THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST [July i, 1891 
TECHNICAL AGEICULTUEAL EDUCATION IN 
FRANCE AN EPAMPLE TO CEYLON. 
At a meeting at Fakeuham, at which Sir Willoughby 
Jones presided, Mr. Buckmaster referred to the re- 
cent efforts of the French Government for the techni- 
cal education of smp.ll farmers. At the annual agri- 
cultural sbovY at Ohartres, the children, both hoys and 
girls, exhibited a largo numbtT of copy-bookf, which 
contained deacriptioua of the best methods of budding 
and grafting trees, specimens of the various kinds of 
wheat and other grain grown in the district, speci- 
mens of the insects injurious or otherwife, the different 
graeeea and weeds— ail illustrated by simple but fairly 
executed drawings. The children varied in age from 
ten to thirteen. Now we have nothing like this in 
English rural schools of much higher proteusions, and 
with lads of greater age. In the Department of the 
Haute Marine an agricultural text-book is dftily Ufed 
in all the rural schools, boys are taught to distin- 
guish between the useful and useless, and prizes are 
given. Mr. Buckmaster concluded as follows :— I see 
industrial schools in all parts of the country, where 
lads are daily at work on the land. Cannot something 
be done with these schools? la there nothing to 
learn on the land except digging, and hoeing, and 
planting ? Would not the teaching of these French 
schools make lads more intelligent, belter able to 
think and to reason, better colonists and belter 
citizens ? — Dail^ News, 
> ■ 
PADDY AND DEY GEAIN CROPS IN CEYLON. 
SEASON EEPORTS. 
From the abstract of Beason reports for April 1891 
published in the latest Gazette we learn that in the 
Colombo district the condition of the paddy and 
grain crops was good generally. In some villages 
of Hewagam Korale the muttes harvest is being 
reaped and in some parts of Siyane Korale East 
preparation for the maha cultivation is being made. 
There is no distress or want of food anywhere, and 
the health of the district is pood. In Kalutara 
sowing for yela is reported to be nearly finished. 
There was the usual extent sown but very little 
dry grain cultivation. In Negombo the fields were 
being ploughed and sown, there being a fair extent 
in both korales. Coming now to the Central 
Province and dealing with the Kandy District 
it is reported that in Yatinuwara the prospects 
generally of yala are good and that in Tumpace 
where the maha harvest has been closed ths crop 
of paddy and dry grain is lets than in previous 
years by a half. In Pata Hewaheta the paddy har- 
vest is also closed. A fair crop has been reaped 
from irrigated lands but bad from land dependent 
on rain, some fields have been wholly abandoned. 
In Uda Dumbara where the maha harvest is in 
progress the crop of paddy is reported fair and 
of dry grain middling, In Udapalata yala has 
been sown with success. In Matalo the hill paddy 
is being reaped and is very poor in Matale North. 
Of the three districts comprising Nuwara Eliya, 
Walapane is the only one where there is dry grain 
and owing to the drought tha crop which is being 
reaped is veiy indifferent. Here paddy is in ear 
and the prospects are fair. There are also fair 
prospects for the crop in Uda Hewaheta and a good 
paddy crop is being reaped in Kotmale. The 
Northern Province comes next and opposite Jaffna 
there are the following remarks: — "Threshing of 
paddy going on in Karachi divisicn. Riin gi neral 
on the 7th, 16th, and 25th April. Dry grain crop 
of the second quarter being gathered in. The grains 
usually cultivated this quarter are sown in 
paddy fields mainly dependent cn rain, very 
few of the fields being irrigated from wells. 
Though the rain proved beneficial, it was not 
sufficient. Tobaoco— a good crop being cut through- 
out all the district." In Mannar the Kalapokam 
paddy crops are all reaped. Sowing for Sirupokam 
has not begun and there is no dry grain. From 
Vavuniya it is reported that the paddy and dry 
grain crops have been reaped the former being "bad" 
and the latter " poor," due in both oases to drought. 
There is also this remark — " Last year's chenas 
sown with gingelly; too early yet to judge of pro. 
bable crop, scarcity of food anticipated shortly 
and relief works under consideratioD. From Mul- 
laittivu the report under the heading of dry grain 
is " fair," and under paddy " Kalapokam crop 
reaped ; good in maritime pattuB, bad in Tunukkai 
and Karunavel pattus, fair elsewhere." In Galle 
the condition of both crops is good, in RIatara the pros- 
pects for the whole are favourable, although in one or 
two places complaint is made of drought. InUduki- 
riwila some damage has been caused by floods and loss 
of dams. From the Batticaloa district of the Eastern 
Province it is reported " Early munmari excellent. 
Crop of Batticaloa north on about 16,500 acres 
harvested. Later munmari crop of Batticaloa south 
on about 7,500 acres is being cut ; alleged damage 
by blight. Early pinmari of Batticaloa south ou 
about 1,000 acres is in ear ; later pinmari cultivation 
is in progress— about 15,000 acres. Tank water not 
much used as yet owing to river supply being 
plentiful still. Other grains and vegetables are 
reported last year (Sic)." Regarding the condition 
of paddy in Trincamalie the following report is 
made :— " Munmari crop gool in the grayets. 
Tampalakam and Katukulampattu harvests nearly 
over. In Kottiftr, fair, ready for harvest, except at 
Malliakative, where somewhat damaged by insects. 
Pinmari cultivation delayed by murrain." 
In the North-Weetern Province the prospects are 
fair but some damage has been done by rain. 
From Nuwara Kalawiya in the Anuradhapura dis- 
trict of the North-Central Province it is 
reported : '' Rainfall defioient and partial. Some 
tanks have one half |and one-third filled, others 
close by have barely drinkinf; water. Rainfall due 
to local thunderstorm and not general. Rivers 
■here and in North Matale dry. A small meda 
harvest expected. The showers are bet eficial to 
the glowing tala and mendiri chenas. Prospects of 
yala crop unfavourable. Rice very scarce in 
villages. Kurakkan sufficient for present needs." 
In Tamankaduwa the rainfall is reported to have 
been only middling. The general condition of the 
crops is fair. In the Badulla district of the pro- 
vince of Uva the dry grain is reported as middling 
in Biutenne, and the paddy in ttis saoie condition 
in Wellawaya. In Udikinda the paddy crop is 
improving owing to recent rains, but in Bintenne 
it has been affected by drought. In Buttala 
Wiyaluwa poor crops are anticipated owing to the 
many appearance of worms in many fields. In the 
Ratnapura Dittrict of the Province of Sabaraga- 
muwa the " Operations for sowing yala harvest 
throughout district muoh favoured by recent rains, 
but results of murrain seriously reduce extent 
cultivated in Meda and Kolonna Korales. Ohenas 
cleared for cl-wi and fine (/rM'ii durirg month; 
not burnt off yet." From Kej-alla it is reported 
" Four Korales fields ready fcry.iia sowing Weath. r 
favourabh'. Chenas being cleared fov hili paddy. 
Kurakkan about to be sown in Four K ir.iles. Rain 
plentiful. Clearings going on for hill paddy. No 
cattle murrain. Outlook good." 
On Ma> 24th a Govern 'r.ent Gazette Extraordinary 
was issued containing a return of the grain crop pros- 
pects for the first quarter of 1891. In the Colombo 
district of the Westeya Province the prospects of 
