8o8 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[June 2, 1890. 
made I am sorry falls something short of my 
calculation. It has nevertheless engaged the bulk 
of my most constant and laborious attention, and 
I hope formed the basis of some permanent im- 
provement, and a resource from whence some ulti- 
mate good may be derived ; nothing but a prospect 
of which has urged me to exertion, nor does 
anything else at pivsent promise to reward me. 
It would be very difficult, if not impossible, for me 
to explain in the first place, the great hardship I 
have had to surmount, in endeavouring to intro- 
duce a system of labour amongst the people- of 
the Establishment, which has been one great draw- 
back to all my proceedings. I mention the circum- 
stance, because it could not reasonably be supposed 
a fact, that where the best experience has been 
centered and encouragement given to establish the 
opposite, there could have existed even amongst the 
laoourers, such a total disregard to order, or so 
much ignorance of common works. My endeavours 
to effect a change for the better have not been 
unattended witn success to a certain degree, and I 
look forward with much satisfaction to the prospect 
of haviug removed an obstacle so truublesome and 
discouraging. 
The work I have performed has been the enlarge- 
ment of the Kitchen Garden, which has been all 
trenched, and now consists of about 3 acres, but tire 
want of a regu ar supply of seeds, the necessity of 
which I have before stated, will render a portion of 
it still unnecessary, and i must here beg to mention 
that it is behind the reach of any individual to as- 
certain here the proper or best times for the different 
kinds ol English vegetables, unless he has an oppor- 
tunity of trying them at ail ; one season is not suffi- 
cient, but one year would be. The few seeds I have at 
different times received have as often varied in their 
produce, better or worse as the time may be (or per- 
haps the condition of tae seeds), but from ihe above 
course I shall not be ahe to gatner any satisfactory 
information. The establishment of a nursery for 
useful plants has received much of my attention, 
about 4 acres (which will requne enlarging) have 
been trenched for the purpose, and is now neany 
stocked. It contains at present (68,000) sixty- eight 
thousand seedling coffee plants taken up from the 
jungle and planted in beds, most of which will be 
fit to transplant final.y in May next, 18,000 mulberry 
plants propagated from cuttings since last Uctober, 
and will be fit for transplanting in March if the 
weather permits in any part of the island, ilOOO seed- 
lings of nutmegs and cloves, and a small quantity 
of many other kinds of fruit trees. 4 parahs of coffee 
seed are sown procured from Huova to ascertain if a 
change of country will prove of any benefit to them, 
9000 seeds of cacao, to which quantity I ten daily 
adding. Th-j good which will result irom & nursery 
we:l attended to, and ihe ac.omrnoda.tion it will be of 
to all planters who can avail themselves of such a 
resource, is too evident to require words to support 
it; Many gentlemen have expressed themselves to 
me in high terms of the opinion which they enter- 
tainjd of it, several have spoken to me on the 
subject of supplying them with plants, and one 
oili ial application is now filed in the office for 
(100,000) one hundred thousand coffee plants at the 
rate per thousand to be fixed hereafter which 1 have 
calculate shou.d be about 15s. A proper arrange- 
ment in the Botanical department of the Boyal 
Botanic Garden has also occupied a great portion 
of my beet attention, but the weather for the last 
few months having been so unexpectedly dry, put a 
check to the transplanting, which 1 had deemed 
expedient, and must now remain until the next rams, 
finding it quite inipossib e at other seasons to per 
form such work with any degree of success. 1 have 
notwithstanding endeavoured to put the borders, in 
fit order for the alteration, and also the roads acces- 
sible to them ; for which purpose I have laid upwards 
of (12,000) twelve thousand feet of turf and used 400 
loads of gravel, all procure i by the strength of the 
Establishment. I nave also felled many of the super- 
fluous plants and trees with which the borders were 
thickly studded, repaired many of the channels for 
the conveyance of water, and am now engaged in 
forming sui.abla reservoirs for its reception in 
various parts of the premises. 
J. G. Leab, 
Actg. Superintendent. 
Memorial to His Excellency the Rt. Hon'ble the 
Governor. 
Sir, — It having pleased Your Excellency to be- 
stow upon me the honor of filling the situation as 
Acting Superintendent of the Boyal Botanic Gstdens, 
Peradenia, I have since ever felt it a pleasiDg duty 
to observe from time to time, as they occurred to 
me, such circumstances as had a tendency to advance 
the object and interest of that Establishment, for 
the purpose of laying the substance of them before 
Your Excellency to receive the benefit of that wise 
adaptation which characterizes the policy of your 
Government ; confirmed in the opinion that such a 
course of proceeding, if houor'd by your notice, will 
terminate ultimately in some good to the Colony. 
The short experience however that I have had in the 
above situation, and exposed at the same time to 
many disadvantages, rendered it impossible for me 
to have oompleted the series of observations it was 
my purpose to do ; yet, as the statement of many 
air. ady known particulars may be unwisely delayed 
my presumption on this occasion I trust will, in 
consequence, bear no relation to the character of 
unwarrantable interposition ; it is not my purpose 
to endeavour by supposition or unguarded statement 
to undervalue the existence of an Establishment of 
the above nature, even upon a much less respectable 
foundation man our present one ; nor would I dare 
for a moment to suppose that Your Excellency is 
not perfeotly aware that one of a more extensive 
and influential character would diffuse more gene- 
ral. y through the island much required and pro- 
portionable benefits. My object is principally to 
show that under the existence of present arrange- 
ments, which govern and confine the exertions of 
our Establishment much good is lost to the com- 
munity, which a little outlay and interference on 
the part of Government might easily secure, and 
that too little importance is attached to it gene- 
rally, owing to the extensive knowledge of the faot, 
that means are too limited for much good to be 
produced or for many to feel its effects. There 
is but little at present upon which to build a safe 
calculation for those who are anxious to benefit by 
ts example, its produce or discoveries, and that 
this may be remedied I most humbly suggest to Your 
Excellency, that the portion of land within the limits 
of the Botanio Garden, planted with coffee, and now 
occupied on Iea3e by H. Wright Esq. be taken over 
to Government, that gentleman being desirous, I be- 
lieve, to adopt such terms. That this would be an 
advantage to Government 1 farther beg to mention ; 
it would at once make the Botanic Garden more pri- 
vate, give greater security to its products, and more 
ample means to accommodate all demands that 
may be made upon it. The rent at present paid by 
Mr. Wright is £63 per annum, its produce last year 
was worth a little upwards of that sum, the 
jack and coconut trees upon it, rent for £20 per 
annum, making receipts amount say to £84, whioh 
I think is within the actual sum ; labour costs per- 
haps £30 to keep it a little cleared, which would 
m ike a loss of £9 per annum at present, and under 
good care, after yeara may be fairly calculated to 
