March 2, 1891.] 
THE TRdPlOJSa. AdRIGOLTURlST, 
633 
The Chairman said that they all felt grateful to Mr. 
Sohwaunfor the conference they had held that day. 
It was a rare event to find a member of Parliament 
staying here on his travels and taking an interest in 
what was going on around ; and not only were they 
thankful to him for what he had done already, but for 
the prospect which he had held out to them. He 
endorsed what Mr. Wall said, and that was that if they 
went to Government and said “Now we are able to 
help ourselves to such an extent, would you supplement 
what we have by giving extra?’' he was sure that 
the Government would come to their rescue. He im- 
pressed on the members that it was of paramount 
importance to them that they should put their shoulders 
to the wheel and work with might and main, both by 
attending meetings and collecting subscriptions from 
their friends. He concluded by moving a vote of 
thanks to Mr. Schwann for his efforts in promoting the 
formation of a Technical School. 
Mr. Bbven in seconding the compliment, said that 
Mr. Green had rendered very eminent services in 
connection with the Agricultural School, and it was 
not his fault that he had been unable to establish a 
Technical Institute although he had striven assiduously 
to accomplish that object, but Mr. Schwann had very 
opportunely come and in the formation of that 
association they had the nucleus of something which 
would be very beneficial to the country. As the 
Chairman had remarked, Mr. Schwann was entitled 
to a hearty vote of thanks, and ho had much 
pleasure in seconding it. 
Mr. Schwann acknowledged the vote of thanks and 
pointed out with regard to Blr. Green’s proposal to 
march the boys out to private establishments that 
the Managers of these would not like the idea, 
as they ran the risk of their trade secrets being 
exposed. Apart from that the students might some- 
times saw off a huger or smash their Land on an 
anvil, and it was bolter that they should do so on 
property of their own than on that belonging to some- 
one else. (Laughter.) He thought that it was necessary 
to have corresponding members, and he would be glad 
to be made one of them and he had no doubt that Sir 
Henry Ruscoe and the other gentlemen he had named 
would tender them every assiatauoe. In conclusion 
it gave him much pleasure to propose a vote of 
thanks to the Ohairman. It was a great advantage to 
have a gentleman of the Uhairmau’s position, for it was 
a guarantee that the movement was of a serious and 
practical character. (Applause.) 
Before the meetiug broke up, Mr. Green suggested 
the appoiutmeut of two Secretaries. He therefore 
moved that Mr. Elmuud ^Yalk0^ and Dr. H, M. 
Fernando be appointed Secretaries. The motion was 
unanimously carried. 
We venture to append here a letter which we had 
written to Mr. Mitchell as our apology, for not being 
able to attend the meeting, but which the hurry 
of mailday delayed in delivery : 
Mount Lavinia, Feb. 4th. 
* * * *, — The pressure of work on a day 
i ko tomorrow forbids my leaving the desk within 
a few hours of the mail olosing, or I should have 
been very glad, at your invitation, to make one of 
Mr. Schwann’s auditors and to hear other gentlemen 
talk over with him what should be done further to 
extend Technical Education in Ceylon. While I am 
sure the result will be a very interesting meeting 
and that Mr. Schwann will be able to give valu- 
able information, I do trust all concerned will 
be on their guard against considering exparience 
gained in a oily of the wealth and intelligence of 
Manchester or any other large English town as ap- 
plicable to a poor oriental tropical town like CoIomDo 
or such a colony as Ceylon. We published a very 
sensible letter a few weeks ago from a gentleman who 
kuowB what he was writing about, a copy of which I 
enclose for your guidance ; for I see you are credited 
with the intention of selecting in England in con- 
junction with Mr. Schwann, a fit Superintendent for the 
Colombo 'Technical Institute. But are wo ready for the 
eeivicesof such a Superintendent as you would be likely 
to select and send out from England ? Should it not 
first be clearly understood what the local want is which 
such an official is to supply. As Messrs. Green and Cull 
can tell us, a good deal of technical instruction of a very 
practical though unassuming character has already been 
done in connection with the Agricultural and Normal 
Schools and seeing in how many directions soienlific 
and practical training has become available to lads 
in Colombo, from competent instructors, it is 
a question whether a very much progress could 
not be made, perhaps after a modest but safe 
fashion, with the material at our hands. Instruc- 
tors for clatses in Chemistry, Botany, Mechanics, 
Physics, in Civil and Practical Eugiueeriug and in 
a variety of local industries are, I believe, available, 
and the selection of a Superintendent tern locally 
might well be left to the Director of Public Instruc- 
tion, until it is seen in which direction special expe- 
rience is cbiefiy required. It may even be a question 
whether India (Bombay or Madras) would not supply 
us ivith the lead and experience most suited to the 
requirements of Ceylon bettor than England. In both 
these Presidency towns, much has been done in 
technical instruction. 
You, as well as I, have seen so may failures from 
the rash introduction of “ fresh blood ” in the shape 
of “ specialists ” from the old country, intended 
to work wonders in new and old official 
Departments, that I am sure you will agree in the 
need of acting with full consideration and forethought 
in the present case. 
We should also never forget what has already 
been dona for the youth of the country not simply 
through local Schools and Colleges, — there are now, 
available, I believe, science, drawing, painting and 
music classes, — but also, after an even more practical 
way by the Government Factory, the Railway Engi- 
neering Shops, the largo Establishment of the Colombo 
Iron \Yorks Company and the many Iron and Engi- 
neeriug Workshops in Colombo, Kandy and throughout 
the planting districts, also by the various Printing Offi- 
ces and last not least, what may be expected from the 
Cotton Spinning and Weaving MilLs. 
Wishing all success to the further development of 
technical and practical instructiou in our midst, &o., 
J. Ferouson. 
^ 
NOTES ON POPULAR SCIENCE. 
By Dr. J. E. 'Taylor, f.l.s., f g.s., &c., 
Editor of “ Science Gossip.” 
Some twelve months ago I recommended people who 
suffered from muscular rheumatism to get well stung 
by a very excited beesnest — British bees, of course. 
A-fterwards, thinking tenderly both of bees and rheu- 
matic patients, and knowing that the former, if not 
the latter, lost their lives by the job, 1 suggested 
subcutaneous injection of formic aeul, which is the 
real, but not only, cause of irritation of a bee’s sting. 
I have mjself tried it on a few friends, not being 
rheumatic myself. 'They say it did them good. Most 
valetudinarians say the same of their last new physic. 
Anyhow, it has been discovered that a person “suing ’’ 
by our British bees is “protected” thereby for at 
least six months — after the law and rule of vaooinaiiou. 
Persons suffering from rheumatism are advised that 
they must be stung iu proportion to the degree of 
their malady. 
A French botanist has recently shown that flowers 
possess energetic respiratory and traiispiratory func- 
tions superior generally to those of the leaves of the 
same plant. The aseimilatiou is generally feeble, and 
much diminished by the intense respiration. Tlio 
volumetric proportion of carbon dioxide (the old- 
fashioned carbonic acid) emitted to oxygen absorbed 
is always small, and less than unity. 
It is now contended that the liquid secreted by the 
pitcher plant (nepenthes) is not in itself peptic or 
digestive. A French chemist and botanist, Professor 
Dubois, has recently demon.strated that the so-called 
digestive proooss is due to baeterift iu the fluid The, 
