MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 635 



large, and should be capable of being" supplied cheaper 

 by locally grown produce than by that brought from 

 thousands of miles away and cultivated and prepared by 

 expensive labour. 



Good fruits at reasonable prices are always in demand, 

 and considerable quantities could doubtless be disposed 

 of, at all seasons, in supplying the shipping at Colombo, 

 the local markets and private bungalows, or in making 

 jams, jellies, and preserves. The scarcity of country- 

 grown fruits in Colombo is especially remarkable, and in 

 low-country villages the principal fruits usually seen are 

 sour plantains, green thick-skinned oranges, inferior 

 pineapples, bullock's heart, and such-like. Up-country 

 residents are perhaps even worse provided for, except in 

 the dry season, February to May, when tree-tomatoes, 

 passion-fruit, mountain-papaw, and cooking pears aire 

 available in limited quantities. In some of the best-cared- 

 for gardens peaches, strawberries, figs, plums, oranges, 

 cherimoyer, and China guavas are more or less success- 

 fully grown. 



CLIMATIC CONDITIONS FOR FRUIT CULTURE. 



The most influential factor in fruit culture may be said 

 to be climate, as constituted by the normal rainfall and 

 temperature. Most fruits prefer a comparatively dry 

 climate, which favours the development of flavour and 

 keeping qualities. Ceylon possesses both tropical and 

 sub-tropical types of climate, each of which may be 

 divided into wet and dry zones, and should thus be 

 capable of producing a great variety of fruits to per- 

 fection, both of tropical and sub-tropical sorts. Nothing- 

 can surpass the suitability of the humid districts of the 

 low-country for the purely tropical kinds, as the pine- 

 apple, mangosteen, sapodilla, durian, and rambutan. At 

 intermediate elevations with less rainfall the avocado 

 pear, guava, orange, and others thrive equally well, 

 whilst at elevations of from 4,000 to 6,000 ft. the tree- 

 tomato. China guava, mountain-papaw, and passion-fruit 

 grow to perfection. Here also certain European fruits 

 give moderately good crops in the dry season, provided 

 the plants are not over-exposed to strong wind. 



