lu 
Supj)lement  to  the  " Troincal  Ag)  icidlurist.” 
[Aug.  1,  1896, 
amounting  to  19,621  lb.  per  acre.  An  area  of 
12^  cottahs  was  newly  jdantecl  during  the  year  witli 
guinea  grass.  The  crop  shows  a vigorous  growtii, 
and  promises  to  yield  a heavy  outturn  for  several 
years.  The  whole  of  the  fodder  raised  on  the 
Farm  was  fed  to  farm  cattle. 
Mr.  John  Hughes,  the  well-known  analytical 
chemist,  referring  to  his  tour  in  Ceylon,  says: — 
I was  very  much  astonisheil  at  the  small  value 
apparently  attached  to  the  use  of  burnt  lime 
from  coral  or  from  some  of  the  numerous  local 
deposits  of  magnesium  lime  stone,  which  very 
frequently  oceur  in  irregular  masses  interspersed 
amoim  the  prevailing  granitic  formations  of  the 
Island.  At  home  the  value  of  lime  upon  all  arable 
soils  is  so  fully  recognised  by  practical  agriculturists, 
that  it  would  he  unnecessary  to  enter  at  any 
length  into  a discussion  of  its  merits 
Lime  is  a necessary  constituent  of  all  permanently 
fertile  soils,  for  it  is  a requisite  element  of  the 
ashes  of  i)lants.  It  assists  in  rendering  both  the 
org.anic  and  in  organic  portions  of  soils  available 
as  plant  food.  On  all  Hat  land  rich  in  organic 
vegetable  remains,  lime  will  be  found  e.specially 
valuable  for  improving  the  physical  as  well  as 
chemical  condition  of  the  soil.” 
Dr.  Watt  writing  about  tea-blights  refers  to 
the  part  played  by  white  .ants  in  spoiling  the  tea 
plant.  He  believes  that  no  tree  is  absolutely 
proof  against  this  destructive  pest,  and  that  it  is 
certain  that  if  it  does  not  attack  trees  while  they 
are  living,  it  often  so  does  as  soon  as  they  are 
dead  Excessive  i)runing,  as  a common  cause  of 
the  white  ant  pest,  is  (Iwelt  upon  with  ))ropcr 
emiihasis. 
A late  member  of  the  Indian  Civil  Service 
writing  on  the  Salt  monopoly  says: — “ The  masses 
consume  far  too  little  salt  owing  to  its  dearness, 
and  give  none  to  their  cattle;  hence,  most  doctors 
agree,  the  great  liability  to  zymotic  and  other 
diseases  among  men,  and  to  murrain  among 
cattle  ....  Salt  is  the  basis  of  most  im- 
portant chemical  manufactures,  which  cannot  be 
carried  on  in  the  Empire  under  the  present  system 
with  success.”  
It  is  proposed  to  confer  additional  powers  on 
District  Boards  in  Bengal,  the  necessary  ex- 
j)enditure  of  enforcing  which  is  to  be  drawn 
from  the  Road  Cess.  These  Boards  will  thus  be 
empowered  to  establish  and  maintain  Veterinary 
Dispensaries  for  the  reception  and  treatment  of 
horses,  cattle  and  other  animals,  to  api)oint  and 
pay  qualified  persons  to  prevent  and  treat  diseases 
of  horses,  cattle  and  other  animals  and  to  provide 
for  the  improvement  of  the  breed  of  horses,  cattle, 
&c.  The  Indian  Agriculturist  of  May  last  is 
not  greatly  in  favour  of  the  new  measures  proposed, 
believing  that  the  amount  of  good  that  will  be 
ensured  will  be  disproportionate  to  the  expenditure 
incurred.  
We  hear  of  Ramie  fibre  being  largely  cultivated 
in  Java  for  export  to  Singapore,  and  that  European 
merchants  are  said  to  favour  its  extension  by 
freely  giving  advances  to  growers,  .several  of  whom 
have  also  been  provided  with  working  capital. 
Veterinary  Captain  Pease  of  India  has  dis- 
covered the  fact  that  the  death  of  cattle  due  to 
eating  Jowari  (Sorghum  vulgarc)  at  ‘"certain 
■seasons,  especially  during  droughts  when  the  plants 
become  stunted,  is  due  to  large  deposits  of  crystal- 
line nitrate  of  potash  fouml  in  the  stalks. 
