January i, 1884.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



485 



protabilitv of permanency appears to be all in favor of 

 tea, for it lujst surely be less eshaiisting to tree and soil 

 to produce a leaf crop than a seed crop, especially in a 

 climate so -well supplied with moisture. And though it 

 is not within the prescribed limits of this paper to dis- 

 cuss coffee, yet as an old coffee planter, I trust I may 

 be pardoned for remarking on the improved appearance 

 of good coffee in MaskeUya this year. So that with the 

 good coffee that yet remains to you, perhaps coming to 

 the fi-ont again, and that which is gone planted up with 

 vigorous tea fetching high prices, I think we may not be 

 accused of being over-sanguine if we ventiu-e to hope 

 that the dark cloud wliich has so long hung over as, 

 if not yet dispelled, is slowly but not less surely lifting, 

 and giving glimpses of its silver liring, ere it passes away 

 to return no more. 



It only remains for me now, gentlemen, to thank you 

 for the compliment you have paid me in asking me to ad- 

 dress you— and for the patient courtesy with which you 

 have listened to my humble efforts. 



"HAND GUIDE TO THE EOYAL BOTANIC 



GARDENS, PERADENIYA, CEYLON." 

 To Dr. Trimen we are indepted for a copy of the 

 neat and useful Gnide which he has been prepared for 

 visitors to the beautiful Gardens over which he pre- 

 sides : it is illustrated by a lithogi-aphed plan, reference 

 to which shows how almost Bun-ounded by the folds of 

 the python-like Mahaweliganga the gardens are. Defer- 

 ring a more extended notice, we make a couple of 

 extracts to show the calibre of the Guide : — 



A Botanic Garden in the tropics is somewhat be- 

 wildering to those accustomed to the neatness, order, 

 and regularity I'f such establishments in tempei'ate 

 countries. The plants to be grown are mainly trees 

 and shrubs suitable to the climate, and planted in 

 the open ; we cannot, as at home, produce artifici- 

 ally the conditions necessary for species of other 

 climes by specially-regulated houses where the differ- 

 ent sons can be classitied, neatly ticketed and ar- 

 ranged for easy examination. Here nature asserts 

 herself, almost uncontrolled ; she gives us gi'andeur 

 of form, wealth o£ foliage, exuberance of groAvth, 

 and splendour of olour — unfading beauties, but of 

 a quite different end from those of the sweet sum- 

 mer flower gardenkir the well kept stoves and green- 

 houses of Knj;land. 



The route given can be followed almost through- 

 out by carriages. It is of course not intended that 

 it, or any other particular course should be necess- 

 arily taken ; but in a single visit of limited dura'.i'm 

 it is the best that can be followed But to really 

 see the Garden, enjoy its beauty and variety, and 

 investiga'e its treasures, the visitor should leave his 

 carriage and explore the narrower roads and paths 

 on loot. 



The Gardens contain considerably over 2,000 

 species, mainly trees and shrubs, A few only are 

 noted in this hand-guide, being such as are es- 

 pecially remarkable for \itility, beauty, rarity, singul- 

 arity, or associations, and are in accessible situ- 

 ations. A provisional Catalogue can be obtained 

 _n the Gardens, and a complete one is in preparation. 

 i The Koyrd Botanic Gardeoa at Peradeniya were 

 estal lished in 1S21. six years after the final occupation 

 of the Kai)dyan Kingdom by the English. The site 

 is less than four miles from Kandy on the Colombo 

 road, and occupifs a loop of the river Mahavvdi, 

 which surrounds it on all sides except the south, 

 where it is bounded by the high road. The aiea, 

 nearly 150 acres in extent, is beautifully undulated, 

 its average eI<^vatiou above sea-level being al>out 

 1,540 feet. The climate is hot. moi.'tt, and v( rv 

 etjiiable ; ihe mci.n annual temperature is about 77° 

 F., April and May beiog the hottest and December 



the coldest months. Rain falls on about 200 days in 

 (he year, the annual rainfall being about 85 inches; 

 it is pretty evenly spread though the year, but is 

 heaviest in October and November and in June, at the 

 full establishment of the N. E. and S. W. monsoon, 

 respectively. February and March are the dry est 

 months, but even then there are showere at no 

 distant intervals. 



