870 
Supplement to the "Tropical Agrtcnltumt-''' 
[May I, 1H92. 
1)0 the most profitable portion of the farm. But 
remember it must be kept tip to a high state 
of fertility.” 
Hero then i.s instruction that can be followed 
with little difllculty, for the imjiroTOment of 
seed only by selection presents none of the difll- 
culties encountered in attempting to im])rove 
seed by hybridising. Improvement by selection 
is carried on by tea and cocoa planters, inid to 
some extent also by the more enlightened coco- 
nut planters of the present day, but owing to 
the fact of the coconut palm being a perennial 
growth, it will be a long time before good results 
are generally evident, while the bail results due 
to the carelessness of the coconut planters of past 
days, evidenced by the wretched condition of many 
estates at the present time, will remain yet a 
while to point a moral. It has been objected 
to in the system of laiddy cultivation by moans 
of transplanting seedlings raised in a nurserj', 
that the plan is tedious and almo.st impracticable 
in the ca.se of extensive paddy lands. If Mr. 
Clarke’s advice bo adopted, the result of rai.sing 
up a hardy and prolific] jiaddy crop might be 
arrived at by an easier thougli perhaps slower 
route : for if our cultivators keep small nurseries 
for imjiroving seed, select the Ixist seetls of the 
best ears each season for their specially cared- 
for nurseries, and sow the rest in the fields, 
while they imjirove the fertility of their 
laud by more thorough and intelligent cultiva- 
tion, they will at the same time imjirove the 
seed which is to be sown upon the land, 
OCUASICXAI. NOTKS, 
We accord a hearty welcometo .Mr. bye, M.ii.C.V. 
s.jthe newly-appointed Veterinary Surgeon to the 
Ceylon (iovernmont. .Mr. bye will have his office 
at the School of Agriculture. 
Mr. A. W. .Tayawardenc/ who has performed 
the duties of practical instructor at the School of 
Agriculture since the foundation of the institution, 
intends before long to sever his connection with the 
School, whose iutere.st3 he has faithfully served. 
Mr. Jayawardene began his studios in Science at 
the Ceylon Medical College, and subseipiently 
left for Madras, where he entered the Agricultural 
College at Saidapet. On his return to Ceylon 
Mr. Jayawardene was chosen by Mr. H. W. Oreen, 
the founder of the Colombo School of Agriculture, 
to bo the first pioneer Agricultural teacher in the 
Islsnd, and be it said to his credit, that with 
characteristic pluck ho carried on his work in 
an unassuming manner through little good 
and much evil report, and helped greatly to 
bring the institution into its present satisfactory 
condition. Owing to the death of his father, 
Afr. Jayawardene wishes to be free to manage the 
family estates, consisting principally of land 
granted by the (lovernment to his late granilfather 
for meritorious .service rendered during the Cotta 
rebellion. 
We have received from Mr. Tiathonis, the 
Agricultural Instructor at Madampe, Sabara- 
gamuwft district, a small but e.vcellent col- 
lection of fibre and ropes jircpared by him, 
and coiiKisting of the following Rojie made 
from Kota-dimbula patta {Ficite hinpida). Jiopo 
made from Kalawel patta (Devris scandens). 
Rope made from Wal-beli jiatta (Paritiwn 
tiliacemn). Rope made from Nava fibre 
(Lasiodphon enoccphalus). Rope made from 
iValla patta (6'ymiops walhi). Rope madeafrom 
I’athnraja jaitta. Rope made from Ratt Rp- 
pala {TJrenn lobafa). Roje made from biniya 
fibre (lleliceterea hora). Sum jiles of nava 
fibre. Samples of bandakai fibre (Hibiscus escu- 
lentiis), and rope made from bandakai fibre grown 
in the Kxperimental Carden at IVellandura. 
Rojio made from telambo fibre {Sterculia fmtida). 
When chemical science came at first to bo 
allied with agriculture, it was fancied that the 
chemist had only to antilyse the soil to say what 
was necessary to grow a particular crop, and 
that if he analysetl the crop after being grown he 
would know at once what to apply to give a full 
return. Chemistry has done a great deal for 
agriculture; but in the matter of soil analysis it 
has as yet been able to give farmers very little 
assistance in regard to what manures should ,]be 
used on jtarficnlar fields. The analysis of a 
manured crop is also little guide as to what the 
manure to bo applied should consist of. For 
instance, few crojis contain more nitrogenous 
material than one of beans, jiea.s, or clover; and 
yet on land in average condition nitrogenous 
manures ajiidind to these crops are not only, 
comparatively speaking, usele.ss, but if ajijilied’ 
in large ijuantity are actually deleterious. 
The cultivation of the sunlfyivw; has sjtread 
enormously of late in Russia, and in the south- 
east the sunflower furnishes a prominent product 
of the farm. Two kinds of sunflower are grown 
— one with small seeds, used for the production 
of oil, the other with large seeds, consumed by 
tlio jieople in enormous (juantities ns dainties. 
The oil, owing to its nutritive qualities, juirity 
and agreeable flavour is said to have stuiorseded 
all other oils in many parts of the countrj’, 
and when jiroperlj' jireptired is equal to French 
table oil in colour, flavour, and taste. Roppy 
and hemp seed oil have entirely given place to 
sunflower oil which is in great favour with 
the jieoplo. The cake is used for catflo food, 
and is largely exported, jtrincipally to Oormnny 
and ICngland. The Government of Saratov alone 
exports 2,000,000 lbs. to different countries where 
more oil is expressed before the cake is used as 
cattle food, for which purpose it is looked 
upon ns the best in Russia, being considered even 
better than hemp or rape seed cakes. The sun- 
flower shells, which are used for heating purijo.ses, 
not only in private houses but large factories as 
well, form au article of trade in several districts. 
The seed cujts arc not wasted but are used 
ns food for sheej) ; if dried and ground they can 
bo very successfully used for cattle ' food. 
The sunflower stalks gathered frotn the field 
and dried in jiiles, have entirely replaced fire- 
wood in South Russia ; in fact, they are 
preferred oven to pinewood, producing a great and 
hot lire. About 2,000 lbs. of such firewood are 
gathered from one acre. The total number of 
oil mills in Russia wa.s, according to the last 
accounts, 104 ; of there 80 are ajijilied solely to 
obtaining sunflower oil. Twenty-four mills are 
Vyorked by steam, the rest by hand power. In 
