THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
June  t,  1^96.] 
A sensible  Kandyan  gentleman  infonned  me 
that  when  in  time  of  civil  war  or  foreign  in- 
vasions it  sometimes  liajipened  that  the  king  was 
forced  to  bury  his  treasures,  and  the  spot  where 
these  were  buried,  was  known  only  to  tlie  Fores- 
ter (Kela  Korala),  ami  lie  was  bound  by  a 
solemn  oath  not  to  divulge  the  secret,  excepting 
in  the  king’s  death,  and  then  only  to  bis  heir, 
or  some  other  person  the  king  hail  named. 
T was  once  told  that  the  founder  of  the  house 
of  the  De  Soysa’s,  and  the  architect  of  their 
present  princely  fortune,  rose  to  aflluence  by 
linding  .an  immense  treasure  at  Ilanguranketa, 
buried  by  the  King  Raja  Singha  the  (Ircat,  and 
this  treasure  it  seems  was  jiointed  out  by  an 
Athu  Kor.ala  to  the  late  Mr.  Soysa,  not  Hie 
gentlemen  who  died  of  hydro) iliobia,  but  bis 
father  in  recognition  of  his  having  cured  his  (the 
Athu  Korala’s)  son  who  was  dangerously  ill  at 
the  time. 
I only  quote  the  above  merely  to  illustrate  how 
jirone  the  native  villager  is  to  believe  the  mar- 
vellous, himself  apathetic  and  lacking  in  energy, 
it  is  hard  to  make  him  believe  that  sheer  jduck, 
dogged  jierseverance,  and  making  the  most  of 
opportunities  raises  a man  from  mediocrity  to  a 
big  position.  With  him  it  is  luck,  some  myste- 
rious iind,  or  accumulations  of  merits  in  pre- 
births,  tliat  makes  a man  rise. 
Many  persons,  among  them  the  late  Mr.  Fer- 
guson, ' think  that  at  no  time  was  rice  exported 
from  Ceylon  to  India.  Be  that  as  it  may,  when 
we  look  at  the  network  of  tanks  and  elas  in 
jiortions  of  the  Island,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  a large  quantity  of  rice  was  grown  in  Ceylon, 
at  least  sufficient  for  its  own  consumption  if  not 
for  exportation,  thus  having  a superabundance  of 
rice,  the  peojile  would  not  have  cared  to  clear 
clienas  for  kurakkan,  so  the  chenas  they  must 
have  cleared  must  have  been  very  small  in  extent, 
and  surely  the  present  destruction  of  forest  land 
would  not  have  taken  place  in  those  remote  days. 
Further,  this  clearly  proves  that  in  bygone  days 
the  people  did  not  make  kurakkan  their  staple  food. 
The  raid  of  the  Tamils  from  the  South  of  India, 
and  removal  of  the  seat  of  the  Sinhalese  Govern- 
ment to  the  Central  and  South  of  the  Island 
caused  the  gradual  ilestruction  of  the  tanks  &c. 
which  the  later  kings  vainly  tried  to  restore,  and 
at  this-  time  too  commenced  the  wholesale  des- 
truction of  noble  forests.  This  state  of  things 
lasted  even  after  the  British  Conquest,  when  later 
on  Government  put  a restraint  on  clienaing  by 
appointment  of  Foresters  in  charge  of  certain 
districts,  and  still  later  by  the  organisation  of 
the  F'ore.st  Deiiartment,  wliicli  has  begun,  I be- 
lieve, by  ]iaying  its  way,  and  which  every  one 
hopes  svill  be  not  only  self-sii])poriing,  but  a 
source  of  revenue  to  Government. 
Before  concluding  this  short  sketch,  I must 
add  that  I obtained  this  information  not  by  re- 
searches into  History,  or  from  those  who  cons- 
titute themselves  authorities  on  the  subject,  but 
whilst  resting  in  villages  after  my  day’s  work 
1 have  been  always  in  the  habit  of  linding  out 
the  oldest  and  most  intelligent  of  the  villagers 
and  conversing  with  them,  and  it  is  mostly  these 
village  ))atriarch.s  who  lla^■e  given  me  the  most 
information.  F-  N.  Carhon, 
Forest  Guard,  Dambull.n, 
— “ Ceylon  Forester.” 
THE  FANAWAL  TEA  COMFANY, 
The  fourth  ordinary  general  meeting  of  the  Pana- 
wal  Tea  Company,  Limited,  was  held  at^  the  offices 
of  the  company,  39,  Victoria  Street.  Westminster, 
on  Friday  last. 
827 
The  chair  was  occupied  by  the  Hon,  Norman 
Macleod  Sinclair,  chairman  of  the  board  of  directors. 