Before its occupation as a Botanic Garden the 

 greater part of the l.ind had been a royal demesne 

 occasiouallv occupied as a residence by the Kings of 

 Kandy. The earth-monnd and ditch along the south 

 boundary are still evident, and reuuiins of stone build- 

 ings have been found. The name fiJi-a = guava, and 

 deii>ya = an enclosed place — indicates its use as a fruit 

 garden of which the existence of some very old 

 mango trees is further evidence. On another part of 

 the site stood a .'mili temple or flower shrine and 

 priest's house abandoned, however, before the form- 

 ation of the Garden, • » ♦ * 



The Director has also under his charge, a» ad- 

 juncts to the Peradeniya Gardens, smaller branch 

 establishments in different climatic districts of Ceylon. 



Hakyaln Gardens are situated at an elevation of 

 5,5U0, feet about six miles to the East of Nuwara Eliya 

 on the road to Badulla. They were opened in 1860 

 as a Cinchona nursery. The climate admits of the 

 cultivation there of numerous Europenn and Austral- 

 ian plants, and those of the tropical mountain regions 



Henaratooda Garden is a completely tropical one, 

 scarcely above sea level, and iu a wet steaming clim- 

 ate which varies little. It is about three-quarters 

 of a mile from the Railway Station of the same name 

 on the Colombo-Kandy Railway. Many of the plants 

 grown at Peradeniya flourifh there with far greater 

 luxuriance, and others can be cultivated there only. 

 It was opened in 1876. 



Annradhupura Garden.— This is in process of form- 

 ation at the ancient capital of Ceylon, 90 miles north 

 of Kandy (74 from Matale), in a district which possess- 

 es a hot dry climate with a thort rainy season, like 

 the Carnatic or Coromandel Coast. Here such pUuts 

 and ciops as are intolerant of continuous and ex- 

 cessive moisture can be cultivated. 



Value of Oacao Peopeett — One of our merchants, Mr. 

 George Fitt (already a successful cacao planter, owning an 

 old cacao property in Chaguaiie, purcha.sed by him some 

 years ago of theOolonial Company forS12,000, for which today 

 he would not take $100,000), has just become the owner, 

 by purcliiise, of a couple of adjoining cacao estates iu Mont- 

 serrat, one Tutelar ami Ksperanza, at present yieldiug about 

 150, and the other El Salvador aboai 300 bag.s per annum. 

 Being young estates, and situate in a tjrowing quarter, 

 they only waut ordinary care with barracks for n\ore 

 labourers and some loose capital, to develop into a more 

 valuable property. For the former Mr. Fitt has paid 

 $20,000 and for the latter S-13,200 (£9,000). On the 

 former we understand there are about IS to 19,000 trees 

 (young, and in bearing) and on the latter about 55.000. 

 The first measures 91 acres, of which about 70 arc in cultiv- 

 ation, and some acres under contract to plant cocoa, and 

 the second 195a., of which ISOa. arc cultivated. When the 

 trees are all bearing, they will give 600 bags a year. 

 The trees are usually 12 feet apart, "ft'e are informed 

 that the cacao trees on the Maracus Buy estate average 

 3 lb. a tree, about double the mean of other estates taken 

 together. The soil is a rich black huiuu.s. Upwards of 200 

 large pods were lately counted on one tree, but some of these 

 may drop or wither before maturity. They seemed iobe 

 more thair the tree couUl have the force to mature. It 

 is reported of a fortunate cacao planter of one of the 

 northern districts, who hod the luck not many years 

 ago, to invest in a large, old and backward property 

 abounding in rich l>!a.;k soil, that after deductmg the 

 losses caused by the hm-ricane of September ^ st 1S(8, ha 

 cleared the sum of two thou.sand pounds sterling from the 

 operatioBsof last nop. — Tnnidad Chronicle. 



