THE 
V ; 
AGRICULTUK^L mAGAZIOS, 
COLOMBO. 
Added as a Siqiplement Monthly to the ‘‘ TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST.” 
The following pages include the Contents of the Agricultural Magazine 
for July : — 
Vol. IX.] JULY, 1897. [No. 1. 
OCCASIOJSAL NOTES. 
E note with satisfaction that Mr. 
Willis, the new Director of the 
Royal Botanic Gardens, is bent on 
bringing together the sciences of 
Botany and Agriculture as allies 
in the development of the vege- 
table resources of the Colony. In a communica- 
tion made by him to the Government Gazette of 
June 11th, he throws out some suggestions for 
carrying out this idea. We are glad to find that 
the end sought and the means proposed are such ns 
we are in entire sympathy with. Indeed, we have 
already anticipated Mr. Willis iu his suggestions 
as will be seen from past issues of the Magazine, 
and official annual and special reports to Govern- 
ment in which similar proposals have been made, 
over and over again. It does not, however) 
much matter with whom the proposals originated, 
so long as they are carried out. 
An experiment in bee-keeping is about to be 
undertaken at the School of Agriculture, provided 
Government favours the project. There is indeed 
much to be studied in connection with apriculture 
in Ceylon, past experiments failing to a great 
extent owing to a too great reliance upon western 
methods and the adoption of European hives. Mr. 
Charles Audree, of Kurunegala, who has had con- 
siderable experience in bee-keeping has constructed 
a hive specially designed to suit the habits and 
Requirements of the Ceylon honey bee. Two of 
these are now on view at the School of Agriculture. 
It is intended, as soon as sanction is obtained for 
the experiment, to stock the hives, and so give the 
students of the school an opportunity of learning 
the details of apiculture, an industry which, 
perhaps, more than any other, is suited to the 
conditions of our villagers. We shall have more to 
say about bee-keeing and the new Ceylon hive iu 
our next. 
We are glad to learn that Mr. Chinniah, the 
Government Veterinary scholar at the Bombay 
College, has received orders to thoroughly acquaint 
himself with the method of preventive inoculation 
for rinderpest recommended by Dr. Koch who is 
now in India. Quite lately it was stated that 
Dr. Edington of the Cape laid claim to have 
discovered a method of inoculation which renders 
the subjects operated on permanently immune, 
and alleged that Dr. Koch’s method only confers 
temporary immunity. It would not do to give 
credit to a mere report such as this without hear- 
ing the facts of the case ; we are therefore await- 
ing the Cape papers for full details as to Dr. 
Edington’s experiments since Dr. Koch’s departure 
from South Africa. 
SEASON REPORTS FOR MAY. 
Western Province. — Paddy. Yala sowing over, 
condition oi plants good. Except in the Pasdum 
Korale, the supply of fruits and vegetables was 
good. A good yala harvest is anticipated. 
Central Province.— VaAAy. Maha harvest over 
in Kandy district, going on in Nuwara Eliya ; in 
Matale, yala fields in plants. Prospects generally 
fair. 
Northern P/ oywme.— Paddy. Threshing of Kala- 
pokatn paddy going on. and cultivating of Chiru- 
pokam progressing. Rainfall in Jaffna '43 in., io 
Mannar '10 in. 
