September i, 1891.3 
THE TROPICAI. AQWtStlLTUmST. 
17J 
THE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE AXU 
VILLAGE CULTIVATIOX, 
We have received a copy of the following oirou* 
ler : — 
The valae of circulating leaflete, embodying ueeful 
and practical advice, has been proved beyond doubt, 
and the adoption of this means lor disseminating agri- 
ouitnrul information haa been forcibly nrgcd by the 
daily press. The free distribution of papers contain- 
ing useful and practical advice has been favoured by 
Agricultural Departments wherever they eiist, and 
has been attended with good results. In view of these 
facts the Editors of the “ Gevikam Sangarama” (the 
Sinhalese Agricultural Magazine, published in eon- 
neotiou with the School of Agriculture) have, with the 
completion of the 2nd vol. of that periodical, decided 
on suppressing it for at least a time, with the view 
of testing the method referred to above, viv,,, of 
issuing monthly leaflets mainly intended for village 
onltivators, to be " sown broadcast " over the 
country. It is hoped that the minimum cost of 1 
cent per copy madu only to defray cost of printing, 
postage, and illnstratiouB when necessary, will not be 
incurred by the cultivators tbeaiaelves, but that those 
in authority who have the weltaro of their several 
provinces and districts at heart, as well as influential, 
wealthy and philanthropic private land-owners, will 
give largo orders for the lealli ts and circiilato them 
yratU among tlie villagers. In the abienoBof Itinerary 
Agrioultiirai Inspectors, thcr • seems to bn no bettor 
moans of pri'scntiiig to the yoiyaaa'\ snch information 
as they may be in need of, amt the hetier for, regard- 
ing every branch of tho Agricuitutal Industry. It 
wiM greatly facilitate the carrying out of t.tds project, 
If all those who are concerned in furthering the 
interests of native agriouHiire, as well ns cultivators 
themselves, will commuaicato with the Editors at tho 
School of Agriculture, and siggost snob subjects as 
they think might advisedly bo taken np and t.reated 
ol in tho lenfluts, and upon what points information 
la dosiilorated. 
We hope that this new experiment will prove a 
enocessful oas- Many of the goiyas will not be 
able to read the,! mflids, and many more may not 
understand or appreciate the information they 
contain. But we trubt the educated young men 
being scattered over tho country will help their 
leas favoured oouutrymen by reading, explanation 
and advice to follow as far as possible the reformed 
methods of oullivation which will, ol course, be 
ndioated. 
TERMITES AT HIGH ALTITUDES. 
For long shared what we believe is the popular impres- 
sion that whita-ants cannot exist at altitudes beyond 
2,000 or 3,000 feet above sea level. Tennent, indeed, 
wrote ol their not being found above 4,000 or 3,000 
feet; but until ciuilo recently, we felt certain that at 
or above the latter elevation tliay did not and could 
not exist. To this effect we recently spoke unadvisedly 
to a visitor on Abbotsford. Wo were an arc that Mr. 
K. E. Green had observed and doscribsd a species 
m Pundaluoya at an elevation of over 4,000 feet ; 
but wo had never seen any in the diatvict of 
Dimbula except fouis imp.rrted from Oolombo in 
a deal ease ; and we regarded Abbot,-f rd (4 (iOO to 
t>,000 feet) as ci]Uaily exempt froni Uie pre-cnoc 
of white-ants as of laud loeolros. We imd Icn.rttmi 
that tho more observant auperinteiidont lia.i notiord 
End told us of their cxiatenoe. lie writrii; - 
“ I now send you a samtilo so t'ml you "m ly bo 
sati-lieii on the subjtct, II yon ent up ilio .ti.-ks yon 
may laid more in them, hut y. u ,u„v .a, v.idl l.nni 
tnu lot after inspection, as it would l,o a pity to en- 
courage their propagation. There are fertiin.-itidy vuty 
tow about, but still there can be no doulit Ih jy aro 
here. I got these on Knock Ferrol, and the last 1 saw 
there were altogether a much smaller variety.” 
