132 BOTANIC GARDEN, PEBADENIA. 



my suggestion too an abundance of table-room is included in the esti- 

 mate, so that the building might be at once available, when handed 

 over by the civil engineer ; and as it seemed very desirable, and as no 

 great additional expense would be rendered necessary to effect it, a 

 building of a somewhat ornamental character is designed, which would 

 be a pleasing rather than an unsightly object, in the conspicuous situa- 

 tion it ought to occupy in these beautiful grounds. 



A well-arranged Museum will soon become one of the most interest- 

 ing and important departments of this Establishment; and there can 

 be no doubt that, in the course of a few years, an exceedingly valuable 

 collection will be brought together here —increased by contributions 

 from native and other gentlemen. I may add that the Committee of 

 the Kandy Agri-Horticultural Society have decided upon depositing in 

 this new building, when erected, such objects of interest as may be 

 placed at their disposal by exhibitors at their shows. 



IV.— LIBRARY AND HERBARIUM. 



During the past year many valuable books have been added to the 

 Library, m exchange for dried specimens of plants. 



The species of plants in the Herbarium have been considerably added 

 to during the past year • and it seems probable that there still remain 

 to be discovered many species quite new to science,-since an excur- 

 sion is rarely made into the jungles by myself or the collector, that 

 some kinds, previously unknown to us, are not met with. 



In accordance with the promise made in mv last, I annex to this 

 Keport a list of the genera, with the number of species in each genus, 

 known to be indigenous to Ceylon ; specimens of which are contained 

 in the Herbarium. This list, as I then remarked, gives a very fair idea 

 of the Flora of the island, and will, I apprehend, be of much interest, 

 not only to many persons in the island, but to scientific men in Europe, 

 who have generally but a very imperfect notion of the Flora of Ceylon, 

 buch a h 8 t however, though it shows that some considerable progress 

 has been made, is still but an unsatisfactory substitute for a detailed 

 Mora of the island, that would contain a description of each species, 

 and which I hope to have the opportunity and the means afforded me 

 of publishing: but in order to accomplish such an undertaking, in a 

 way that would be creditable to this Establishment and to myself, it 

 would be indispensably necessary, either that I should visit Europe 



