February i, 1S92.] 
Supplemeni to the “ Tropical Agriculturist." 
607 
sheaths as torches, and the ashes of midribs as a 
cleansing powder in lieu of soda. Coconut shells 
are used for hurning especially by dhohies in tlieir 
“ irons,” as they j)roduce much boat owing to 
the presence of oil in their tissues; and they 
are purcliased for this purpose. It is a good 
plan to keep the branches, husks, &c., which fall 
from the palms piled up between the rows of trees 
with some regard to neatness, so that when the 
“ coconut fly '"makes his appearance, these piles 
may be sprinkled over with water and fired. 
The result is that a dense volume of acrid smoke 
is sent upwards, wliich causes the insects on 
the crown of the palm to fall off. Care should 
be taken not to allow the flames from the bnniing 
mass to mount high, as damage might thereby be 
done to the trees. Green leaves added to the heaps 
will increase the efficacy of smother-bunung. 
The ashes resulting from the incineration will of 
course be turned into the trenches round the trees. 
By this means a bad attack of “ poochies,” 
which often costa the proprietor 2 or 3 years' 
yield of nuts, can be with a little trouble averted. 
This plan was, 1 believe, firat tried l)y mo 
on Chandivelly estate, the property of Jlr. 
Stuart Munro ( the designer of the antipilfer safe) 
who showed me how to carry it out. Alany 
years afterwards, when the “poochies” were 
nttacking the e.stnte of Mrs. Sortain, the same 
process was gone through with the result that 
the disabled insects were found in millions 
wriggling on the ground. R. .\THERTON. 
INDIGENOUS FOOD PRODUCTS: 
CULTIVATED AND WILD. 
Convulmlaceae. 
60. Ifomoea Tridentata, Roth. Sin. lloenmadu 
This is a creeper growing in the jungles of 
the warmer parts of the Island. The plant is 
much branched with a green and cylindrical wirj- 
stem. The leaves are cordate, (lark green, and 
are of a thick te.vture : a milky juice is exuded 
from the plant when a leaf or the stem is broken. 
The leaves of this plant may be considered as a 
famine food. The villagers often eat it boiled in 
water with a little salt added, and sometimes along 
with coconut. Cattle relish the whole jdant very 
much and hence the leaves are often gathered and 
given to calves. It would, no doubt, form a 
good fodder, and as it grows easily, it might well 
bo grown experimentally for trial as a cattle food. 
61. Ipomoea Aquatica, Porsk. Sin. Kankun. 
The Ipomoea Aquatica thrives in moist situ. 
ations as the name signifies. It is n low creeper 
with a hollowy succulent stem which easily 
breaks at the nodes. The leaves are cordate 
nnd are of a light green colour. They are 
succulent, and when the plant is found growing 
■wild are of a small size, while when cultivated, 
or found grow'ing in particularly rich soil the 
leaves attain to a larger size. This plant is 
esteemed as a vegetable, and is often cultivated 
especially in the vegetable gardens in the vicinity 
of towns, where they fliul a ready sale in the 
markets. The leaves and the stems are used both 
as a dry currj’ and fried in ghee or oil. 
It is generally believed that this ]ilant possesses 
certain me(.Uciual properties, and there is there- 
fore some demand for it. Native medical prac- 
titioners ascribe to it certain cooling properties. 
Solanaceae. 
63. Solananum Fero.r, L. Sin. Malabatu. 
This plant is generally met with in uncultivated 
places, and where the land is at all fertile, they 
grow vigorously. It is a low shrub, two to three 
feet in height, and covered with numerous erect 
1 spines. The leaves are olxiordate and angular, 
( wdth soft hairs on the upper surface, while the 
lower surface is generally of a whitish colour. 
The veins of the leaves are covered with strong 
and straight prickles, the flowers are of a white 
colour, and the fruits are round and smooth and 
are of the size of ordiuarj' marbles. The calyx and 
the petiole adherent to the fruit are also covered 
with prickles. The fruits when young are of a 
green colour, and when ripe, turn a beautiful ruby 
red. The shining peircarp is succulent and a large 
number of seed is found inside the fruit. The 
part generally eaten in this plant is the fruit. 
Correctly speaking, it does not form a food, but the 
pericarp of the fruit could bo eaten and is by no 
means of an unpleasant taste. 
An infusion of the roots of this plant is said to 
be given in cases of acute rheumatism, and Native 
medical practitioners use the leaves in cutaneous 
diseases. 
68. Solanum Indicum, L. Sin. Tibbotu. 
This plant grows wild in jungles and unculti- 
vated places. It is a shrub much branched, and 
five to si.x feet in height. The stem is thin and i.s 
covered thickly with prickles. The loaves are 
large and have prickles on both surfaces. The 
cals’x of the flower is also prickly, and the fruits 
are round, very small in size, and are borne in 
clusters. 
The fruit of the S. indtewn is eaten after 
being boiled, by the villagers, and in small 
quantities even in its raw state, but in the latter 
case it has a peculiar bitter taste. 
The root of this plant is used by Indian doctors 
to jtrepare decoctions. 1 1 is considered ns a good 
remedy in fevers and coughs, and the juice of the 
leaves boiled with the juice of fresh ginger is 
administered to stop vomitting. The leaves and 
the .fruits with a little sugar are rubbed on the 
body for itch. Sinhalese Aledical Practitioners 
use this plant in coses of cough, pains in the 
chest, asthma, And toothache, and prescribe the 
fruit ns a vermifuge. 
IV. A. D. S. 
FOREST PRODUCTS. 
The villagers in many parts of the Island have 
mien long accustomed to consider the forest and 
its produce ns public jiroperty, which any and 
everj'one is at liberty to make use of. This idea 
was allowed to prevail till comparatively lately, 
as there were such vast tracts of jungle land in 
all parts of the Island ; but with the extensive 
clearing of jungles, mainly for cultivation, it was 
thought uccessarj' that some measures should be 
adopted for the conservation of the reduced area 
of forest land. Now the adoption of such mea- 
sures through officers appointed 1 ) 5 ’ the Govern- 
ment is most advisable, but when rules am^ 