Of the smaller variety referred to, no speci. 
mens have been sent, so that the question of 
thoir identity with the small white-aut of the 
lowoountry cannot be definitely settled. If, how- 
ever, we are oorreot in supposing that no earth- 
formed nests have ever been found at the higher 
elevations, tho probability is that the smaller 
mountain termos is a distinct inseot. The larger 
sized species, of whioh specimens reached us, in 
the twigs, iuto whioh they had bored tunnels on 
Knock Ferrol (5,200 feet altitude), are certainly 
distinct from the lowoountry exoavatore and 
pyramid builders, and Mr. Stani'orth Green is prob- 
ably oorreot in concluding that the big Dimbula 
ant and that of Pundaluoya arc identical. Mr, Green 
writes : — 
"Tho Abbotsford ‘ white-ante ’ are of a different 
species to the cominnn termites living undergrouud in 
the iowcountry. The termer arc much larger aud 
whiter. It is likely however that they are to be met 
with in the lowoountry in certain sitnations- They do 
not seem to use oovor in their work, merely tunnelling 
the wood thoy attack, and in which they reside. 
There is a smaller species in the lowoonnlry thairomc- 
timts ettacks fnrnituro aud other wood. work. This 
species does not seem to reside underground at any 
period of its life It is ot an ivory-white colour. 
“ 1 taunot find E. E. Green’s p.aper nn tho Pundaluoya 
termite-, but thoy arc probably ideulioal wiih the 
Abbot! ford ouos.” 
Tennent, on the authority of Thwaitos of Pera- 
douiya, describoa a lowoountry terrass (?’. ngmoceros) 
whioh docs not form earth nests but builds, in 
tho hollows of old trees, neats whioh aro ot a black 
colour, resembling a mass of sooriio ; the insects 
thomsolvGB being ol a pitfhy brown. Tho question 
wo should now like to Ivavo iinswerod is, 
" Have termites been otsrrved at a higher eleva- 
tions than that of 5,200 feet?” As tho 
creatures are, at certain stages iu their cxistonoc, 
gifted wltli the power of flight, they may bo able 
gradually to extend their zine upwards. Readers 
may remember the army ol hornets which visited 
Dimbula aud other high districts some years ago, 
ju t as tea was appreoiably taking the place of 
oollee, Thoy seem to have ditappeare i as rapidly as 
they came. The termites have no such powers of flight 
as the wasps. 
BURMA RUBY MINES. 
The third ordinary general meeting of the share- 
holders in the Burma Jtnby Mines (Limited) wa.s 
held yesterday at the City Terminus Ilotol. Sir 
Lcpel H. Orifiin presided, and, iu moving the adoption 
of the report, stutdd that it was accompanied by the 
riport of a director (Mr. F, H. Kirby), who accom- 
panied him (the ciiairmnn) to the minus a year before. 
Atlliough they had no very briliiai.t results to show at 
piescnr, iio thonght that their prospects were exceed- 
ingly satisfactory and reassuring, although they had 
not vet obtained stones of the quantity and quality 
which they hoped to got. Every montli tho returns 
weie diauuclly better, bolli in (juality and quantity, 
and (heir oliiof engineer, Major Kiinhardt, was ex- 
ceedingly oonfid-nl of tho eveotuul success cf the 
company. Pi his lost report, teodved a fortnight 
ago, Major Kunh.'irdt .said " Briolly stated, I look 
upon uur first >1 nr ns haviug been one of exploration 
and c.xpurinieir ; tlie present, oiir second, year as one 
ot devulopiuciit ; siiii, as tar as I can judge, our 
tliird aud suPsi quent years will b« years of sucoets.” 
llo presented Major Kuuliardi’s opinion to tliom as 
one deserving of their fullist confidence. Ho tlien 
recapitulated what haJ been douo m tho last 18 
mouths, pointing out that m all such uudertakings 
