January i, 1891.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
495 
temperaturfli at Badulla, is 3 decrees, or 1 degree 
for every 176 feet 1 I suppose radiation of heat 
into space in the olear weather which so 
largely prevails on the wide plain in which Badulla 
is situated, and evaporation from the surrounding 
paddy-fields, affect the minimum temperature 
largely and ’so reduce the mean? But what a 
contrast when we come to compare the low mean 
temperature of Badulla with the comparatively high 
mean temperature of Hakgala. The higher elevation 
of the great Uva mountain above the capital of the 
Province is no less than 3,356 feet, and yet the 
temperature is lower only by 11 degrees, or only 
1 degree for every 305 feet. Against this we have 
so rapid a fall as 1 degree for every 165 feet, for 
the 669 feet which Nuwara Eliya is higher than 
Hakgala: Nuwara Eliya being 4 degrees colder. 
We cannot doubt that the more intense cold in the 
case of the sanatorium is due to its situation 
in a grassy, damp plain, favourable to the ^reduction 
of temperature by radiation of heat into" space on 
clear nights and the large evaporation of moisture 
by means of the tropic sun-rays, and of winds 
which, in the north-east monsoon months of 
December to March, are frequently quite dry and 
therefore ready to absorb all the moisture they 
meet. Hakgala, on the other hand, besides the 
influence of the warm valley of Uva and its lower 
elevation, is clothed with forest ; so that, where the 
observatory is situated, radiation and evaporation 
are both at a minimum. Of course forest and 
forest land cleared and planted, in Nuwara Eliya, 
have warmer temperatures than the exposed 
position where the observations are taken. The 
proof of this is the wonderful luxuriance with which 
tea grows on the edges of the ancient lake basin, 
up to 7,000 feet on the slope of “One Tree Hill.” 
The final average of all the varying deductions I 
have drawn from the Ceylon Meteorological Eeport 
for 1889, is a fall of 1 degree for evtry 258 feet 
of altitude, against the 269 feet for every degree 
of lowered mean temperature between the two 
stations of Colombo and Nuwara Eliya. Taking 
the round number of 1 degree for 270 feet, the 
mean temperature of the summit of Pidurutalagala, 
the loftiest point in Ceylon, may be taken at about 
50 degrees ; of the summit of Adam’s Peak, 62 
degrees. Considering the prevalence of cloud, 
the minima of the mountain tops may 
not be lower than the minimum of Nuwara 
Eliya, where freezing point is occasionally 
attained on olear nights. If our calculations 
are approximately correct, the ditfersnee of mean 
temperature, between Mannar with 81 5 (the highest 
mean temperature recorded) and Pidurutalagala 
summit is 31'5; between Colombo and the cul- 
minating height, 30 '7, and between the capital and 
the “ Sri Pada ” on Adam’s Peak, 28-7. These 
are approximations founded on the known differ- 
ences of mean temperature, between Mannar with 
the highest observed mean of 81'5, and Nuwara 
Eliya, the lowest, with 57'7. Maximum shade 
temperature is quite another matter. The highest 
at Mannar in 1889 was only 98 5 in September. But 
Trinooni il e with a mean shade temperature of 
only 80 '7 ( Xiictlv the same as t’o’ombo) occasion- 
ally exceeded 100 deg. in six out of the 12 months 
of 1389, the extreme of 101-7 being attained on 
May the 12th. Fer (xtiemus of luat, therefore, 
Trincoinaleo takes Iho lead of all stati ns in Ceylon, 
although inferior to Mannar for su- t.iiiied avtrage 
heat. Coit^artfd wi ll the maximum shade tem- 
perature at Trincomalee in iH89, we have the 
Nu.vara Eliya minimum of 30 d. c. in January. 
Wlien we come to ‘‘ heat in tiie sun what the 
meteorologists call “ Equilibrium temperaluros of 
solar radiation,” but about which they do not feel 
by any means so confident as in regard to shade 
temperature, we actually get a maximum of 165 degrees 
at Jaffna and 164 deg. twice at Trincomalee, once 
at Aniiradhapura and once at Vavuniyanvilankulam 
in 1889. That represents, approximately, the 
amount of sun-heat which finds its way to 
the surface of the earth through its atmos- 
phere. The contrasts to such figures for solar 
heat ere those for ‘‘temperature of nooturnal 
radiation,” the minimum of which at Nuwara Eliya 
in January and December was 32 deg. against 37 
deg. at Hakgala inDecember, and 62 deg. at Colombo 
in January. But 1 must defer further notice of 
the interesting Report on the Meteorology of the 
island for 1889, issued frotn the Surveyor-General’s 
Office, because, before returning ‘‘ from the Hills,” 
I must answer as I can the following question 
respecting the best mode of cultivating “peat”: — 
“ Can yon name me any book in wbiob I could 
obtain any knowledge of peat and its culture ? Dr. 
Angus Smith of Manchester I believe read a paper 
on the subject some time ago.” 
The pseudo- peat of Ceylon was, no doubt, 
specially meant, a substance which exists in 
varied conditions from the fairly good de- 
posits at Muturajawela, near Colombo, up (o 
the more or less decomposed reeds and rushes 
and grasses in the ancient lake bed of Nuwara 
Eliya. We have not, to my knowledge, true peat 
or lignite in Ceylon, and I await further information 
as to the alleged discovery of associated bituminous 
coal and anthracite on Rothschild estate, Pussel- 
lawa. A small fragment which I procured and 
sent to Mr. Alexander Murray was pronounced 
by that gentleman to be anthracite. But if the 
small specimens produced are not due to the action 
of fire on British coal used on the estate, we surely 
might expect that, ere now effectual measures 
would have been taken to set at rest the reality or 
reverse of an alleged , discovery (in which Mr. 
LeMesurier has faith, but which Mr. Geo. Armitage, 
I believe, doubts) calculated, if real, and it the 
substance should be found in quantity, to be of 
such immense value to Ceylon, especially to its 
staple tea industry. About the alleged Rothschild 
coal discovery, more will, no doubt, be heard ; and 
meantime, to return to a much lower carboni- 
ferous formation whioh we have in Ceylon, as a 
preliminary to answering the question fully I told 
my correspondent that he could not go wrong in 
resorting to drainage and the application of lime. 
That is what is mainly desiderated in the case of 
the peaty swamps of Nuwara Eliya and the upland 
savannahs generally. Of course if forest soil oonld, 
at any ordinary expense, be added, so much the 
better. In any case the drainage and turning over 
and aeration of the swamp soil and the burning of 
portions into ashes to be applied to the rest would 
be certainly beneficial. I have not seen the recent 
paper on peat culture, to which I was referred, and 
I have not the most recent authorities here to 
consult, but I feel certain that I have indicated the 
main principles of treatment : drainage, aeration, 
lime, ashes an8. if possible, fresh soil or clav. Bone 
dust, supeTbosphate, and even sulphate of lime, 
if they cf 111 1 be afforded, would be still mote 
valn->ble additions to tlie pentv bumus. In con- 
firma'ion of ms vi- wt, T find op. referring to Johnston 
and Cameron’s Elements of Agrieullnral Chemistry 
and Geology, 11th Edition. 1878, the following 
passage : “ We know that by draining off (he sour 
and unwholesome water, and afterwards applying 
lime and clay, the surface of peat bogs may be 
gradually converted into rich corn-bsarirg lands.” 
The prooess thus described was very familiar io me 
in my youthful days in the Highlands of Scotland, 
where vast expanses of moors and mosses, in the 
