UTAKAMAND GARDEN. 367 



Sketch Plan of Garden. — The plan of the arrangements in the 

 garden will, it is expected, prove useful. I beg to suggest that 

 it be lithographed, and that the descriptive letterpress accom- 

 panying it should form a small pamphlet, to be had at the garden 

 gate. Strangers wishing to see the collection would find it con- 

 venient to study the position of the respective plots, ponds, &c. 



Labelling of Plants. — It would be advisable to attach labels to 

 the plants in the garden, most of which are new to the majority 

 of visitors ; and in this climate, where air and exercise are taken 

 all the day long, permanent plant-labels, to designate the different 

 species, would be a useful means of instruction and attraction, 

 and tend to correct errors of nomenclature. 



Systematic Catalogue. — The garden having been now ten years 

 in existence, a classified catalogue of the plants actually grow- 

 ing in it would certainly be a useful contribution both to casual 

 visitors and to men of science. This Hortus Nilgirensis should 

 be arranged according to the natural system, and indigenous 

 plants should be distinguished from those which are cultivated 

 or naturalized. 



Medicinal Plants. — The dried leaves of the English foxglove 

 (Digitalis purpurea), which grows freely, are supplied to the 

 medical stores. The dandelion (Leontodon Taraxacum) threatens 

 to become a weed in the garden. The true peppermint (Mentha 

 Piperita) fringes several of the ponds, and the Indian hemp 

 (Cannabis indica) luxuriates at Kalhatti. Pharmaceutic pre- 

 parations of these and other officinal plants, as belladonna, might 

 be made at Utakamand ; but this duty does not properly belong 

 to the superintendent of a Government botanical garden. 



Hill Berberry. — I may here mention, that Dr Maitland has 

 recently prepared a considerable quantity of the extract of Hill ber- 

 berry (Berberis iinctoria, W. and A.), which is coming into repute. 



Jalap. — The tubers of the jalap plant received a few years 

 ago from S. America, through Messrs Veitch and Son, are now 

 increasing in size and giving shoots at Kalhatti, and Mr M'lvor 

 hopes soon to raise a number of young plants for distribution to 

 Mysore, &c. 



Cinchona. — The experiment of introducing the quinine-yield- 

 ing Cinchona plants is well worthy of trial, especially in the Nil- 



