No. 6. — 1853.] DISTRICT OF CHILAW AND PUTTALAM. 4? 



The Kitul ( Caryota urens, Linn.) grows freely towards the 

 interior, but is not much cultivated ; the jaggery obtained from 

 it is considered superior to all others. 



The Talipot (Corypha umbraculifera. Linn.) is all but un- 

 known. 



The Areka palm {Areca catechu, Linn.) is very extensively 

 cultivated in the southern part of the District. It begins to 

 bear about six years after being planted, and produces, on 

 an average, 100 nuts annually ; these are worth on the spot 

 from 2\d. to 4^d. per hundred. The tree is short-lived, 

 generally shewing signs of decay after twenty years or so. 

 During the supremacy of the Portuguese and Dutch the 

 natives at Puttalam were in the habit of paying their taxes 

 in " betel nuts"; these must, however, have been procured 

 from other Districts, as it is found that the tree does not 

 thrive anywhere near the village. The plants shoot up 

 rapidly during the first few years, but then die away suddenly. 

 The present produce is unequal to the demand; large quantities 

 are consequently brought from the southern parts of the 

 Island, where the soil is better adapted to the plant. 



Plantains (Musa sapientum, Linn.) grow abundantly every- 

 where, but little attention is paid to the selection of good 

 varieties. 



The Betel creeper (Sin. bulatvela, &\q&5£)iq) is found in 

 every village, but only towards the south are large gardens 

 given up to this plant. 



Pepper was at one time cultivated to a great extent near 

 Madampe, but is now totally neglected, the natives believing 

 that if ground be devoted to it alone, the expenses of the culti- 

 vation would not be covered, and that, if allowed to clamber 

 round cocoanut trees, these would be destroyed. 



Coffee grows freely and the fruit is collected by the natives, 

 but it is of course of little or no value. 



Cinnamon is found abundantly about eight miles to the 



