40 1 JOURNAL, BOMBAY XATl'RAL MSTORY SOCIETY, 1890. 



planting rare or choice plants in the ground, he can never claim any 

 compensation for such additions, and the plants, once in the ground, 

 will for ever remain the property of the landlord. It is prineipally 

 owing to these causes and to the frequent changes of residence, that 

 most of the Bombay flowering and foliage plants are cultivated in 

 pots or tubs, the only way by which the grower can secure his owner- 

 ship to the plants. In some compounds, however, the rock is so 

 near the surface, that the available depth of the soil will not allow 

 of any other mode of cultivation. It is, therefore, usually by a change 

 of tenancy that the stock of plants is either sold by public auction or 

 privately bought by the new tenant, who will often experience great 

 difficulty in arriving at a fair valuation of such plants, especially 

 when a new-comer to Bombay. Another difficulty will be to secure a 

 good malt. As a general rule one mali will be found sufficient to 

 maintain a well-kept, garden averaging from 5 to 10,000 square feet 

 in area ; for a garden of greater extent an assistant will be required 

 for every additional 10,000 square feet, while for very extensive 

 gardens two men per acre will be found sufficient. The duties of the 

 Mali are: — (1) To do all kind of garden work; (2) to be responsible 

 for plants, flowers, tools, &c, belonging to the garden ; (o) to arrange 

 flowers and plants in the bungalow, besides which, he is often required 

 (4) to wash the verandahs; (5) to carry water to the bungalow, when 

 water is not laid on ; and- (6) to supply flowers daily, regardless from 

 whence they come. The duties of 4 and 5 should, if com'enient, be 

 performed by other servants, as they but too frequently give the 

 mali a valid excuse for not performing his special work satisfactorily. 

 With regard to section 6, the mali should be strictly scrutinised, 

 as there is no doubt that considerable abuse exists, by the malts 

 disposing of the superfluous flowers belonging to their Sahebs. The 

 »nt/i should commence work at 6 a.m. and leave work at 6 p.m., but 

 no work should be required of him for two hours in the middle of the 

 dav. He should be allowed free quarters for himself and family. 

 'Die pay of the single-handed mali varies from Its. 10 to lis. 1G, 

 and for assistant mali* from Us. 8 to Rs. 10. Very few mali* are 

 able to perform their work satisfactorily without being now and then 

 guided, and though they will at first" resent such guidance and be 

 bfeoun, tlicv very soon will learn to appreciate it when they find 



