454 
THE TROPiCAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[December i, 1890. 
According to my observation the mists to which 
we are Bubjeot up here ore not often condensed 
into rain in situ. They are generally raised into 
the higher atmosphere, to be there, no doubt, 
brought into contact with strata of cold air or frozen 
moisture, by which they are condensed and sent 
earthwards again in the shape of rain-drops ? 
Fogs have their own merits. Some of these are 
noticed by Hartwig in “ The Aerial World,” thus: — 
“ By preventing nocturnal radiation into space, they 
prevent many a tender plant from being nipped” 
by cold. Misty weather is also, no doubt, favour- 
able to success of transplanting operations. On 
the other hand, the change to such weather as 
we are now enjoying is delightful, not only for its 
cheerful influences generally, but for the impulse 
it gives to flowering as well as flushing. The wealth 
of blossom now out is wonderful, the rose bushes 
being especially glorious in abundance of buds and 
flowers, in richness of colour and in many oases 
in exquisite odour. “Now is the winter of our 
discontent made glorious summer.” 
Your goodnature must have been in the ascen- 
dant, when you admitted so much controversy about 
a matter so plain as that a man pursuing a 
squirrel which he never overtakes cannot possibly 
go round the animal. Someone will next ask if 
two parallel lines cannot meeh Whatever possessed 
Vantosky Benton, the philological and poetical, to 
father the proposition of a (pseudo) “ scientific 
friend ” that a man who goes in a circle always 
with his face one way and who never gyrates “turns 
on his axis” ? I feel inclined to join the Bengalee 
Baboo, who execrated Sir George Oampbell’s cut horia 1 
That for the mock scientist. As for the true 
poet, to him, even in his association with a strange 
bedfellow, I say ; — 
“ While terra firma on its axis. 
Diurnal turns, 
Believe me, both in faith and practice, 
Yours, 
The propounder of the self-solving riddle has 
the merit of having dona justice to the agility of 
the squirrel, however. Thera is one beside me as 
I write. Not Miss Jewsbery’s “ little mime and 
thief ” of the Colombo ooconut topes, which he 
makes musical with his metallic notes ; but a grey 
mountain squirrel, with a long-spotted tail. To 
this appendage he evidently attaches much im- 
portance, dressing it carefully when he so funnily 
and with such care performs his toilet. He is such 
a dear affectionate little loet : a greatly improved 
edition of a monkey, with his pretty hands and 
his flesh- coloured nose. When awake he is in- 
cessantly in motion, and when inclined to sleep he 
curls himself up and wraps his tail around 
him. A bit of a Huntley & Palmer’s biscuit 
gains his heart, and in an empty biscuit tin in 
his cage he frequently indulges his nest build- 
ing instinct, packing it full of straw and then 
attempting to pack himself into it. When a 
finger is presented to him, he nibbles at it 
and pretends to bite, but he never does so. The 
case is very different with his neighbour, an Austra- 
lian parrot of brilliant plumage. He likes to have 
his neck scratched and his head stroked, but in the 
midst of a purring noise by which he expresses his 
pleasure he gets tired, and then he makes no pre- 
tence of biting, but uses his nutcracker beak with 
emphasis. When the squirrel first came and received 
attention, the parrot rushed between with jealousy 
and anger, and now he often clings to the bars of 
the cage and attempts to oatch the squirrel, vain 
attempts which the animat seems to enjoy. Indeed 
I think the parrot himself is actuated by the sense 
of fun, for, although in our quadrangle he plays 
{kmioably with the Australina magpie, he posts him- 
elf at the door of this bird’s cage to prevent access, 
biting at the long legs of the “ magpie.” The 
latter, instead of using his sharp bill, takes the 
parrot’s action all in good part. 
To pass from birds to snakes, it would be very 
interesting to know if the snake mentioned by Mr. 
M. H. Thomas, which projected its venom into the 
Madras officer’s eye, was able to do so by voluntary 
muscular effort, or whether, in the effort to strike, 
its head did not come in contact with some object 
which led to the spurting away of the poison ? My 
inclination is still to doubt the power of projection. 
That the deadly reptiles should be provided with 
apparatus most efficient for the purpose of injecting 
a deadly fluid, seems mystery enough. 

“ TEA-PLANTING IN CEYLON.” 
Twelvk Views ‘‘ with the Season’s Greeting 
FROM Oevlon.” 
Messrs. H. W. Cave & Co.’s Christmas booklet is 
an extremely neat production, the cover with its 
coloured picture of Lanka’s coast, fishing-boats and 
palm trees which has been engraved and printed 
here, being fully worthy of the twelve Views (from 
photographs of the late Mr. M. H. Clerke of 
ECQndale estate,) reproduced at home. The price 
being so low as two rupees a copy, there is sure 
to be a great run upon this most attraolive Christ- 
mas gift. The Views include : — ‘ General View of 
Estate, Bungalow andFactory, Tea Nursery, Pruning, 
Plucking, Weighing-in, Withering, Firing, Sorting, 
Sifting, Packing, Shipping.’ A nicer X’mas gift 
from Ceylon to friends at home there could not be ; 
and if accompanied with a few lb. of good Ceylon 
tea, all the better. Happy thought : let our tea 
dealers buy up the edition from Messrs. H. W. 
Cave & Co. to distribute with their packets ! 
SCOTTISH TRUST AND LOAN CO. OF 
CEYLON. 
The thirteenth annual meeting of the Scottish 
Trust and Loan Company of Ceylon was held 
yesterday in Edinburgh — Mr. Henry Johnston, 
advocate, presiding. The report showed a credit 
balance of £5,925, of which the directors proposed 
to write off a loss of £3,000 on estates. A dividend 
of 5 per cent was recommended. The report was 
approved. Mr. F. A. Bringloe, C.A., was appointed 
secretary in place of Mr, J. 0. Penney retired, 
— Glasgoiu Herald, Oct. 25th. 
' ' < * ■ - - -• 
NOTES ON PRODUCE AND FINANCE. 
Controlling the Supplies. — As a result of the action 
lately taken by the Brokers’ Association, it is .satisfac- 
tory to note that the supplies of Indian tea, altbcngh 
protty heavy are not in excess of the quantity the 
dealers are able to cope with. It is to be hoped that 
importers, in their own interests as well as those of the 
whole trade, will use every endeavour to support, as far 
as is practicable, the efforts of their representatives in 
the “ Laue.” 
Testimonial to Mb. James Taylor. — Acting in 
accord with The Ceylon Planters’ Association, 
the Executive Committee of the Ceylon Associa- 
tion in London has appointed Messrs. J. Whittall, 
U. K. Rutherford, J. L, Shand, and Wm. Martin 
Leake ns a sub-committee to collect funds at home for 
a propose! testimonial to Mr. James Taylor, of 
Loolecondnra Estate, who has played so important a 
part in the introduction and cultivation of tea in Ceylon, 
lu 1302 the first considerable espeviment in thq 
