370 
Supplement to the Tropical Agnculturist." [November 2,1891. 
The Director of the Colombo Museum in his 
last report mentions that carbolicised oil is one 
of the most powerful preservatives known both 
for form and colour. Coconut oil and carbolic 
acid are said to mix freely in all proportions. 
The acid moreover enables coconut oil and 
turpentine to be mixed, the mixture forming a 
splendid microscopic fluid. 
The idea of appointing a veterinary officer to 
Colombo, (which we believe originated with H. 
E. the Governor), and our recommendation that 
he should be attached as a lecturer to the School 
of Agriculture, are, we are glad to say, about 
W^l^^jfripiJ-^ter effect. In the Supply Bill 
fori :i»|tS;y(^ar| a &im. of R.5,000 has been pro- 
-io#"*^et*'iii*fy-'"^work. We understand it 
is contemplated to erect a veterinary hospital 
on the School of Agriculture premises, so that 
the need for more groundspace for additions to 
the present buildings will be opportunely met 
«'b^tJi^-gy^i1j^-\Q£^jl^M:^^^'^jtely made to the school. 
Miss Ormerod, the distinguished authoress of 
UStli^^Ni^t^^'ftl'^.f >Ij*ii\i¥"'^'^WS Insects," has decided 
to resign her appointment as Consulting Ento- 
mologist to the Royal Agricultural Society, owing to 
i. tj;h*3 gga^-,9cyjirtesy7i(yj>jch she has received at the 
,-;l}§ijd?,of,ithat'''f*4yi'.f Miss Ormerod does not, how- 
' l ev^j.^^^^^tn /tO' aJ?ftii(Jon her entomological work 
..rTyJiiqlj 4^ip |d)fs eia;i|yied on for the last fourteen 
jy^a"}^,, fij^^ hippe^a , to be permitted the pleasure 
^pStiU.-iPf , bi^ipg,,fConsulted, and of replying to 
gi^gq\iiri^9, , j«,St, ifls before," that is privately. 
Jill "^s.^aVi^f perifised with pleasure the report of 
ofithe . jGto.Tecnmenj:. Agent, Anuradhapura, as pub- 
-. ^sh^d, .]by,tjie 2fjwtZM Organ, embodying a scheme 
x^^:^ori t?ie' coionisfttion of Kalawewa, which is said 
'j; Jo, iMiyi^ , tlift sanctiop of Government. The scheme 
oj^s ,.e,Yid§?»tly. },Jie , putcome of much deliberation, 
jb^ingj hagQI-l- *?^! >: Uheral „ ftpd , philanthropic — and 
,;jafc..ithei^^aB5i6 ^h^^ ^^JMit-TTPKinqiples, and we shall 
f> i^nxiQusly„ilO{0k ,^or,^^rd M iits, b»ng( ica.rried out 
jl,,into ;p^a(;itjce..;,'' 'i:!'.',. ' l-j.i 
,iinh ■'■i " ' ' ■ ' i : ! ' . 'lii ! 
y.3-,Mj5.jiMiUs,oii,, .Assisitftntr,Qol,9J3iiaJ;' tSeo-itetary, of 
" %^g9^ i iRi his . iff porit 1 thfl iiri4ig,enp>us I plaaita of 
Toruba-land, says , that— sorghom vulgare, which 
i„Jj^^l)ls,|iTedf^i(iqea ooi'n, , is not , (pultiv.ated Jor the 
,^jg^in,-,whi(Ch!is-flOt,iUsed, but i^si ardye plant-n-.the 
rijlJff^'^ 'being;, dsscrikedi;as I, ex,<jeUei>t. I, Sorghum vul- 
riBAijrniakjiQg eAperimfiiitSy msndeiby iColonel 
oiiPSfisirfoyfihjyiof'i t^<2 .United'. -States;, I AgJliouljjural 
(j(iQ§pWtwwnt, be,saidi to liawBi (been ; a, success. 
