130 " BOTANIC GARDEN, PERADENIA. 



produced abundantly during the last year, and pods of most excellent 

 quality : and there is promise of an equally large produce this year. 

 This plant is attracting a good deal of attention amongst visitors to 

 the Gardens, and I expect will be cultivated to some extent in the 

 island before very long. 



The Manilla Hemp-plants,* presented a few years ago to the Gar- 

 dens, by Messrs. Wilson and Eitchie, are now beginning to produce 

 fruit ; so I hope shortly to be able to raise a large number of young 

 plants for distribution. 



Some of the Pine-apple plants, received from Kew, have, by means 

 of offsets, been propagated to some extent; and these are now being 

 distributed in small quantities, upon applications being made for them. 



Among the most interesting additions of useful plants, made during 

 the past year, may be mentioned the following, viz. : 



A fine healthy young plant, of the gigantic Bamboo of Burmah, 

 received from the Botanic Garden at Calcutta : several young plants, 

 raised from seeds, sent to me by Mr. Layard, the Government agent of 

 Colombo, of the Holcus saccharatus, Lin.?, the " Sweet Reed" of South 

 Africa, which is said to produce sugar of excellent quality, and the 

 cultivation of which is now being tried in various parts of the world : 

 and plants of the West Indian Calabash-tree, from fresh seeds procured 

 for me from the West Indies by Captain Graham. 



Apart from the introduction and distribution of plants of economic 

 or commercial value, it seems to be not one of the least important ad- 

 vantages of these Gardens, the being the means of supplying to Euro- 

 pean and other residents, plants of an ornamental character, thereby 

 contributing greatly to their pleasure and happiness, and consequently 

 health. There is a very great disposition shown for the cultivation of 

 shrubs and flowers about the residences of planters and others, and I 

 feel it right to encourage this desirable taste as much as possible, by 

 the introduction of plants new to the island, suitable for gardens. 

 During the past year several such additions have been made, by means 

 of the interchange with the Honourable Company's Botanic Garden at 

 Calcutta, referred to in my last Report ; some of them I am now able 

 to distribute, and I shall shortly be able to send out several more. 



# Living plants of this (Musa textilis) have just been safely received at Kew from 

 Mr. Thwaites, together with a mature fruit, not larger than that of a small Cardo 

 mom. — Ed, 



