914 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [May i, 1883. 



As I expected, however, this addition to the garden has not been found sufficiently extensive to 

 accommodate the whole of the classified collection of trees. I have therefore concluded the 

 arrangement in a convenient part of the old arboretum. There have been commenced the natural 

 orders — Magnollacem, Anonacea, GiMlfera, Dipterocarpacem, MakacecB, StercaUacem, Tiliacem. 

 MeUacecB, and Sap'mdacece. To make way for this, a number of cocoanuts planted some 25 years? 

 ago (and a constant temptation to pilfering) were cut down and dug out. 



The woody monocotyledons are all to be accommodated in the new garden, and all that are 

 available have been put in their places. The Palms are of course the most important. The 

 planting of the great crescent with these commenced in June, and about 80 species have been 

 Buccessfully established ; many more are coming on in the nurseries and pots, and will be put out 

 • next season. The crescent is 285 feet across and 114 feet in depth at its centre, and the attempt 

 is being made to arrange the palms in such a way that while tlieir affinities to one another are 

 exhibited, the harmonious and picturesque effect of tiie whole group shall be kept in view. The 

 fan-leaved kinds occupy the two horns (the smallest species at the points) wiiilstthe central parts 

 contain the far more numerous groups with feather-leaves. It has been an object to keep 

 the species of different genera together, and attention has also been paid to the relative heights 

 of the adult trees, the smaller kinds occapying the front and those of gradually increasing size 

 being jilaced in series behind one another. Thougii such an attempt can be expected to prove 

 only moderately successful— being interfered with by such causes as relative rate of growth, 

 Buitability of soil, site and climate, and want of information as to size and habit — it may be 

 expected that this palmery will in time present a very magnificent spectacle. 



The other allied families — tlie screw pines (P«wf/ri'??ff(!<'«), bamboos and other large grasses, 

 aloes, Musacece, &c. — have been planted in order by the carriage drive round the pahns. The 

 collections of CycadecE also finds a place here : these were planted in November. 



A good commencement has also l)een made in planting up the Herbaceous Ground. The 

 space was first partitioned out among the natural orders, and the stocking commenced in May 

 with collections brought in by the collectors from the jangle. It is being continually added to, 

 and is already proving of great assistance. I have also begun the planting of the proposed series 

 of woody creepers and twiners on the steep bank of the high road. Along the top of this the wet 

 weather enabled the hedge of dwarf bamboo, which had twice been replanted, to become at last, I 

 hope, well established. 



There is thus now provided a general systematic garden fn- botli arboreous and herbaceous 

 plants, and new species as they arrive find their places in it. This has been effected with no 

 disturbance, by any formal arrangements, of the picturesque natnral character for which this 

 garden is so well known. 



The fernery, always one of the most attractive spots in the garden, had lost much of its 

 beauty and utility, and has been almost entirely renovated. The common native ferns and many 

 spontaneous weeds had gradually prevailed over the others, and the soil had been washed away 

 and choked the water-courses. These latter and the patlis have been repaired, the old soil of the 

 beds dug out and replaced and the surface covered with small broken pieces of cabook, and the 

 whole replanted with a larger variety of species. 



A selection of succulents and sun-loving species has been put out on the rock-work near 

 the lake. The circular flower bed near the store lias been raised and turned into a rockery, a 

 water-course being conducted round it in a brick channel : otlier unsatisfactory borders around 

 have been laid down as grass. The place is too much shaded by trees for flower beds. This change, 

 with the clearing away of much undergrowtli, has greatly improved tiiis jiortion of the garden. 



Labelling. — Of the zinc-painted labels only about 300 have been fixed this year, and of tliese 

 many were to supply the place of former ones already destroyed by the climate. In the shade 

 these labels are fairly satisfactory, some now 18 months in position being as good as when put up, 

 but in positions exposed to the sun some other sort will be necessary. Tiie paint in such situa- 

 tion quickly cracks and in a few months tlie writing is illegible, or it detaches itself altogether 

 from the zinc and peels off. Experiments will be made with printed labels, protected from insects 

 by poison. The whole question of properly labelling the collections is a most difficult one to solve 

 in this climate and with our resources. 



VisUors. — The number of visitors to the garden has .shown a very marked increase, since 

 the transfer of the Mail Steamer port to Colombo has enaljled travellers to avail themselves of 

 the Kandy railway. Of these, Australians form a large proportion, 