The  Secretary  having  read  the  notice  convening 
the  meeting,  and  the  Teport  and  accounts  having 
been  adopted,  the  chairman  proposed  the  payment 
of  a dividend  at  the  rate  of  6 per  cent,  on  the  ordi- 
nary shares  of  the  company  from  July  1 to  Decem- 
ber 31,  making  with  the  interim  dividend  paid  to 
June  30  a distribution  of  lU  per  cent,  for  the  year. 
The  resolution  was  seconded  by  Mr.  Arthur  Mar- 
shall, and  carried. 
Mr.  Batten  then  moved  the  re-election  of  Mr. 
Hornby  as  a director.  The  resolution  was  seconded 
by  Mr.  W.  H.  Haslam,  and  carried. 
Mr.  Marshall  proposed  the  re-election  of  the 
auditors,  Messrs.  Fox.  Sissons,  and  Co.  The  reso- 
lution was  seconded  by  Mr.  H.  W.  Hornby,  and 
carried. 
A vote  of  thanks  to  the  chairman  terminated  the 
proceedings. — 11.  and  C.  Mail,  April  17. 
^ 
WHITE  ANTS  GN  TEA  ESTATES. 
PAINT  USKU  AUAINST  WHITE  ANT.S. 
The  following  is  an  extract  referred  to  by  Dr.  Watt 
in  a paper,  which  is  commented  upon  editorially 
by  the  Madras  Mail. 
“During  a brief  visit  to  the  Native  State  of 
Gondal,  the  writer  recently  gave  this  subject  con- 
siderable attention.  There  seemed  to  be  no  doubt 
that  his  Highness  the  Takore  Sahib,  by  his  enlightened 
action  in  this  matter,  had  effected  a radical  improve- 
ment. The  trees  throughout  his  State  were  all 
painted  as  described  above,  and  hot  a single  tree 
could  be  found  that  showed  the  mud  encasements 
so  characteristic  of  the  presence  of  white  ants.  And 
very  possibly,  as  a consequence  of  the  care  bestowed 
on  these  trees,  they  were  healthy  and  vigorous 
while  those  in  neighbouring  States  were  sickly  and 
badly  attacked  with  white  ants.  In  consequence 
of  these  observations  the  writer  asked  for 
information  as  to  the  composition  of  the 
paint  which  had  been  used.  He  was  informed 
that  the  red  colour  was  merely  to  indicate 
the  fact  that  the  trees  had  been  painted,  and  that 
it  was  for  the  most  part  red  ochre  but  might  also 
be  made  of  the  refuse  of  the  Al  Dye  works.  The 
useful  ingredients  were  said  to  be  as  follows : 1 
part  dekaraali  gum  (the  resin  of  Gardenia  gummi- 
fera).  2 parts  asafoctida.  2 parts  bazar  aloes.  2 parts 
castor-oil  cake.  These  are  W'ell  pounded,  mixed  and 
kept  in  water  for  about  a fortnight.  When  thoroughly 
miited.  and  what  may  be  called  decomposed,  into  a 
thickened  compound,  water  is  added  in  order  to  bring 
to  the  consistency  of  paint  and  the  colouring  matter 
then  added.  The  mixture  is  now  ready  for  use 
and  if  thoroughly  applied  for  about  two  feet  will 
check  not  only  the  attacks  of  white  ants,  but  of  red 
ants  and  other  insect  pests  Its  effect  will  last  for 
two  years  or  more.  Tiie  cost  of  the  preparation  comes 
to  about  4 or  5 rttpees  per  100  trees. 
But  according  to  the  information  furnished  from 
Gondal,  al  (Morinda  dye)  refuse  possesses  no 
special  properties.  Prom  other  parts  of  India 
the  reputation  is  very  general  that  it  is  of  great 
value.  Be  that  as  it  may  the  red  ochre  added  to 
the  above  preparation  may  not  only  be  useful 
as  indicating  the  trees  that  have  been  painted,  but 
give  a needful  consistency,  if  it  does  not  serve  to 
mechanically  hold  the  other  ingredients.  It  would 
however,  seem  desirable  to  have  the  reputation  of  al 
as  a preventive  against  the  attacks  of  insects 
thoroughly  investigated,  even  supposing  it  be  admitted 
that  experience  in  Gondal  has  proved  that  it  is  of 
no  very  special  merit  as  a paint  on  trees. 
The  system  of  painting  trees  (as  detailed  above) 
might  with  great  advantage  be  extended  throughout 
India,  especially  in  orchards;  and  it  is  even  probable 
that  the  Tea  and  Coffee  planters  might  hnd  the 
system  of  great  value  in  checking  the  depredations  of 
insect  pests.  But  there  remains  the  issue,  of  no  small 
importance,  namely,  the  reputed  property  of  al  dye 
being  thoroughly  investigated.  If  it  be  actually  a 
fact  that  it  preserves  the  textiles  so  dyed  from  being 
