THE BOTANICAL GARDENS OF CEYLON 



203 



east, in other words, in those parts placed as outlying districts at right 

 angles to the directions of both monsoons. 



The climate at Peradeniya is such that the botanist can live there 

 in comfort and work regularly. It is a good place to begin the study 

 of tropical plant life, as it is not extreme in either rainfall or tempera- 

 ture. From Peradeniya it is easy to reach the various parts of the 

 island with their remarkably different floras. Traveling is not ex- 

 pensive and as English is the regular commercial language it is easy 

 to get around. 



Although the different plant formations of Ceylon are almost with- 

 out number, yet a rough classification may be made as follows: (1) 

 lowland evergreen rain forest; (2) upland evergreen rain forest; (3) 



Fig. 7. Government Rest House near the Entrance to the Garden. 



photograph by the author. 



From a 



mountain evergreen rain forest; (4) monsoon forest (half deciduous). 

 There is no plain or prairie of any extent. Our first named formation 

 is in the southwestern part of the island extending from Galle to 

 Colombo and inland for twenty to fifty miles. Peradeniya is situated 

 in the upland evergreen rain forest. Xuwara Elliya and Hakgala 

 (about 6,000 feet altitude) may be taken as examples of our third 

 region. These points are easily reached from Peradeniya by rail, the 

 trip taking about half a day. Above these points the mountains rise 

 2,000 or 3,000 feet higher, but there is no true alpine vegetation any- 

 where in Ceylon. At Nuwara Elliya the general aspect of vegetation is 

 much like that of temperate America or Europe. The trees are much 



