tree. 
M. T. 
RAINBOW TROUT BREEDING IN 
CEYLON: SOME UNMISTAK- 
ABLE SIGNS. 
Bogawantalawa, April 27. 
Sir,— It will, I am sure, interest all fisher- 
men and naturalists in Ceylon and India to 
know that the Rainbow trout (salmo irridens) 
is breeding freely in our upland streams. 
On Friday and Saturday last Mr. W A 
Sparling and myself spent several hours in 
carefully inspecting two streams which were 
stocked less than two years ago v.'ith Rain- 
bow Trout fry and it is no exaggeration to 
say that we saw hundreds of fry and fish 
in all stages of growth, from one inch in 
length to the size of a large minnow. 
They were in shoals and in parties of four 
and five andappeared to he remarkably strong, 
healthy and wary, taking cover with mar- 
vellous rapidity when disturbed. I may state 
for the infoi'mation of the sceptical that the 
streams referred to contain no other lish of 
any kind or description. 
It having now been established beyond 
any doubt that tli(^ Rainbow Trout is breed- 
ing in (Jeylon, I would suggest that all uieni- 
bers of the C(;ylon Fisliiiig VAwh ce;ise forth- 
with to kill any nioie of tiiese fish for the 
space of at least 12 months Otherwise, we 
ai'e undoubtedly killing the proverbial goose. 
Judging from the size of tlie young fish I 
baw (from l\ inch to 3| inch), I should say 
that they Were hatched from ova deposited 
between October 1st and January 31st.— 
I am, yours faithfully, 
THOS. FARK. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Rubber.— We are indebted to a Colombo 
merchant for a copy of the elaborate Annual 
Review of the Rubber Market — covering three 
pages of foolscap— of Messrs. Kranovisch & 
Co. of Liverpool and London. We shall 
reproduce it in full in our Tropical Agricul- 
tnrist, as interesting in itself to all rubber 
planters and iherchants and handy for 
reference. 
Lord L.^mtngton on Qukensland.— A{)art 
from the interest felt in Queensland as par- 
tially a semi-tropical planting country, a 
paper by Lord Lamington (owing to rumours 
connected with his name) is bound to meet 
with due local attention. The paper he re.id 
before the Royal Colonial Institute recently 
is reprinted on page 813. 
Tjcmplrstowk Estate Compaw.— The 
property owned by this Company has been 
very well worked during the j ;ist ye.ir, .is 
is testified to in the report which we publish 
elsewhere. The crop was nearly 18,000 11). 
under the estimate, but there was an advance 
of 1 11 cents in the price obtained and the 
profit was such as to admit of a dividend of 
3 per cent on the ordinary shares, the trans- 
ference of R5,000 to the depreciation account 
aud the carrying forward of Kl,o9l 30. 
Pearl-Fishing Experiments.— As oys- 
ters differ among themselves, so do pearl- 
yielding oysters. We suppose that oysters 
which are valuable for their shells seldom 
have pearls comparable to tiiose which our 
local fisheries yield. Now that experiments 
are being made with the bi-valve which 
has contributed handsomely, though err.a- 
tically, in recent times to our exchequer, it 
may be well if the experimerits can be ex- 
tended to cover oysters within easy reach 
of the island.. We read in an Indian paper 
that "it is not generally known that pearl- 
fishing is carried on armually in the Icha- 
mutty river near Bongong. A correspondent 
states that this year the pearl-fishers have 
been unusually fortunate. Among the pearls 
obtained are some exceptionally good ones, 
which have sold for as much as RlOO and 
R600 each." 
Rainbow Trout Breeding in Ceylon,— 
All members of the Ceylon Fishing Club, 
as well as any anglers in the island who 
have not joined the Club, will read with 
especial interest Mr Farr's letter elsewhere. 
It leaves little doubt of the hope which has 
gradually been growing into a belief that 
trout have V)egun to breed in Ceylon. Even 
now, however, we know there are some 
who will not credit the signs put forward— 
imless Mr Farr's letter converts them out of 
hand. If they can account for the latest 
facts on opposing theories of their own, 
we shall be glad to hear from them as the 
sul)ject is one of the utrnost interest, while 
the introduction of troutova and the hatchery 
experiments at Nuwara EUya still continue 
in full swing. 
