July I, 1891.] 
Supplement to the “ Tropical Agriculturist." 
8 S 
hour, these villagers armed with mamotiea pro- 
ceed to the land, headed by the owner, and turning 
their faces in the direction of Adam’s Peak give 
out the cry of “ Ha para hodai ” (Ha ! a good 
beginning !). At sim turn the workmen retire for 
their midday meal. During the time the villagers 
help the goij’a in the cultivation of his field, 
they are supplied by him with food and other 
necessaries. 
No particular ceremony is observed in ploughing, 
except that wreaths of sweet smelling flow'ers are 
twined round the horns of the buffaloes, and the 
ploughmen keep intoning the words “ Uvi Uviuv6, 
uvi Uviuvi" which are considered pleasant ami 
encouraging to the animals. 
When the field is ready for sowing, the ceremony 
of Pela mala Hadanawa takes place after the fol- 
lowing manner : — On the advent of a lucky hour, 
the goiya leaves his dwelling after having recited 
a number of religious stanzas, bearing an areca- 
nut flower and a pata (handful) of pa<ldy. Having 
arrived at his fleld with his eyes turned towards 
the favourable region of the sky, he buries the 
paddy in a comer of a ridge, having first mould- 
ed the earth at the spot so as to represent a 
peculiarly-shaped symbolic figure, end lays the 
arecanut flower on the top of tlie mound. On 
wiquiring into the significance of this ceremony, 
Nehelpanala Pohath Nayake Unnanse, High Priest 
of liotmale Pansale, informed me, that the 
arecanut flowers were intended ns an offering 
to the gods who are held to have a great love 
tor them, while the paddy is believed to he taken 
away to provide a meal. After a lapse of 
five days all preparations are made to sow the 
held : but a consideration of the ceremonies which 
attend the sowing of the fleld I must postpone 
tor another occasion. 
, T. B. Pohath Kkhelpanai.a. 
Hampola ; Angammana Adikarum Walauwa. 
June 20th, 1891. 
MANURK VALUATION. 
instructions drawn up by Dr. Aitken, 
Ohemist to the Highland and Agricultural Society 
01 Scotland, for valuing manures, give all cul- 
tivators of the soil the means of computing for 
hemselves the commercial value of the fertilize rs 
they use. The calculations are based on the 
analysis of the manures and on the unit values 
o tho ingredients. The units are based on the 
prices at port, the terms being cash iii- 
’“S'* gross weight, not including carriages 
n t ie.se units are multiplied by the perceii- 
.analysis of a manure, they u ill 
® faille representing very nearly the 
in u ^'nch one single ton may lx; bought 
, eownble condition. Large purchases 
ay )e made on more favourable torm.s. The 
fnl course not constant, but are fixed 
tor different seasons.” For season 1890, I ho 
1 ^ 1 ”’’ P''naphate8 are 3s. M. in dis- 
anperphosphates, and an 
inanl fn J’aanl'ted compotiuds ; for 
1 three classes of bones 
is. Ofl! in steamed bone flour. Is. 9if. in dis- 
solved bonea, and an average of Is. itd. in dissolved 
compounds; Ammonia 17s. 6d. in Ichaboe guano, 
16s. in genuine Peruvian, 128. in Fish guano, 
13s. in Prey-Bentos guano, 12s., 11s. 6<f. and 
11s. in the tliree classes of bones, 12s. in steamed 
bone-flour, 13s. in dissolved bones, and an average 
of 13s. in dissolved compounds ; potash 3s. Gil 
in genuine Peruvian guano, and an average of 
4s. in dissolved compounds. 
The phosphates (soluble and insoluble), Ammo- 
nia and Potash are the only items to bo valued. 
As an example, suppose in a high class mix- 
ture, tho analysis shows : — 
Per cent. 
Soluble Phosphates . . . . 20 
Insoluble „ . . ,, 6 
Ammonia (total) , , , . 10 
Potash . . . . . . . . 5 
Then 
20 p. 0 . Soluble phosphate8(g 34</. p. units= 680(2. 
5 „ Insoluble „ @ 21d. „ = 106d. 
10 „ Ammonia @150(f. „ =lG00d. 
6 „ Potash @ 48(2. „ = 240<2. 
2626(2. 
or, £10. lOs. 6<2. per ton. 
Suppose the manure is pure dissolved bones, 
and the analj'sis shows 16 % soluble phosphate, 
20 % insoluble phosphate, and 3 % ammonia. 
Soluble phosphate. . 16 « 8s. =£2 8 9 
Insoluble „ . . 20 x Is. 9«2. = 1 16 0 
Ammonia „ . . 3 x 18s. Oil = 1 19 0 
Value per ton =£6 2 0 
GENERAL ITEMS. 
Mr. Kumaravellu, who has lately returned 
after a tour in the North, writes : — “ There is little 
doubt that the Northern Province contains more 
stock than any other in the Island. The stock con- 
sist of bulls and cows, sheep and goats, but few 
buffaloes. In the Jaffna peninsula, though stock- 
owners ore most assiduous in their attention to 
their animals, it cannot be said that cattle are 
at all fed as they should be. The Jaffna culti- 
vator does not raise any fodder crops, and 
depends for his supply of cattle food on what 
grass he could get from jungles and unculti- 
vated places. Bnt even this wild grass is only 
available to any extent at certain times, so 
that at other times cattle are fed mainly on 
straw. Goats are allowed to stray about and 
find their own food, which, however, they do 
not get very much of. In the mainland on the 
other hand while there is more pasture land 
available for cattle, there are, for the area, few 
cattle-owners.” 
“ Erj’thrina and tulip (suriya) leaves are also 
used for feeding bulls and cows as well as goats. 
The former are got from the live fences or from 
betel-vine supports, and though they are relished 
by these animals, they are not suitable for 
working bulls as not only being not sufilciently 
nutritious, but as also having a tendency to 
cause Ittxativeness. Palmyra leaves are also used 
for feeding cattle, after being torn into pieces 
and mixed with straw, A few owners of cattle 
