352 TlMEHRI. 



they close their flowers and begin to fold the leaves up the 

 stem quite early in the afternoon. Two or three smaller 

 yellow mallows or rather malvindas (Sida rhombifolia 

 and others) are common roadside weeds : they have 

 tough twiggy stems and narrow serrated leaves, but 

 may be recognised as akin to the mallows by the 

 small but characteristic yellow flowers, and the green 

 stalked capsules, which somewhat resemble the " cheeses" 

 picked by children from the pink and purple mallows 

 at home. We have already noticed the name broom- 

 weed given to them from the use they are sometimes 

 put to; one kind that spreads on the ground with a 

 humble prostrate growth is called the pray-pray 

 broom-weed. 



A stranger to the tropics may be interested to see the 

 cotton bushes (Gossypium barbadense) growing here and 

 there on the far side of the trench, and declaring them- 

 selves unmistakably by their bunches of white cotton- 

 wool. The cultivation of cotton once extended all along 

 the front lands of the coast estates, and was temporarily 

 revived during the American war, and these trees are no 

 doubt survivals from that time. 



Arrived at the sands, whose only drawback is that 

 they are apt to remind one too forcibly of Araby the 

 Blest, or the breezes that blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle, 

 from the unfortunate contrast they present; and noting 

 as we step on to them the long " pimpler" spikes of the 

 watchman plant and the dark serrated leaves and small 

 white flowers of the wild senna bush or goat-weed ; we 

 shall probably notice first the smooth lanceolate leaves 

 and bright yellow blossoms of a shrubby, partially twin- 

 ing bush called the wild physic-nut, (Stigmaphyllum) : 



