June 2, 1890.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
8o5 
Colombo, Sept. 16th. 
My Dear Sir, — I received the accompanying last 
evening from Mr. Lear, and beg to leave to Your 
Excellency's decision the expediency or not of my 
taking to Dr. Wight at Madras the Herbaria there- 
in mentioned. If entrusted to me I will take 
care after due examination, naming, &c, they shall 
be returned, if required, to Trincomalee by a ship 
of war or some other vessel whence they may be 
easily transported to Colombo, Kandy, &a. 
The knowledge of Ceylon Botany will by their 
Heads, in my opinion be greatly facilitated and ex- 
tended, as there are probably many new and unde- 
soribed plants among them. It will at the sam& time 
enable us to make many Addenda to Moon's Catalogue, 
which is in much forwardness ; and as the plan is in 
accordance with your former views and wishes, I 
have little doubt of His Excellency's approbation, 
although I do not like to act upon that idea by at 
once authorizing Mr. Lear to send down the Herbaria 
to Colombo in time for me to take them with me 
to Madras. 
There is just time to receive them before leaving 
this, as in all probability wo shall sail by the 28th 
iu the " Rahtnanee," which Captain Stewart has 
strongly recommended me to t>ke in preference 
to the smaller vessel the " Fancy." 
Together with the numerous Plants and Draw- 
ings we have sent home, 1 think Ceylon Botany 
will make a good figure in print. At this time 
much is in course of publication ia Scotland. 
I cannot sufficiently thank you for your last 
kind letter and its enclosures to Lord Elphinstone. 
I perceive by a Bombay paper received yesterday 
that Mr. Weland has taken his passage in a steamer. 
We may possibly have the pleasure of again 
seeing you before leaving Colombo. 
Mr. Stewart Mackenzie is about to give a Re- 
gatta on Tuesday on the Kalane Ganga. Picnic, &c. 
Perhaps hearing this is a mystery which I ought 
not to have betrayed. 
I am &c, very faithfully yours, 
G. W. Walker. 
Botanic Garden, Sept. 15, 1838. 
Dear Sir, — I have just completed my examination 
of the Dried Specimens and Drawings at the Boyal 
Botanic Garden, Peradenia, and I am happy to 
forward for your information the order in whioh 
I found them : — 
In Mr. Moon's Collection there are 
Total number of Specimens . . . . 2,004 
Duplicates . . . . . . . . 535 
Different .. .. .. .. 1,469. 
Spoiled .. .. .. . . 309 
In good order .. .. .. 1,160 
In Mr. Macrae's Collection 
Total number of Specimens . . . . 2,567 
Duplicates . . . . . . . . 780 
Different .. .. .. ],787 
Spoiled .. .. .. .. 212 
In good order .. .. .. 1,575 
Ia Mr. Watson's Collection 
To'al numbfr of Spicimens .. .. 480 
Duplicated .. .. .. .. 60 
Different .. .. .. 420 
Spoiled .. .. .. .. 34 
In. good order .. ,. ,. 386 
The Drawings are 
Total number 
Duplicates . . 
Different 
Spoiled . . . . 
546 
78 
468 
30 
In good order . . . . 
The thrpe collections of Specimens consist chiefly 
of the same kind of plants, but where th*re is a 
difference, if it is His Excellency the Governor's 
and your wish such specimens can be selected to 
make either collection a greater number, and i n my 
opinion they are worth sending to Doctor WHte or 
anv other profespor to benampd, which hsho ap»o. 
ceeding very much to be desired. If V ou determine 
upon so doing, I shall feel much pleasure in at. 
tending to your directions and packing up the col- 
lection in the best possible order. 
I remain dear Sir, Your most obdt. Servant, 
J. G, Lear. 
The Et. Hon'ble the Governor. &c, &c, &o. 
Royal Potanie Garden, Peradenia, Sept, 18th, 18P8 
Sir,— T have the Honor to acknowledge the re- 
ceipt of Your Excellpnov's letter of the 14th instant 
with 9 seeris (not 10) of an « American Oreener '•' 
which I have sown in conformity with Your Ey 
cellencv's wish, and I shall a'tend to them with 
especial oare. With respect to the collection of the 
seeds of plants and 'reespeculisr to Ceylon for Your 
Excellency, I humbly; bee leave t 0 say 'my con 
viction of the general indifference paid to the correct- 
ness and quality of se°d g formerly collected by 
this Establifhment condemned those I found in the 
Stores, upon my taking charge, and they were 
destroyed with but very few exceptions. 
To replace them I have now far advanced an 
entire'y new collec'ion. to which I will ado" for Your 
Excellenev's donation to the Horticultural Society 
seeds of 150 species and some very beautiful which 
I collected on my late travel to Put'am &c 
I have not yet been able to ascertain when the 
" Agnes" is likely to leave the f s iimr?. but I hope 
to have your collection of seeds for the TT Society 
T" d L t0 Tr d ? S , Patch bv tba t vessel, with mv own 
for Mr. Knight, and also a collection for Brahan 
CasMe In mv opinion it is not advisaMo to send 
phmts from this Island to England before November 
or December, but as soon after that a* possible 
I shall endeavour to dispatch my collection in 
hand to Mr. Knight, nnc i &t ths garne f - mp T 
take care to have ready 100 plants of the Rhodo- 
demlron from N. Elba, to be sent addressed agree, 
ably to Your Excellency's direction with a letter from 
me to Mr Knight, who I am sure will with much 
pleasure have them properly forwarded to their 
destination. 
A report of my proceedings shall be early sent 
for Your Excellency's information, an* ever' other 
command from Your Excellency shall have my 
best and strict attention. May I bore also beg 
permission to say for Your Excelbncv'a infor- 
mation, that no step has hitherto be- n take" bv 
Government to release me of the Clerk, Mr Solomtmsi 
or to place me upon a footing to treat him as^a 
servant, which delay puts him in a very independ- 
ent situation before me, and which he 'fails no t to 
show upon all occasions. I sine-rely hope I need 
not say more tn_ ensure hi. dismissal from her* 
ban the following. He 'Mr S.) camp at ni»ht 
(only a few rlavs past) into my apartments, a 
st- e of complete .ntoxioation and used the most 
violent, abusive and insulting language he could 
i P o SS1 bly frame, and otherwise put me in E ?ct 1 a 
