THE 



TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF THE 



CEYLON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Vol. XXX. COLOMBO, 15th FEBEUAEY, 1908, No. 2. 



The Mixed Garden of the Sinhalese Villager. 



One of the most characteristic fea- 

 tures in Ceylon agriculture is what may 

 be termed the villager's " mixed garden," 

 to be seen everywhere in and around 

 Colombo for example. Upon the ground 

 round his house he grows a miscellaneous 

 assortment of trees and shrubs and a 

 few herbs, and allows cattle to graze 

 upon the grasses and weeds that grow 

 in between these plants. Coconuts are 

 the most constant components of the 

 mixture, but areca-palms, kituls, man- 

 goes, inks, bamboos, breadfruit, talipots, 

 silk-cottons, castor-oil, coffee, pa paws, 

 oranges, yams, &c, &c, are also usually 

 to be seen. All these are planted just 

 as they come, with no arraugement, too 

 closely together ; they are never culti- 

 vated, but left to take care of themselves. 



In general, therefore, the yields are 

 extremely small, the plants are of the 

 poorest kinds, and there is little variety 

 from one place to another. On the 



other hand, almost no labour is re- 

 quired, diseases do not readily spread, 

 and the soil is not quickly exhausted, 

 the different plants taking food mate- 

 rials in different proportions, so that the 

 available food lasts longer. 



Apart altogether from the compli- 

 ations introduced by multiple owner- 

 ship, the mere existence of these gardens 

 forms one of the greatest obstacles to 

 agricultural progress in the island. All 

 the land as a rule is taken up by these 

 gardens or by rice fields, in the densely 

 peopled parts where alone is agricultural 

 progress likely to go on (for other 

 reasons). The villager has no land to 

 try other crops upon, even had he the 

 capital. He will not cut down his mixed 

 garden, nor will he do much to cultivate 

 it. Only where there is chena or unoccu- 

 pied high land can he be expected to do 

 much in the way of experiment with 

 new products or methods. 



