374 REPORT OF THE CALCUTTA BOTANIC GARDENS. 
During the past year great success has attended the cultivation of 
the large Water-lily Victoria regia. Formerly the plant always died 
about the end of December, probably from the coldness of the water 
of the tank, the result of nocturnal radiation. In November last a 
screen of thin cloth was placed, which was drawn over the tank at 
night and removed during the day. The plant being protected in this 
way flowered profusely during the cold season and yielded a large 
quantity of seed. 
uring the year, the distribution and exchanges of plants with other 
Botanical Gardens have been vigorously sustained. 
The total number of plants distributed from the garden during the 
past year is as follows :— 
Dispatched in Wardian cases and 6 closed boxes by steamer 
830 
or sailing ship 
Sent in 30 open nd to residents i in various parts of TA . 798 
Distributed near Calcutta . bir d kl. 7. AME 
Tol: s 3407 
The total number of plants received, including Orchids, bulbous 
and tuberous plants, considerably exceeds 
Distribution of Seeds.—Eighty-two packets of seed have been dis- 
tributed throughout the year. 
New species are continually being added to the list of seeds pro- 
duced in the garden. The new edition of the seed catalogue published 
in the past year shows an increase since the first edition was drawn up 
of 500 species producing seed, notwithstanding the devastation of the 
garden by the cyclone. 
The Herbarium.—The Herbarium was removed in January to the 
building prepared for it. The mounting of the specimens is steadily 
advancing. Additions have been made to the Herbarium by presenta- 
tions from the Royal Herbarium at Kew, consisting principally of the 
series of Indian plants of the collections of my predecessors, Griffith 
and Falconer, of Dr. Helfer's Tenasserim plants, distributed by order 
of the Secretary of State, and of plants collected in Syria and Palestine 
in 1861. 
From Mr. Teijsman, Director of the Botanical Garden, Buitenzorg, 
T have received —— of certain special families of plants from his 
collections in Sumatra. 
