Siippkmmi io ih '■^Tvopknl AgncnUuPtst" [September 1,1891. 
to oO per cent of dissolved matter in solution, 
and is of the greatest importance in the plant 
economy ns a medium through which plant food 
is taken up from the soil as solutions into the 
plant (a function which even chemically pure 
water — which is never found in nature — may per- 
form), while it is also necessary to meet the eva- 
poration that goes on through the leaves, and 
the full value of water will be better understood. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
We are glad to be able to mention that the 
Cireular regarding the project of issuing SinhalePe 
leaflets on practical agricultural matters, has 
elicited replies of an encouraging nature, not 
only from Government officials but also from 
private agriculturists. Among the latter are 
Mr. Gunaratne, Athapattu Mudaliyar of Galle, 
who has before now showed the active inter- 
est he takes in tlie welfare of his countrymen, 
and Mr. H. D. Gunesekera, w^hose promise of 
support is very encouraging. 
While Mr. Gunasekere sets a' good example to 
our old boys by promising to take a large number 
of leaflets to be distributed among the villagers 
about his own home, Mr. J. A. G. Rodrigo, the 
energetic Agricultural Instructor at Bandaragama, 
who orders 3oO copies, and hopes to take in L50 
more, sets an admirable example to his brother 
Instructors. Among others who have promised 
to support the Sinhalese leaflet project is Mr. 
Jayasuriya, the Mudaliyar of Kayigara Korale. 
We have much pleasure in notifying that the 
Government have sanctioned the purchase of a 
stud bull for the School of Agriculture. It is 
expected that tlie animal, which is one of the 
Saidapet farm stock, will be brought over from 
Madras very shortly. It has been also 
decreed that a block of land, 43 acres in extent, 
adjoiningthe School of Agriculture shall be handed 
over to that institution. The action of the Govern- 
ment in these two instances leads us to infer 
that the welfare of native agriculturists, in 
whose intereists the School of Agriculture was 
foimded, will not be lost sight of during- H. E. 
Sir Arthur Havelock's reign, and to expect that the 
few liberal measiires which liave been reserved 
for an energetic Governor to pass in favour of 
Agriculture will be fait accompli before the end 
of that reign. 
Tliere seems a fair prospect of a good trade in 
dried bananas being opened out with lOngland and 
Germany. An endeavour is being made by tlie 
Guild of Co-operators of Queensland to deal directly 
with the great Co-operative Undersale Stores in 
England, It is expected that the bananas, which 
are merely dried on wire-netting, besides being 
used like dried figs as dessert, will be stewed 
like pruiuis, cut to the size of raisins and used in 
])ud(lings. Once the export of tlie dried fruit is 
established, there will be another opening for 
native cultivators, who, if tliey cannot beexpected 
to dry tlieir own fruit, might send in their sui^plies 
of fresh fruit to some enterpiising man who owns 
a fruit-drying apparatus. We have not yet 
heard the opinion of the English grocers on the 
specimens of jams and jellies made 'of Ceyloa 
fruit, which Mr. Baumgartner is said to liave taken 
with him to England. 
According to Australian experiments, one pound 
of dried bananas soaked in water and stewed 
for half an hour has been found to swell up to 
.J 11) in weight, besides a sweet syrup being pro- 
duced witliout the addition of any sugar. A shii)- 
ment of dried fruit sold in London at 6d. per lb, 
and if the nett profit shows .3d. a pound, the in- 
dustry slionld pay very well. It is even thought 
that a company on a large mile could make 
bananas pay well at 2d. per lb. 
The " passion fruit " is the product of the 
common passion vine, Pasdjlora edulis. The 
Af/ricvltural Gazette of New South Wales for May 
gives notes regarding the cultivation of the vine, 
and distingidshes three other species which are 
recommended for cultivation. The first is 
Passiflora ynacrocavjya, the large granadilla ; 
second, the P. malifonnis, or sweet calabash ; 
and third, the P quadrangnlaris, the common 
granadilla. The soil best suited to the growth of 
the passion-vine is said to be one of a rather loamy 
nature, and that is fairly rich in humus, tliough 
the vine is so hardy that it will groM' in almost 
any soil and situation. Fences for trailing tlse 
Tine .should run as due north and south as possi- 
ble, so that the vines may receive sunshine on 
l)oth sides of the fence. The vine can be propa- 
gated by cuttings, layers and seeds. The latter 
produces the most vigorous plants, and the seeds 
should be collected from the earliest ripened 
fruits. 
Prof. Church's analysis of the ground-nut 
(Arachis hypof/a'a') shows that it contains of water 
T'.'), albuminoids 24".5, .starch 11-7, oil •'50-0, fibre 
4'5, ash 1'8. The oil which forms so large a 
proportion of the ground-nut is of a clear, pale, 
straw colour ; it will not become rancid and 
improves with age. It is known in commerce as 
"nut oil," and is not only adulterated with, but 
is substituted for olive oil. It is valuable as a 
lubricant for delicate machinery. The residue or 
cake after extraction of the oil is a very fatenning 
cattle food, as well as a valuable fertilizer. 
" Chocolate cakes " are said to be manufactured 
to a large extent out of ground-nuts alone in the 
United States. The stems of the plant, after 
removal of the crop, form a most useful fodder 
which cattle are verv fond of. 
Mr. T. B. Kehelpanala writes: — " Gampola- 
wela, as the name indicates, is a row of 
fields sitaiated in the vicinity of the town of 
Gampola. These fields have an historical reputa- 
tion. One of the late Kandyan Kings dedicated 
the fields to the Dalada Maligawa (the tooth relic 
palace at Kandy) with a view to gaining merit, 
and they are still held in undisturbed possession 
by the temple. The flekls in the Kandyan 
Provinces are generally irrigated by aonunams or 
streams. The ammiain which flows to Gampola- 
wela takes its rise from Dolosbage — a distance of 
about 8 miles. It is said that in former times the 
l)rea(lth and the depth of the amunam in question 
was so great, that the king used to row about in it, 
hence it was afterwards known as Raja Ela at 
