Patenas of Ceylon

Abstract

I DO not think Mr. Abbay's suggestion of a possible cause of the origin of the Ceylon patenas will be found to hold good to the extent he believes it will. On the Dimbula patenas rock of any kind is very scarce, even if you go several feet down, and where it does occur, it is, to the best of my recollection, almost always gneiss. On the patena on my property it is certainly so throughout. In part of the Ouvah patena district, mentioned by Mr. Abbay, the rock is limestone, as is proved by its being largely quarried and burned. Moreover, the patena soil in Ouvah is not of the ordinary worthless quality, at any rate in the opinion of planters owning portions of it, as they frequently assert that it is as good as the jungle soil of Dimbula, and the neighbouring districts. What truth there is in this I cannot say.