290 
Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist: 
[October i, 1891 
of the Sanitary division of the Jiunicipality to 
superintend the -work of poudrettc manufacture, 
after liaving seen the process iit working where 
It is carried on; 
Tlicro is more than one spot where sewage 
matter, and blood and other refuse from the 
slaughter-houses, together with coir dust could 
be manipulated without proving a nuisance to 
the public. 
Wo hope to find this suggestion carried out, 
as there is little that could l»e said in tho way 
of objection ; for while wo W'Ould be ghid to 
see illustration.s of agricultural economy such as 
this, there is the high authority of the speaker 
at the Congress of Hygiene and Demography, 
that the utilization ofsew-ago for agricultural pur- 
po.ses is by no means antagonistic totlie funda- 
mental princix)los’ of sanitation, that should carry 
great weight with our city fathers. In our last 
issue w'e quoted u jjassago to prove that a large in- 
come was being realized by tho Municipal tow'us 
in the I’unjab by the sale of sewage and other 
refuse matter. We reproduce tho following sen- 
tence: — 
“Tho sooner this prejudice (against the utiliza- 
tion of sewage in farming) di.su]>pear8, the better 
for both the Municipal coffers and the agricul- 
turist, as a common gain must fall to both. ' 
OCCWSIOXAL NOTES. 
The Sub-Committi>e appointed by tho Legislative 
Council to report on the Ordinance relating to 
Cattle Di.sense, have recommended that the duties 
and powers vested and imposed on the Inspectors 
should bo exercised and performed by the 
Government Agent, it being impracticable to 
procure in tlio island Inspectors having sufli- 
cient veterinary knowledge to carry out such 
duties to the satisfaction of the public. We 
suppose that this suggestion wdll be carried out 
pending sucii arrangements ns will secure tho 
Inspectors with tho necessary veterinary know- 
ledge. VV'e W’ould suggest that a (pialitied 
person, and one w’ho has had some e.vperience 
of the working of measures relating to cattle 
disease, should bo appointed to draw out a list 
of instructions, as a guide to those who are to 
assume the cluties of veterinary in.spectors, till 
these latter are available. 
Of late there have been reports of “ foot-and- 
mouth disease” from more than one district. 
There are two forms of this Iroublosome dis- 
ordor; — (1) Sporadic ajihtha, and Vl) Epizootic 
aphtha. The former which affects few (and 
e.specially young) animals is controllable to a 
great extent by aperient meilicines and astringent 
washes, but tho latter which affects largo numbers, 
is very hard to deal with. It is commonly known 
in Scotland by the name “Murrain” which, 
however, has a totally different apidication with 
us Affected animals should bo isolated and 
care should be taken that they are kept in a 
Cleon dn' place. A dose of | to f of a pint 
of linseed oil (according to the size and age 
of the aniimil ) with nn oimoe of powderofl 
should be given to act on the bowels, the moul h 
should bn washed with a solution of alum in 
water — one ounce to a quart — and tho feet with 
ft stronger solution, and the hooves kept clean 
and dressed with blue vitriol (cojiper suliihate) 
or zinc sulphate or salycilic acid or zinc chloride 
nr carbolic acid and glycernic (I oz, to fi oz. of 
water) or strong mixtures of Condy's lltiid or 
Jeye’s disinfectant anil water. It is a good 
thing to relievo the vesicles and hasten their 
healing, and to cut and remove all detached 
pieces of tho hoof. Kock salt should be sup- 
plied for tho animals to lick. 
JHeHume Iiidica (crow-foot or crab-grass) the 
Sinhalese Belatana, or as it is .sometimes called 
the wild kurrnkkaii, is a variety of tho Indian 
(Hleuxine CorucatiaJ the Sinhalese kiir- 
rakkftii. It is figured and described in tho Now 
South Walo.s Agricultural .lotirnal for February 
last. The Botanist to the Agricultural Department 
thus refers to it : — “ A coarse, erect, tufted iicreii- 
nial grass. . . .recognised by its dark green colour, 
strong stalks, and digitate jianicles, the sjukelets 
of which are flat, and overlap each other. It 
grows nearly all the year round, but during the 
summer months yields a great amount of rich 
succulent herbage, which is much relished by 
cattle. If cut when it first shows its llower 
stems, it makes excellent hay. ' Jlr. G. 1). llilder 
of Kempsey, forwarded a specimen of this grass 
to me for identilication «(uito recently, witli a 
note to the effect that it was a ‘very good grass 
for cattle, and that they ate it greedily.’ It is a 
grass that is worth disseminating on moist lands 
in the coastal di.stricts; and as it produces a 
great amount of seed if left undisturbed for a time, 
there would be very lit fie trouble in collecting any 
quantity. Besides its value ns a forage grass, it 
is useful for binding tho banks of rivers, dam.s, 
and loo.se earth. It.s tough fibrous roots ijcnotrato 
deeply into the soil, and in time form a perfect 
mat, so that flood-waters would have little effect 
upon tlie hind where it was firmly established, 
ft will even undergo partial submersion for 
a few days without the slightest injury.” 
This hardy grns.s grows nirandantlyintlie warmer 
parts of Ceylon, and cattle arc very fond of it 
Native medical men recommend it for external 
application in cases of sprains. 
Two varieties of Cumbu C Penicillaria q)icata) 
are grown in India ; tho ordinary variety is that 
grown as an unirrignted crop, wliile that known 
as Mii.mmiani Cumbu is an irrigated crop. Tho 
plants of this latter variety are shorter than those 
of tho other, and mature sooner, the ears appear- 
ing as a rule at fourth node. Cumbu is con- 
sidered an unoxhausting and ameliorating crop, 
ft is largely grown and relished a.s a food liy the 
natives of South India. It is a common proverb 
amonp them that “ cumbu is equal to paddy as 
food.' The crop is not usually manureil, and is 
generally chosen for exhausted lambs. It is either 
grown aloneand successively on tlicsame land year 
after year, or with other crops such as green gram. 
Tho ears are ren])ed two or three times before tho 
straw is cut. Tlie chuff is used us a bedding for 
forming straw stacks, and subsequently added to 
the manure heaps. The .straw, which is inferior 
to paddy straw, is not of much value as fodder, 
Cumbu is grown to some extent in the island, 
and principally in the North-Western Province. 
A small extent of the now land attached to the 
