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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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contain characteristic specimens of every kind of native tree for which the climate is suitable, and to effect this object every attempt is being made. By frequent interchanges with other botanical establishments the number of palms now growing in this garden has become very considerable. These lovely plants find bere a climate so perfectly adapted to them that they grow with the greatest vigour and luxuriance, and will soon form one of the most striking features of the garden.

A moderate outlay in repairs to the water-course has secured a good flow of water into the grounds, but an uninterrupted supply will be rendered more certain when the iron pipes procured for the purpose have been laid down; and their being continued in certain direc- tions within the garden will cause a very great saving of labour in the necessary watering of the plants in dry weather.

I regret to say that the garden seats ordered from England have not yet been received; they are greatly required for the comfort of visitors.

The officer in charge of the Hakgala Cinchona Garden reports, that with the exception of repairs needed to the out-houses of his residence, the buildings are in good order. It is really necessary for his comfort that the floors of the rooms of his dwelling-house should be covered with cenient.

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Owing to the excessive demand for cinchona plants, involving the expenditure of most of the available labour, difficulty has been experienced in giving the requisite amount of attention to the nurseries of ornamental trees for distribution, and to the flower-borders, which add so much to the enjoyment of visitors. These desirable portions of the garden, however, are not being entirely neglected, and are kept up as well as circumstances will

allow.

Coffee. Some plants, twenty-nine in number, have been received from Dr. Hooker for trial here. They were obtained from one of the best plantations on the Gold Coast, and are in fine healthy condition. It is to be hoped they may escape being attacked by the leaf-fungus (Hemileia vastatrix) doing so much injury to the coffee estates in the island. The foliage of these young African plants looks slightly different from that of our ordinary coffee trees, both as to the shape and the texture of the leaves. Dr. Hooker informs me they were raised from beans of the ordinary size, and were reported as of the costly kind.

Dr. Hooker is still kindly interesting himself in this matter, and hopes to procure coffee seeds from some other correspondents in Africa. Two plants, stated to have been raised from the very large Liberian coffee seeds, have been sent to me by Mr. W. Bull, of Chelsea. These have somewhat suffered from the voyage, but are showing signs of recovery, and I trust will be saved.

Cinchona. It is indeed fortunate that the climate of Hakgala is so exceedingly favourable for the propagation of cinchonas. It would be a hopeless task, otherwise, to endeavour to supply from the nurseries there anything approaching the demand now being inade for plants to supply estates. During the year 1873 applications were made to me for orders on Hakgala for rather more than 1,720,000 cinchona plants: 670,500 were issued from Hakgala during the same period. This will give some idea of the activity going on in the cultivation of cinchona in the island. The orders on Hakgala are fortunately presented from time to time, and are met by instalments, as plants can be produced and spared. The issue of plants going on from Hakgala will not, however, altogether represent the extent of the cinchona cultivation, since many planters are, I hear, forming nurseries of their own for the propagation of plants from seeds and cuttings. Cinchona succirubra is principally in request at present, as it is deemed the most suitable species for the elevations at which cinchona is planted, growing more rapidly, and consequently yielding within a given time a larger bulk of bark than would be furnished by the Cinchona officinalis. Still, a good deal of the last-named very valuable species is being grown at elevations exceeding 4,000 feet above the sea level.

Tea. The cultivation of the Assam hybrid variety is getting rapidly into favour, and, but for the comparatively small number of plants and seeds procurable in the island, added to the difficulty of obtaining from India really good seeds for germinating, tea cultivation would advance more expeditiously here. There cannot be the least doubt, however, that these difficulties will not long operate as a check, the climate of the island being so admirably adapted for tea-growing. The Assam hybrid variety grows equally well at Pérádeniya and at Hakgala, and our plantations in both places are being considerably added to in order that we may be prepared by-and-by to issue fresh seeds in large quantity, Of the ordinary Bohea tea of China good supplies at a very moderate charge are obtainable from both our garrlens. I would strongly recommend trials being made of this hardy plant on abandoned coffee estates, rather than that weeds should be allowed to take posses- sion of the land. There can hardly be a doubt that the expense of such a step would be

