June 2, 1890.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
multiply this loss into some gain. By the above 
land being in other than Government hands (waving 
all other considerations) has the following very pro- 
minent and important objections. The coolies em- 
ployed upon it have access to the Roads through 
the Botanic Garden, at all hours of the day, they 
become acquainted with the state and position of 
every thing in the Garden, and the which becomes 
widely circulated by these being often changed, 
and in consequence the Botanio Gardens are ex- 
posed to very numerous chances of depredation, and 
many times to my knowledge and regret they have 
been taken advantage of ; in addition to this, the 
rent of the coconut and jack trees is annually 
sold by auction to one individual, who again lets 
the same off in lots, to suit the circumstances of 
the applicants, and the number of sub-renters exceed 
that of the coolies employed ; these sub-renters sell 
their rents when it is inconvenient to hold them 
longer, or they employ other people to gather in 
their produce, and thus the Botanic Garden is made 
an open and continual thorouglifare to an unlimited 
number of natives, and frequently to known bad cha- 
racters, whose traffic and depredations oooasion the 
labour of one cooly at least from me to put in order. 
It may be here I hope with good prudence also ob- 
served, that the advantages to this nourishing Colony 
of an extensive nursery oombined with an Horticul- 
tural department well provided with seeds for ex- 
periments, are so great and promising, that security, 
space and encouragement would be well bestowed 
upon it. In support of this opinion I beg to offer 
the following : — I have received from individuals who 
have known that I was an advooate for the intro- 
duction of such a practice, applications for coffee 
plants alone, to the amount of nearly 200,000, and 
at 15s per 1000 would produoe £150— three times that 
quantity I may venture to say would be disposed of 
in a short time, were I empowered to publish, that 
I could supply them ; but to some of the above ap- 
plicants I was obliged to return an answer doubtful 
of the probability of being able to serve them at the 
periods required. Several verbal applications have 
also been made to me for coffee, nutmegs, cloves, 
chocolate, cardamoms, &c. Some I could not enoou- 
rage from the above reason to be officially given. 
Should it please Your Excellency to give encourage- 
ment to this important department, I should here 
again most humbly suggest that the Superintendent 
be allowed to employ at fit seasons for the work, 
such a quantity of labour as would be sufficient 
to accomplish it in due time, and disoharge them 
when their labour became unprofitable ; this involves 
a very important consideration, for if such liberty 
cannot be exercised, the result must inevitably be 
dissatisfactory ; however, I will not presume to en- 
large upon this subject here, being sensible that 
Your Excellency is too well acquainted with the 
principles of nursery business to require it, parti- 
cularly as relative to it in a Colony, where every-day 
experience shows, that the above attention is more 
necessary than in oountries where seasons oan be 
more firmly relied upon. A nursery should be at 
least 10 aores in extent and be enlarged as occasion 
served, to keep up a stook equal to the demands 
upon it. The expense of 12 coolies calculated to be 
employed constantly would manage it, but the 
strength equal to it should be employed at the most 
urgent and necessary seasons. 
The best season is now approaching to form a 
nursery, and to the extent above given I am pre- 
pared with young plants to stook it. Should Your 
Exoellency therefore be pleased to favour the opi- 
nions I have here ventured to stato, and direot that 
they be acted upon, every command from Your 
Excellency respecting them shall have my most 
constant strenuous attention; 
102 
I have the Honor to be, Sir, Your Excellency's 
most obedient and very humble Servant, 
J. G, Leab. 
Nuwera Eliya, 6tb, April 1838. 
♦ . . 
COCONUT CATERPILLAR BLIGHT. 
(From a Coconut Planter.) 
In reply to your paragraph, I know of no 
thoroughly effective remedy for the caterpillar blight 
on coconut trees. In the Batticaloa district smok- 
ing them out iB resorted to by burning the rubbish 
and dry leaves under the trees or between the 
lines, but this works only a partial or temporary 
cure. 
_ — 
A FEW LAST WORDS ON CEYLON BY AN 
EX-GOVERNOR AFTER 4 YEARS' 
ABSENCE. 
BOTANICAL GARDENS. 
I must not omit notioing the improvod condition 
of our Botanical Gardens, which redounds to the 
credit of Dr. Trimen and his assistants. The 
Peraueniya Gardens were always one of our show 
places : they are now more deserving of a visit than 
ever. The park sward is a model of what grass 
grounds should be ; the nomenclature of the trees is 
simple and effective and gives all necessary informa- 
tion to the ordinary visitor ; while the scientific bota- 
nist is always sure of a hearty welcome from the 
Director. 
The Garden of Hakgala is now one of the 
most beautiful spots in Ceylon, and is worth a 
pilgrimage, and the Garden of tropical produots at 
Henaratgoda is well kept and most valuable by its 
display of various products, some which are being 
cultivated and others may possibly be cultivated 
with advantage in the lowcountry. There is one 
disparaging remark which I am obliged to make 
in regard to this Garden, namely the protection 
afforded in it to thousands of flying-foxes. It is 
a cruel hardship to the native owners of fruit 
trees that these voracious bats should be protected, 
indeed encouraged, in a Government institution. It 
is impossible to calculate the loss oaused by 
the damage of these creatures, which think nothing 
of a journey of 20 miles at night to rob some 
garden. I well remember the constant complaints 
whioh used to pour in to me at Kandy on 
the subject of a colony of these bats at Pera- 
deniya Gardens. They have now been expelled, and 
a few coolies armed with guns would soon drive them 
o flight from this city of refuge at Henaratgoda. 
Onoe dispersed from their present stronghold, the 
natives will make short work of them, and the 
ooolies will gladly join in a battue and convert 
them into curries — W. H. Gregory, 
«. 
NOTES ON PRODUCE AND FINANCE. 
A decrease of 40 per cent in the tea trade of China 
naturally alarms the Celestials, who contemplate re- 
prisals on the cotton intersts of India. An order has 
been placed from Canton for a thousand looms and 
other plant, at a total cost of near £85,000, and it is 
expected that by next winter the cotton industry will 
be in full swing in China. 
In the dispute between the importers and brokers 
and the dealers the position arrived at is explained 
by the following letter from the hon. secretary of the 
London Wholesale Tea Dealers' Association: — "With 
reference to the resolution passed at the meeting of 
the trade on the 11th inst., respecting the delivery 
of tea, I have the pleasure to inform you that; a 
