4 
THE TROPICAL AQRIOULTURIST 
[July i, 1891 
TECHNICAL AORICULTURAL EDUCATION IN 
FR.ANCE AN EPAMRLE TO CEVLON. 
At a meeting at Fakenham, at wbiob Sir AVillongbby 
Jones presided, Mr. Bnokmaeter referred to the te- 
oent efforts of the French Government for the techni- 
cal eduoatioD of smnll fiiriucrs. At iho annual agri- 
cultural show at Chartres, the children, both hoys and 
girls, exhibilod a largo number of copy-books, which 
contained detcriptious of the best melhods of budding 
and grafting trees, specimens of the various kinds of 
wheat and other grain grown in the dUtrict, speci- 
mens of the iuseots injurious or otherwise, the different 
grasses and weeds— all illustrated by simple hot fairly 
executed drawing.’. The children varied in ago from 
ten to thirteen. Now we have nothing like this in 
English rural schools of much higher pretensions, and 
with lads of greater age. In the Depaitmont of the 
Haute Marino an agricnltural text-book is daily nred 
in all the riital schools, hoys are taught to distin- 
guish between the usefnl snd useltss, and prizes are 
given. Mr. Buokmastor concluded as follows:— I see 
industrial schools in all parts of the country, where 
lads are daily at work on the land. Cannot something 
be done with these schools? Is there notliing to 
learn on the land except digging, and hoeing, and 
planting? Would not the teaching of these French 
schools make lads more intelligent, belter able to 
think and to reason, better colonists and better 
citizens ? — Daily Xews, 
«. 
PADDY AND DRY GRAIN CROPS IN CEYLON. 
SEASON REPORTS. 
From the ahstruot of season reports for April IbOl 
published in the latest Onzettf wa learn that in the 
Colombo district tho condition of the paddy and 
gram crops was good generally. In some- villages 
of Hewagam Korale tho muttes harvest is being 
reaped and in some parts of Siyane Korale East 
preparation for tbe maba cultivation is being made. 
There is no distress or want of food anywhere, and 
the health of the district is good. In Kalutara 
Bowing for ysla is reported to be nearly finished. 
There was the usual extent sown but very little 
dry grain ouUivation. In Negombo the fields were 
being ploughed and sown, there being a fair extent 
in both koralcs. Coming now to tho Central 
Province and dealing with the Kandy District 
it is reported that in Yatinuwara the prospects 
generally of yala are good and that in Turapane 
where tbe maba barveet has been closed the crop 
of paddy and dry grain is loss than in previous 
years by a half. In Pata Hewaheta the paddy har- 
vest is also closed. A fair crop has been reaped 
from irrigated lands but bad from land dependent 
on rain, some fields have been wholly abandoned. 
In Uda Dumbara where tbe maha barveet is in 
progress the crop of paddy is reported fair and 
of dry grain middling, In Udupalata yalu has 
been sown with snoccss. In Matalo the hill paddy 
is being reaped and is very poor in Matnle North. 
Of tbe three districts comprising Nuwara Eliya, 
Walapane is tho only one where there is dry grain 
and owing to the drought the crop which is being 
reaped is very indifferent. Here paddy is in ear 
and the prospects are fair. There ate also fair 
prospects (or the crop in Uda Hewaheta and a good 
paddy crop is being reaped in Kotmalc. The 
Northern Province comes next and opposite Jaffna 
there are the following remarks; — “Threshini! of 
paddy going on in Karachi division. Bain general 
on the 7th, 10th, and 25th April. Dry grain crop 
of the second quarter being gathered in. The grains 
usually cultivated this quarter are sown in 
paddy fields mainly dependent on rain, very 
few oi tfio fields being irrigated from wells, 
Though the rain proved benefioial, it was not 
suffioient. Tobacco— a good orop being cut through- 
out all tho district." In Mannar tbe Kalapokam 
paddy oroi s are all reaped. Sowing for Sirnpokam 
has not begun and there is no dry grain. From 
Vavuniya it is reported that the paddy and dry 
grain crops have been reaped tbe former being “bad" 
and tho latter " poor,” due in both oases to drought. 
There is also this remark — “ Last year's ohenae 
sown with gingelly; too early yet to judge of pro- 
bable crop, soaroily of food anticipated shortly 
and relief works under consideration. From Mul- 
laittivu tho report under the beading of dry grain 
is “lair,” and under paddy “Kalapokam orop 
reaped ; good in maritime pattue, bad in Tunnk'-^ai 
and Karunavcl pattus, fair elsewhere.” In Galle 
the condition of both crops is good, in Matara the pros- 
peots (or the whole are favourable, althongh in one or 
two places oomplaint is made of drought. InUduki- 
riwila some damage has been caused by floods and loss 
of dams. From tbe BatUcaloa district of the Eastern 
Frovinco it is reported “ Early munmari excellent. 
Orop of Batticaloa north on about IC.SOO acres 
harvested. Later munmari orop of Batticaloa south 
on about 7,500 aores is being cut ; alleged damage 
by blight. Early pinmnri of Batticaloa south on 
about 1,000 acres is in ear ; later pinmari ouUivation 
is in progress— about 15,000 acres. Tank water not 
much used as yot owing to river supply being 
plentiful still. Other grains snd vegetables are 
report! d last year {Sic)." Regarding ihe condition 
ot piddy in Trincamalio the following report ie 
made:—" Jfunmari crop good in the gravets. 
Tampalukam and Katukulampattu harvesta nearly 
over. In Kottiar, (air, ready (or harvort, except at 
Malliakative, where somewhat damaged by inseots. 
Pinmari cultivation delayed by murrain." 
In the North-Western Province the prospects are 
fair but some damage has been done by rain. 
From Nuwura Kalawiya in tbe Anuradhapura dis- 
trict of tho North-Oenlrol Province it is 
reported : “ Rainfall defioient and partial. Some 
tanks have one halt {and one-third filled, others 
close by have barely drinking water. Eainfall due 
to local thundcretoim and not general. Rivers 
here and in Noith Matalo dry. A small meda 
harvest expooled. Tho showers are beneficial to 
the glowing tala and mondiri ehenas. Prospects of 
yala crop unfavourable. Rico very scarce in 
villages. Kurakkan suffioient for present nerds." 
In Tamankaduwa the rainfall is reported to have 
been only middling. The general condition of the 
crops is fair. In the Uadulla dislriot of the pro- 
vince of Uva the dry grain is reported as middling 
in Bintenne, and the paddy in the eatno oondition 
in Weilawaya. In Udakinda the paddy orop is 
improving owing to recent rains, but in Bintenne 
it has been affected by drought. In Buttala 
Wiyaluwa poor crops are anticipated owing to the 
many appesranoa of worms in many flehis. In tho 
Hstnapura Di.-triot of tbe Provinoo of Sabaraga- 
mnwB the “ Operations for sowing yala harvest 
throughout district much lavoufftl by recent rains, 
but results of murrain seriously reduce extent 
oultivated in Meda and Kolonna Koralcs. Ohenas 
cleared for el-wi and fine gr-in durirg month; 
not burnt off yet.” Prom Kegalla it is reported 
“ Pour Korales fields ready (oryala sowing W6ath>r 
favourable. Cbenas being fltnnd (or lull paddy. 
Kurakkan about to be eown in Four K irnles. Bain 
plentiful. Olearitigs going on for hill paddy. No 
cattle murrain. Outlook good.” 
On Ma> 21ih a Goveriireid Gazette Extraordinary 
was issued containing a return of tbe grain crop pro"^- 
pects for the first quarter of 1B91. In tbe Colombo 
district of the Western Province the prospects ot 
