42 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



" Chief of the Cinnamon Plantations," Surve^T-or-General, and 

 " Commissioner Extraordinary of Government in the Province 

 of Seven Korales." 



Of General Mac do wall it may be said that he was more 

 successful as a botanist or gardener than a soldier. Cordiner 

 states that, " by the friendly care and persevering attention 

 of Dr. Roxburgh, Superintendent of the Company's botanical 

 garden at Calcutta, General Macdowall was enabled to make a 

 valuable collection of exotics , which he left in his garden at 

 Colombo in February, 1804," when he left Ceylon. " During 

 his residence at Colombo, he was in the habit of receiving 

 boxes of trees and shrubs by almost every ship : and one acre 

 and a half of ground was completely filled with them, ranged 

 at proper distances." Cordiner mentions among these the 

 following plants, " not one " of which " had ever been brought 

 into the Island previous to the General's arrival ": — 



Peaches, grafted and trained on espaliers, which in May, 

 1805, " promised an abvmdant crop." 



Apples, which " thrive remarkably well on espaliers," but 

 had not yet borne fruit. 



Loquats, lecheeSi and wampees, all " China trees." 



Melicocca or genip of the West Indies, which " thrives 

 remarkably well." 



Mangosteen or garcinia, nutmeg, clove, pimento, sapota, 

 or achras, star apple or chrysophyllum, all " growing in high 

 health and vigour." 



Asparagus, which " succeeded remarkably well." 



The General anticipated the aims of the Agricultural Society, 

 for he likewise " took pains to set" the natives " an example 

 of gardening, ' and on his departure left directions with his 

 nephew, John Macdowall of the Civil Service, with regard to 

 the numerous exotic plants in his garden, " to give a few of 

 each sort to every person who promised to nourish them." 

 It had been ' ' his wish and design to have introduced a large 

 quantity of the spice plants, such as nutmegs and cloves, but 

 the scheme did not obtain the approbation of Government." 



Yes, General Macdowall, introducer of the mangosteen, 

 deserves to be included among the pioneers of natural history 

 of the Island. 



