September i) iSgo.’] Supplement to the “ Tnpimt AgvtcuHuvistP 
from grass and weeds. In this mode of prepar- 
ation the hair is left on the hide. 
The skins of very young calves and fcetvs are 
also beautifully prepared with the fur on. They 
are used for slippers and fancy articles, fetching 
6 shillings and upwards per skin. Bellows-skins 
are also prepared. 
The offensive odour of a tannery is almost pro- 
verbial, but medical men give it as their opinion 
that it is by no means noxious. The coolies who 
were seen working were, according to the 
Manager, never the worse for the foul smells they 
inhaled. 
This visit to a tannery impressed one with the 
idea of how much may be gained by energy and 
perseverance. Mr. D. Carolis has no easy time of 
it in working his establishment, and he well 
deserves the reward which he gains for his labour. 
In him his coimtrymen have an admirable 
example to imitate. We should not be surprised 
to hear in time of the by-products of Mr. Carolis’ 
tannery yielding such valuable substances as glue 
and compost-manures. 
♦ 
CBUDE THEOEIES EEGAEDING THE 
OEIGtIN OP CEETAIN PLANTS. II. 
By W. a. De Silva. 
In my first instalment of this paper I gave 
the mythological origin of the paddy plant ; in 
this, I propose to deal with the coconut tree 
which is only second in importance to the people 
of Ceylon. 
The story runs, that at one time, there lived 
in a kingdom of the East a mighty king, res- 
plendent with glory and surrounded by a large 
retinue of ministers, among whom were several 
wise men — both physicans and astrologers. These 
latter, by observing the stars and the courses of 
the heavenly bodies, professed to predict events 
and fix on “lucky” days and hours, and made 
reports of the results of their observations to the 
king. The astrologers royal, though well re- 
munerated, were in no little dread of His 
Majesty who, if ever their predictions proved 
incorrect, immediately condemned them to be 
beheaded. 
One day a learned astrologer of the Berawaya 
(tom-tom beater) caste, noted for his erudition, 
discovered after careful observation and calcula- 
tion, that a certain day was exceedingly “ lucky ” 
for planting trees — in fact he went so far as to 
declare that anything, no matter what, planted 
at a certain hour on that day would be sure 
to grow into a tree which would be a great boon 
to 'humanity. The king being informed of this, 
though much gratified, was yet not altogether 
pleased with the bold assurance of the man, and 
thinking to puzzle him, enquired whether the 
astrologer’s head, if laid on a stone, would there 
develop roots and grow into a tree. The 
an.swer was in the affirmitive, and to the great 
astonishment of the astrologer, the king forth- 
with ordered the experiment to be carried out. 
The severed head was accordingly laid upon the 
stone, and after a time lo! the noble coconut 
palm — the tree of a thousand uses — sprung up. 
And to this day, it is supposed the resemblance 
of the coconut to the head of the astrologer is 
preserved, for taking the husked nut as repre- 
22g 
senting the head, the fibre represents the hair with 
the top knot (kondS), while the eyes and mouth 
are also supposed to be represented by three 
depressions. 
There has been a good deal of discussion as to 
what was the original home of the coconut palm. 
Some claim this honour for Egypt where it was 
grown some 2,000 years ago, others for the East- 
ern Archipelago. There are reasons for believing 
that the coconut was first known in Ceylon, and 
its uses recognised in the 13th century of the 
Christian era, as no mention of the palm is 
made previous to this in the MaJidwansa and other 
standard native works, though mention is made 
of the palmyrah. Its introduction to Ceylon is 
attributed to a king of South India, who visited 
the southern part of our Island, suffering from 
a skin-disease, and whose image is still found 
sculptured in a rock near Weligama, where he is 
said to have resided, to which the name of 
Kustarajagala was given in remembrance of the 
great service he has rendered to Ceylon. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES. 
The newly-issued number of the Eoyal Society’s 
Journal contains an article on the ten lessons of 
the “Eighties” by Prof. Wrightson, the Principal 
of Downton College. The first lesson which the 
Principal deduces is the value of combination 
and association by means of Societies, Chambers 
of Agriculture, and such like. The second lesson 
is the necessity for .systematic instruction in 
agriculture in all its branches, and notes in thi.s 
connection, the power and influence of the'Agricul- 
tural press as an educational agency. The third 
lesson is the necessity for having the most im- 
proved systems of dairying tauglit and practised. 
The fourth lesson is that pasture land is now a 
more profitable investment than arable land. 
The fifth, that the withdrawal of three million 
acres^ from arable cultivation to one of pastoral 
inactivity must be an indication of the increased 
value of all fodder crops, including roots. The 
sixth lesson, that farmers must now look to their 
livestock rather than to their corn crops for their 
profits. The seventh, that economy in farm 
management must be better attended to than it 
has been in the past. The eighth, that ensilage 
may be made successfully and at very small cost 
and is decidedly useful. The ninth lesson is that 
science has done much for the farmer. And the 
tenth, that infectious diseases amongst stock must 
be rooted out. 
“ What, asks the Agricultural Gazette, “ is the 
true position of an Agricultural teacher, and 
what is the class of knowledge which he should 
endeavour to impart .P The question is a difficult 
one, for certainly is very large indeed, and there is 
in it scope for any amount of scientific lore. Of 
one thing we may be certain, that no knowledge 
can come wrong to an agriculturist. Even poli- 
tics, political economy, astronomy, mathematics, 
engineering, Ac., all on agriculture, so that 
the teachers range cannot be too extensive 
or varied. And yet it is necessaiy to limit him, 
in some degree, in what he has to teach, if only 
to save him from despondency. First, he must 
be what he pi’eteuds to be — an agriculturist. 1 f 
hejis this, “he is ^at least qualified to speak on 
