370 
Suppimeni to the J" Tropical Agriculturist. 
[November 2, 1891. 
The Director of the Colomho Musoiun in his 
last report mentions tliiit cnrholicised oil is one 
of tlie most powerful preservatives known l)otli 
for form and colour. Coconut oil and carbolic 
acid are said to mi.’iL freely in all proportions. 
The acid moreover enables coconut oil and 
turpentine to be mixed, the mixture forming a 
splendid microscopic fluid. 
The idea of appointing a veterinary offleer to 
Colombo, (which we believe originated with II. 
K. the Governor), and our recommendation that 
ho should be attached as a lecturer to the School 
of Agriculture, are, we are glad to say, about 
to be carried into effect. In the Supply Bill 
for next year, a sum of '^aen pro- 
vided for veterinarj' work. We understand it 
is contemplated to erect a veterinary hospital 
on the School of Agriculture premises, so that 
the need for more groundspace for additions to 
the present buildings will bo opportunely mat 
by the grant of land lately made to tlio school. 
Miss Ormerod, the distinguished authoress of 
the “Manual of Injurious Insects,” has decided 
to resign her appointment as Consulting ento- 
mologist to the Hoyul Agricultural Society, owing to 
the scant courtesy which she has received at the 
hands of that body. Miss Ormerod does not, how- 
ever, moan to abandon her entomological work 
which she has carried on for the last fourteen 
years, and hopes “ to bo pormitti>d the t)leaguro 
still of Ijuing consulted, and of replying to 
enquiries just na before,” that is privately. 
We have perused with pleasure the report of 
the (lovornmeut Agent, Aiiuradbapurn, as j)ub- 
lished by the Hindu Oryan, embodying a scheme 
for the colonisation of Kalawewa, which is said 
to have the sanction of Government, The sclumie 
is evidently the outcome of much deliberation, 
being based on liberal and philanthropic— and 
at the same time strict— principles, and we shall 
anxiously look forward to its being carried out 
into practice. 
Mr. Millson, Assistant Colonial Secretary of 
Lagos, in his report on the indigenous plants of 
Yoruba-land, says that sorghom vulgare, which 
ho calls red guinea corn, is not cultivated for the 
grain which is not used, but as a dye plant- the 
dye being described as excellent. Sorghum vul- 
gare is the Indian cholum. 
The rain-making experiments made by Colonel 
Dyronforth, of the United States Agricultural 
Department, may be said to have been a success. 
The value of the discovery will depend on the 
expense which the i>roceas of ruin making invoh es, 
and the possibility of its use in i)ructicnl agri- 
culture. 
Gas Lime fob Ci.av Soil. — in his article in the 
Royal Society's Jouniul on the ‘ K.xperie?ices of a 
Scotsman on the Kssex Clays,’ J’rofesBor M 'Connell 
writes as follows : — “ The action of lima on a clay 
soil is well known, and in this district wo use 
immense quantities of the spent lime from the 
London gas-works, which we got at the cost of 
the carriage. It is apj)lied in variou-s ways, and 
many are foolish enough to use it without manure. 
Wo have applied it raw to the course parts of 
pasture lanils, but it seemed to make them still 
coarser, at least during the lir.st year. Some 
mix it with earth for compost for top-dressings, 
and some apply it to the fallows. We prefer 
to apply it raw, at the rate of from 4 to (1 tons 
per aero in autumn, to the lea land that is to 
bo ploughed up during the winter. By this 
means all grubs are killed, the turf is partly 
killed, the soil i.s made more friable, while of 
course, the natural fertility is stimulated. By 
itself, 1 have seen it act on a crop ns strongly 
as nitrate of soda, but the soil must bo fed along 
with it. Its effect on the mechanical texture of 
the soil is wonderful. I remember one case of a 
field that was partly dres.sed and partly loft 
undros.sed with it, and in broailcasting the seed 
afterward.s, I could feel the iliiTorence in the 
soil in stepping from the one i)art to the other, 
every time 1 went up and down the stetches, 
because the limed part was so much more loose 
and friable. Soma maintain that it does no good 
to tho soil, either mechanically or manurinlly, 
but WO' would not like to farm without it here. 
Of course, the land is ready for a fresh dressing 
every time the grass is ploughed up. I have not 
seen the crop killed by ns much ns tl tons per 
acre, while, even on tho permanent pasture land, 
3 or 4 tons pul on raw did not do any injury 
in this way. There are two varieties of this 
spent lime used here— the blue and tho while. 
It is generally understood that the former is more! 
poisonous than the latter, from having been used 
longer in purifying the gas; but for this reason, 
it is luoro effectual in its action, and its poisonous 
sulijbites are oxidised long l)efore the crfip is 
sown.” This suggested the question, what is done 
with tho ga.s-lime jiroduced at our local gas-works ? 
We have to .acknowledge with thanks the 
receipt of the Richmond College Magazine, Ceylon 
I’atriot, Hindoo Organ, and St. Thomas’ Col'lego 
Magazine. 
« 
CULTIVATION OF THE COCONUT PALM. 
The proper month for transplanting in sandy or 
dry land is in November or at the beginning of 
the rains, as no watering need then bo done till 
the rains are over. In low marshy situations it 
IS safer to plant after the rains. As they grow 
the plants must be watered xvhenever necessarj', 
and a sharp lookout kept for the coconut beetles, 
which invariably attack and often kill young 
plants, and even young bearing trees. These 
pe.sts are common enough in every now plan- 
tation, but are specially plentiful on estates 
whore the felled jungle consisted to a large e.xtent 
of the wild mango, a very common tree in the 
Ra8t(;rn Province, It has been a moot point 
whether it is bettor to thoroughly clear 
and stub a new phantation, or to allow the 
stumps of forest trees and dead wood to remain 
on tho ground to decay and crumble down in tho 
course of time. It has been, however, found in 
l)ractico that the. latter is by far the better jilan, 
as the gradual decay of the soft rotting timber 
helps in a great measure to enrich tho soil. 
Advantage should bo taken, in clearing an e.state, 
to saw up the trunks of suitable trees into .scant- 
