Feb. 1, 1898.] Supplement to the “ Tropical Agriculturist. 
585 
that day. His scheme deserved the serious con- 
sideration of all. It was time, the speaker thought, 
that they had a University at Colombo. The 
number of colleges and schools now existing 
could be concentrated to form a University. He 
was glad to see a passage in the report boldly 
suggesting to Government to improve the pros- 
pects of the agricultural students, as was done 
in the case of the Technical school students. 
This was a very good suggestion, and shows the 
interest he took on the subject, very few acquire 
knowledge for its own sake. Even in England 
it was the same, except that a very few, who 
were wealthy, who pursued knowledge for their 
improvement only. Good opportunities should be 
put forward for acquiring knowledge on special 
subjects. He then stated that the native Head- 
men, especially the Chief Headman, should acquire 
knowledge in agriculture. He was sorry to say 
that in the case of some Mudaliyars and Muhau- 
dirams of Korales, they were deficient even in 
their mother language. Such men should not 
be entrusted with the duties appertaining to 
Chief Headmen. He suggested that these Head- 
men should be given an agricultural training on 
scientific principles in this school. If they pos- 
sessed such a knowledge, the people and the 
agriculture in the Eorales under them could be 
greatly improved. He was sure that this was 
matter deserving serious consideration. He had 
great pleasure in moving a hearty vote of thanks 
to their Chairman. 
Mr. Allan Deiebeeg, Advocate, seconded the 
vote, and it was carried with applause. On the 
call of Mr. Drieberg, three cheers were then 
given fcr the Chairman, and the proceedings 
closed. The Volunteer Band, which was present, 
then played a few selections of music, light re- 
freshments being served to the visitors. 
GENEEAL ITEMS. 
Numerous experiments and investigations, in- 
cluding the cultivation of crops under careful 
observation by practical men, have resulted in 
general belief and acceptance of the following 
facts which may be turned to practical account: 
(1) That leguminous plants well furnished with 
root nodules will collect and store per acre the 
nitrogen supplied by several hundred pounds 
of guano, nitrate of soda or sulphate ammonia. 
(2) That when the spores of the bacteria are dis- 
tributed in the soil and taken up by the root 
hairs of the plants, these spores induce abnormal 
growth in the tissues of the roots and increase 
to many millions of organisms in a short 
while. (3) A soil may contain some of the 
bacterial spores and therefore there may be no 
nodules formed. And as each variety of 
leguminous plant appears to be the host of a 
special bacterium, it is quite possible that the 
one required may not be present to invest and 
form nodules on the crop ; so that in both cases 
there would be no nodules or collection of 
nitrogen. To provide the proper bacteria in the 
soil, a mode of soil inocculation has been 
adopted. A small quantity of soil from a field 
in which a good crop of the special legume to 
be cultivated has been grown is spread over the 
new land, 
The system of planting fruit trees in holes 
is much condemned. An authority on orange 
culture says : — I have found few places where 
fruit trees can be planted with any hope of 
success in holes. In a clay soil or clay subsoil 
planting in holes will be as bad as planting 
in an iron pot, and I have no doubt that the 
dying back of comparatively young trees and 
the yellowing of leaves must be attributed to- 
that old system of digging a hole in the soil 
ns hard as a sheet, planting the tree and filling the- 
hole with water. The groundshould be prepared 
by ploughing and Gubsoiling as deep as possible — 
say 18 to 24 inches — during the rains, and the clods 
broken up and the land levelled before planting. 
A well-tiied cure for the poultry scourge, 
contagious “roup” as it is called, though the 
disease is more probably typhoid in character, is 
to get a tub of warm water, add a disinfectant 
such ns carbolic acid or other coal tar by- 
product, and with some soap give the bird a 
thorougli good washing, dry the feathers and 
place the bird before a good fire. 
Citroueila oil which is extensively used in 
perfumery and for other purposes, is chiefly 
obtained from Ceylon and Singapore. It has been 
noticed for some time that the native-distilled 
oils have an aroma much inferior to those 
distilled by Messrs. Fisher of Singapore and 
Messrs. Winter & Son of Galle, aud that these 
two classes of oils also show marked differences 
in physical characters. Messrs. Umney and 
Sninton have lately examined n number of com- 
mercial samples of both classes, and their results 
were communicated to the recent British Phar- 
maceutical Conference. In the case of the 
native oils, submitted to distillation, a residue 
amounting to 37 per cent of the total was left 
behind, while the whole of the oil from 
English forms distilled over. This difference was 
thought to be due to the fact that the latter 
were steam distilled and the latter obtained by fire 
heat. The residue referred to was distilled, after 
purification, betwen 246“ and 280°c., and had 
a high specific gravitj-, possessing all the 
properties of a sesquiterpene, but differing in 
physical properties for ; ny previously-described 
bodies of that class. Being odourless it is con- 
sidered a valueless constitue.ut, while beino- 
fairly soluble it affects the sclubility of the oil 
Again, it was found that while camphene was 
almost entirely absent from the native oils, the 
oils of the English firms consisted chiefly of 
camphene, the active terpene of the native oils 
being absent, owing probably to its having been re- 
moved. Tne chemists therefore conclude that the 
native-distilled oil is in no way .M)phisticated, but 
is a genuine natural oil. [It would be interesting 
to know (1) whether the natives use [any other 
grass other, than, or in addition to, the true citro- 
ueila grass (the cultivated form of Andropogen 
nardus), and (2) whether any difference as sug- 
gested in the above report is the methods of distil- 
lation by natives and Europeans. Some years ago 
it was pretty well known that a good deal of adul- 
teration with kerosene oil was practised by the 
natives. Has this practice been given up now, or 
have the manufacturers found another adulterant 
which chemists are unable to identify P ] 