v?yflje-,fy^i\*fti Rf- fthe .djscp.viery vwill (depeyd, on the 
.3f|E)jgpei^ftVilfcicii .tUe{)TOpeasiof ,ii;aiaiini!ikiug,inv,oh es, 
ixi»i»4. iE)j98S?^JiMty.l of,4ts1■^s^J■in^,praoUc^^l,Mag-ri- 
" fifitHT^-IJiii; In'LI/iOVu III! ■■'■'lyi' V.Jii.iii 11 £ ,i)'-)7i'':q ; - 
' I M i M I * i 1 ,^ I ; ! ■ill' ■;/'■■ '/ ' 
Gas Lime fob Ci,a.y.Soii.. — In his article in the 
.',iS<>y,a;ltyia(apty!&,/ww«^ lOn-tbe if Efiwielicefe of a 
y (Sfi^^tsiftftTi jm.hHerEs^exi .Ql^y^/'PsofessiOiSilVJ/Comiioll 
.I'i.yfWtSft ajiifoUo.'ws :T-'!.,Th9iftet^<pniof'liine .(Da/a-; clay 
, ! (ft<?M 1 *s,f>y;^l;l F. ku w», fl-nd-. i im. ithiis disCricb-', wc; ;ffls,p 
" j ,Ml(^^lJf(flpe,.rffu^nltibi^^8 ; ,of . . tlie i spent \\um i froun : the 
'njt^nrtfttt ^«iHr,w,orkH, wliiohz/weigot; ajt.thei«o&t .ojf \ 
1 1 ;t^(! .CWrjim<). It, is applied .'iniiV!vrirjni.sj(«vays>' and 
qx^ity a{-t)i<Jcli'3l"^>iougU .toiUiiit»3Lt)MitlboutykBaaul'e. 
■ I ■•,.v ill ; ■ , I -■■ ■ 1 . 
We have applied it raw to the coarse parts of 
pasture lands, but it seemed to make them still 
coar.ser, at least during the first year. Some 
mix it with earth for compost for top-dressings, 
and some apply it to the fallows. We prefer 
to apply it raw, at the rate of from 4 to 6 tons 
per acre in autumn, to the lea land that is to 
be ploughed up during the winter. By this 
means all grubs are killed, the turf is partly 
killed, the soil is made more friable, while of 
course, the natural fertility is stimulated. By 
itself, 1 have seen it act on a crop as strongly 
as nitrate of soda, but the soil must be fed along 
with it. Its effect on the mechanical texture of 
the soil is wonderful. I remember one case of a 
field that was partly dressed and partly left 
undressed M'ith it, and in broadcasting the seed 
afterwards, I could feel the difierence in the 
soil in stepping from the one part to the other, 
every time I went up and down the stetches, 
because the limed part was so much more loose 
and friable. Some maintain that it does no good 
to the soil, either mechanically or manurially, 
but we would not like to farm without it here. 
Of course, the land is ready for a fresh dressing 
every time the grass is ploughed up. I have not 
seen the crop killed by as much as 6 tons per 
acre, while, even on the permanent pasture land, 
3 or 4 tons put on raw did not do any injury 
in this way. There are two varieties of this 
spent lime used here — the blue and the white. 
It is generally understood that the former is more 
poisonous than the latter, from having been used 
longer in purifying the gas ; but for this reason, 
it is more effectual in its action, and its poisonous 
sulphites are oxidised long before the crop is 
sown." This suggested the question, what is done 
with the gas-lime produced at our local gas-works ? 
We have to "acknowledge with thanks the 
receipt of the Richmond College Magazine, Ceylon 
Patriot, Hindoo Organ, and St. Thomas' College 
Magazine. 
« 
CULTIVATION OP THE COCONUT PALM. 
The, proper month for transplanting in sandy or 
(li-y land is in November or a,t the begiiin^ig of 
the, rains, as no watering • rueed' tlieu, be' done till 
the rains are over. In low marshy situations it 
is safer to plant after the rains. As they grow 
the plants must be watered whenever necessary, 
and a sharp lookout kept for the,- coconut beetles, 
which invariably, attack ;arid ',often kill young 
plants, and even young bearing trees. These 
pests are common enough in every new plan- 
tation, but are specially plentiful on estates 
where the felled jufigle' consisted to a large extent 
of the wild ma^igp, ^- very common tree in the 
Eastern Province. It has been a moot point 
wliether , it is better to thoroughly clear 
and stub , a new plantation, or to allow the 
stumps of forest trees and dead wood to remain 
on the ground to decay and crumble down in the 
course of time. It has been, however, found in 
practice that the latter is by far the better plan, 
as tlie gradual decay of the soft rotting timber 
helps in a great measure to enrich the soil. 
Advantage should be taken, in clearing an estate, 
to sa'W up the trunks of suitable trees into scant- 
