THE 
AGRICULTURAL  mAGAZinG, 
COLOMBO. 
Added  us  a Supplement  Monthly  to  the  “ TROPICAL  AGRIGULTURISTT 
The  following  pages  include  the  Contents  of  the  Agricultural  Magazine’ 
for  April  : — 
Yol.  YIL]  APRIL,  1896.  [No.  10. 
SEASON  NOTES. 
ESTEllN  PllOVINCE.— Agood  malm 
paddy  crop  is  being  harvested  and 
preparations  made  for  sowing 
yala.  Fruit  and  vegetables  re" 
ported  scarce. 
Centbai,  Pkovince. — The  malm  harvest  is  be- 
ing reaped  with  very  satisfactory  results.  Dry 
grain  fair,  except  in  Udunuwara. — Matale  North 
crops  reported  to  be  excellent.  Stock. — Hoof  aud 
mouth  disease  reported  from  Waladane. 
Northebn  Pbovince.— Malm  paddy  crops  being 
harvested,  results  .satisfactory  except  in  Panauka- 
wau  in  Vavoniya  district.  Stock. — Foot  and  mouth 
diseases  and  a few  cases  of  cattle  plague  re[)orted 
from  Vavoniya. 
Southern  Province. — Maha  paddy  crop  has 
been  harvested  in  the  greater  portion  of  the  pro- 
vince and  with  satisfactory  results,  vegetables 
rather  scarce.  Stock. — Foot  aud  mouth  disease 
and  a few  cases  of  a form  of  dysentery  reported 
from  Giruwa  Pattu  of  the  Hambantota  district. 
(Galle  report  not  published.) 
Eastern  Province. — About  40,000  acres  under 
paddy  crop,  some  in  ear,  and  late  sowing  will  be 
in  ear  in  a month’s  time  ; prospects  good.  Indian 
corn  and  line  grain  unsatisfactory  o\^ing  to  heavy 
rains  when  in  blossom.  Stock.  — Foot  and  mouth 
disease  dying  out. — (Trincomalee  report  not  re- 
ceived.) 
Aohth-WesterN  Province. — Harvesting  of 
grain  crops,  dry  and  wet,  with  satisfactory 
results.  In  some  villages  in  Kalpitiya  of  Puttalam 
district  paddy  crops  damaged  by  eleplmnto. 
North-Central  Province.— Paddy  crops  are 
in  various  stages,  most  of  the  tanks  full.  Fine 
grain  being  harvested  and  satisfactory.  Stock. 
Cattle  plague  still  prevailing. 
UvA.— Harvesting  of  yala  crops  and  sowing  of 
maha  ; yield  middling  in  Yatikinda,  Veyaluwa, 
having  suffered  from  rain  : rest  of  the  district 
satisfactory.  Fruit  and  vegetables  plentiful 
except  in  Bintenne  and  Udukinda,  when  it  is 
reported  to  be  scarce.  Stock.— Foot  and  mouth 
disease  in',  Veyaluwa 
&AaARAGAMUWA. — Maha  paddy  crops  harvested, 
yield  gimerally  good.  Yala  cultivation  going 
on  Nfoc/c.— Cattle  plague  reported  from  Yatat- 
walla  in  Jvegalle  district. 
THE  NITROGEN  QUESTION  AGAIN. 
The  March  number  of  the  Indian  Ayvicultarist 
contains  a letter  from  Mr.  Bamber  (the  author 
of  a well-known  work  on  tea  cultivation) 
who  claims  to  have  discovered  the  fact  that 
the  Mimosecc  as  well  as  the  Papilionaceoi  are 
capable  of  lixing  the  free  nitrogen  of  the  atmo- 
sphere through  the  organisms  contained  in  the 
tubercles  found  in  their  roots.  Dr.  Watt,  the 
reporter  on  economic  products  to  the  Government 
of  India,  it  is  also  alleged,  chaims  to  have  made  the 
same  discovery,  and  the  Indian  Ayricnlturkt 
decides  that  the  credit  is  due  to  Dr.  Watt.  Both 
claimants  seem  to  liave  been  led  to  the  discovery 
by  an  examination  of  the  roots  of  the  “ Sa”  tree 
