Sitppltmni to tho " Tvopical AgnculiHi’hi." 
[September i, 1891, 
to ijO per cent of cligsolved matter In solution, 
and is of the greatest importance in the plant 
eoonoray ns a medium throiigli which plant food 
is taken up from the soil as “olutions into the 
plant (a function which even chemically pure 
water — which is never found in nature— may per- 
form), while it is also necessary to meet the eva- 
poration that goes on through the leaves, and 
the full value of water will be better understood. 
OCCASIONAL NOTES, 
M's are glad to he able to mention that the 
Cireular regarding the project of issuing Sinhalese 
leaflets on practical agricultural matters, has 
elicitwl replies of an encouraging nature, not 
only from Oovemment ofllcials but also from 
private agriculturists. Among the latter are 
■Mr. Guuaratne, Athaputtu Mudaliyar of Qalle, 
who has before now showed the active inter- 
est he takes in the welfare of his countrjunen, 
and Mr. II. 1). Gunesekera, whose promise of 
support is very encouraging. 
While Jlr. Gunasekere sets a good example to 
our ofd boys by promising to take a large numljer 
of leaflets to be distributed among the villagers 
about hi.s own home, Mr. J, A. G. Kodrigo, the 
energetic Agricultural Instructor at Jlandaragama, 
who orders .'lot) copies, and hopes to take in 150 
more, sets an admirable example to his brother 
Instructors. Among others wlio have promise<l 
to siipiairt the Sinhalese leaflet project is Mr. 
Jayasuriyn, the Mndaliynrof Kayigam Korale. 
We have much ])leasure in notifying that the 
Government liave sanctioned the purchase of n 
stud bull for the Seliool of Agriculture. It is 
expected that the animal, which i.s one of the 
Suidapet farm stock, will lie brought over from 
Madras very shortly. It Im.s been also 
decreed that a block of land, 4fl acres in extent 
adjoiiiingthe School of Agriculture shall he handed 
over to that institution. Theaction oftbe Govern- 
ment in tlip.se two instances leads ns to infer 
that the welfare of native agriculturists, in 
whose intere.sts the School of Agriculture was 
founded, will not be lost .sight of during II. R. 
Sir Arthur Havelock's reign, and to expect that the 
few lilawal measures which have been reserved 
for an energetic Governor to pass in favour of 
Agriculture fnit accompli Isdore the end 
of that reign. 
There seems a fair prospect of ii good trade in 
dried Imuauas la'ing opened out with Rnghind and 
Germany. An endeavour is lieing made hy the 
Guild of Cii-ojHiratorsof IjueenslnmUodeal directly 
with the great Gosiperativt* Undersale Stores in 
Rugland, It is e.xpected tlmt the lianana.s, which 
are merely dried on wire-netting, besides lieing 
used like dried flgs as dessert, will he stewed 
like prunes, cut to the .size of raisins and used in 
puddings. Once the expoit of the dried fruit is 
estiililished, there will he another oiiening for 
native cultivators, who, if they cannot heexpected 
to dry their own fruit, might send in their .supplies 
of fresh fruit to .some enteijirising man who owns 
a fruit-drying apjiarntus. We have not yet 
heard tlie opinion of tlie English grocers on the 
Specimens of jams and jellies made ’of Ceylon 
fruit, which Mr. Baumgartner is said to have taken 
with him to England. 
According to Australian e.xporimeiits, one pound 
of dried bananas soaked in water ami stewed 
for half an hour has been found to swell up to 
5 Ih ill weight, besides a sweet syrup being pro- 
duced without the addition of any sugar. A ship- 
ment of dried fruit sold in London at 6d. per ib. 
and if the nett profit shows .Sd. a jiomid, the in- 
dustry slionld pay very well, it is even tlioiight 
that a company on a large scale could make 
bananas pay well at 2d. perib. 
The “passion fruit" is the product of the 
common passion vine, Pnss^ora edulis. The 
Agricultural Qaxette of New South M'ales for Alay 
gives notes regarding the cultivation of the vine, 
and distinguishes three other species which are 
recommended for cultivation. Tho first is 
Passifiora macrocarjm, the large granadilla ; 
second, the P. mati/ormis, or sweet calabash ; 
and third, the P gumlrangularis, the common 
granadilla. The soil best suited to the growth of 
the pussioii-vine is said to be one of a rather loamy 
nature, and that is fairly rich in humus, thoimii 
the vine 18 so hardy tlmt it will grow in nlmixst 
any .soil and situation. Fences for trailing the 
vine should run ns due north and south as possi- 
ble, so that tile vines may receive sunshine on 
both sides of the fence. The vine can he jiropii- 
giited by ciitting.s, layers ami seeds. The latter 
produces the moat vigorous plants, and the seed.s 
should be collected from the enrlie.st riiiiuied 
fruits. ' 
of ‘i'" ftround-nut 
MmeAw A(/;a.yoY/) shows that it contains of water 
1 'o, alhiiminoida 24'5, .starch 1 1 7, oil .50'0, fibre 
4-), ash I'H. The oil whicli forma so large a 
proportion of the ground-nut is of n clear, iiale 
straw colour ; it will not become rancid and 
iraprove.s with age. It is known iu commerce as 
nut 0.1 and is not only adulterated with, hut 
IS substituted for olive oil. It is valuable as a 
lubricant for delicate machinery. The residue or 
came "f very fatenning 
cat le food, as well as a valuable fertilizer 
Chocolate cakes’ are said to be nmuufuctured 
United slates'^" ground-nuts alone iu the 
reCval . f the i ” -'ft"-- 
which caftlen fonn a most useful fodder 
w inch cattle are very fond of. 
Afr. T. 
welii, as 
^the'''’l'.'.’.'.l’“''''’'‘ .."'r****":— “ Gamjioln- 
Hehia I ■ imlicutes, is II row of 
iamnoTi 'n, vicinity of the town of 
tion^ One nf H ** " '“storical reputil- 
the fields to th V'l Kings dedicated 
m luce at L T ^ ^'f«''Kftwa (the tooth relic 
M e sa merit, 
bv tile ' t >1** "i ' ^ 'll imdislnrlied posse.ssion 
b> the temple. The Melds i„ the Kandvau 
sireaniT 'i’T ”'rignted Ity amunams nr 
tv^ln rel-.c-, wlHvli flows to Gampoln- 
d ootH mn 'J'-'“"'mge-a di.sta.,ceof 
' It is .said thill, in former times the 
ireudtli and the dejitli of tlie amiinam in (iiiestinii 
wa.s so great, tlmt the king used to row about in it, 
hence it was afterwanls known as Jla/a Kla or 