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more than repaid, if tea is one day to become, as it most probably will, one of the most important staple products of the island.

latter.

may

Chocolate or Cocoa. The printing for distribution of some simple instructions for the planting of this valuable plant, and the preparation of the seeds for the market has had an excellent effect. I am able to report that amongst both European and native gentle- men possessing land at low elevations, a disposition is being shown to take up chocolate cultivation. All the seeds produced this last season from the chocolate trees growing,in the Pérádeniya Garden have either been disposed of to purchasers, or plants have been raised from them for increasing our own plantations. There is so little difficulty attending the cultivation after the young plants are once established, and the fruit would soon be found to furnish so agreeable a beverage to the native cultivator himself, that it may be fully expected that in a few years this plant will in very many of the Sinhalese village gardens take the place of coffee-that is, in situations too low for the healthy growth of the Vanilla. The produce of this plant is said to be now fetching a high price in the European markets, and one likely to be sustained, owing to a considerable increase taking place in the consumption. On this account, as well as from the facts that a very moderate extent of ground is required for its cultivation, and that it demands no very extraordinary care or attention when planted on a right system, the vanilla be strongly recommended to the cultivator. The difficulties which have had to be encoun- tered in the management of vanilla are:-its climbing habit; its weight, which in time brings down the branches of trees over which it may be growing; the necessity of keeping the flowers within easy reach for artificial fertilization; and this artificial fertilization itself. The plan I would recommend, and which I am about to adopt, to meet these difficulties, is to grow the plant upon span-roof-shaped trellises instead of upon trees. These trellises to be constructed of straight rough tree-branches resting upon step-like ledges on the sides of brick or stone A shaped arches. The arches to be about 6 feet in height, and at convenient distances apart, according to the length and strength of the tree-branches to be supported by them. The vanilla plants, put in about a foot apart, to be allowed to creep over and attach themselves by their aerial roots to the trellis. When any of the tree branches showed signs of decay, fresh ones would have to be added or substituted by a person getting underneath the trellis. There would be no necessity of tying them, as they would rest upon the arch ledges, and be kept in their places by the vanilla resting upon them. The flowers when they appeared, being within easy reach, could be conveniently fertilized. This process, which consists merely in the removal of the pollen masses and their application to the stigma, is very soon learnt by an ordinarily intelligent native labourer. The mode of preparing the pods for the market is very simple.

Cardamoms.-There is a movement among European planters as well as Sinhalese, towards taking up seriously the cultivation of cardamoms. The demand made upon us for plants has exceeded our own means of supply, and we have, on the part of applicants, been purchasing from native villagers, whom it of course stimulates to further cultivation. We are also adding to our own plantings, in order to be better prepared in future to meet demands for cardamom plants. Persons wishing to commence the cultivation of carda- moms should be careful to obtain the Malabar variety, "rata-ensal" of the Sinhalese, which is far more valuable than the common native plant ("ensal "). The fruit of the former is round, whilst that of the latter is oblong and somewhat prism-shaped. The plant grows well under the shade of trees, and up to an elevation of 3,000 feet above the level of the sea.

Clove. This very ornamental spice tree flourishes well in the warmer parts of the island, and would seem to be well worth cultivating. It is an abundant bearer here, and produces a superior quality of clove,

Nutmeg. The cultivation of the nutmeg is rather a hazardous one, and great care is needed in the selection of a suitable locality for planting. It is necessary that the climate be continuously warm and moist when the fruit is ripening,,since dry weather suddenly supervening at that time causes the fruit to open prematurely, and then the nut is of little or no value as a spice.

Black Pepper.-An application for a large number of plants has been made for the formation of a plantation of this spice at no great distance from Kandy. The plants have been supplied from this garden.

Cinnamon. This tree is being planted rather extensively on abandoned coffee estates, and on soils not considered suitable for coffee cultivation. 'It would seem to be a very judicious proceeding.

Ipecacuanha. Very limited success has so far attended our experiments in the culti-