312 Supplement to the '^Tyupicat Agyiciictmist” /[October i, 1890. 
believing that tlie Garden Spider is a friend 
rather than an enemy to the agriculturist, and 
as such should be treated Avith due mercy. 
V. Kumaraa'elu. 
GENEKAL ITEMS. 
The strawsonizer, apart from its value as a 
distributor of manure and seed, has proved a 
most effectual means of keeping off insects from 
certain crops by the perfect way in which it 
distributes insecticides. Already it has been 
found that paraffin oil, as sprayed by this 
machrne, is a specific for the turnip fly pest, 
and now it is coming to be recognised that 
the strawsonizer may be effectually used for com- 
batting the potato disease fungus. This latter 
use of the machine opens up a field of the 
widest possibilities. 
Great distress must be anticipated if, as is 
reported from Cairo, 9,000 acres of rice and cotton 
have been entirely destroyed, in the province 
of Garbieh, by an inflow of salt water. 
The Indian Agriculturist notes that of the 
elcA'en Indian students who have since 1880 
studied agriculture in England, only tAvo liaA^e 
adopted an independent line of employment, and 
one is engaged on enquiries on sericulture, the 
rest holding appointments in no AAuiy connected 
with agriculture ; and suggests that these men 
should be utilized by the GoA^ernment for taking 
charge of Crown lands which are in the hands 
of those Avho have no special knoAvledge of 
agriculture, so that the interests of the Govern- 
ment may be better looked after than they are. 
The taste for agricultural education is evidently 
spreading. AVe lately referred to the forming 
of an agricultural department in Egj'pt, and 
noAV the neAvs reaches us that the Government 
of Monte A'^ideo liaA-e resolved to found a Superior 
School of Agriculture and National Stock Farm, 
and Avith that view have set apart a large tract 
of land at Toledo. In the school theoretical and 
practical education to qualify students for the 
title of agricultural expert (perito ugronomo) 
will be given. 
The Kandesh E.xperimental Earm in India is 
said to have given most satisfactory results 
during 1889-90. Full detkils of the cost of cul- 
tivation have been published, and the folloAving 
(in Ceylon cuiTency) shows the profit per acre 
in the case of some of the crojis cultix'ated : 
Cotton, 1112'86 ; AVheat, K14'80 ; Sesamum, Ko'.52 : 
Linseed, E4'8oi Eice, E7'00 and Sugar-cane 
E32'82. The profit per acre on all crops cul- 
tivated amounts to EIO'66. 
According to the British A’ice-Consul, atAthen.'^, 
the Greeks do not sIioaa’^ any great aptitude tor agri- 
culture, though they are eminently adapted for 
trade and speculation. The rural districts are 
thinly populated — cultiA'ation being mainly con- 
fined to fruits and vegetables. 
Some of tlie natives of India are said to use, 
as a substitute for coffee, tlie beans of the 
yelloAv Avattle (Tamil Thumha Chedi) after roasting 
them, and in some cases mixing Avith roasted rice. 
A floAver is reported to have been discovered 
in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Avhich in the morn- 
ing is Avhite, at noon red, and in the evening 
blue, and only gives out a perfume at mid-day. 
The folloAAung subjects Avere treated of and 
discussed at meetings of the Agricultural Improve- 
ment Society held at the School of Agriculture 
during the past month. •' The Eelation of 
Geology to Agriculture,’’ “ The Improvement of 
Dairying in Ceylon,” and “ The Need of Techni- 
cal Education in Ceylon.” 
The August number of the “Agricultural Gazette” 
of New South AVales to hand consists of an ex- 
haustive report on the Pylenchus Avorm. The 
Minister of Agriculture lately announced that he 
has completed a scheme of education and has 
secured qualified men to instruct students in the 
various blanches of agriculture. A librarj" and 
museum are also being formed for the instruction 
of the students. 
The International Congress of Forestry' and 
Agriculture in A4enna was opened on Sepi'tember 
1st. The members of the Congress numbered 
nearly 900, delegates being present from Great 
Britain, France, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Ger- 
many, the Netherlands, Norway, Eussia,Eoumania, 
Servia, SAveden, Switzerland, Australia, India, 
Brazil, and Japan. 
