June a, 1890.] 
the tropical agriculturist. 
835 
well and under process of propagation ; but of the 
latter none have vegetated except the Smyrna 
Melon, which did so freely, but through a long 
continuance of wet weather to which they have been 
unavoidably exposed are nearly all clamped off. 
The fruit of the fine Green-fleshed Melon from seeds 
previously supplied me by your Excellency, and 
which were nearly at maturity, I am sorry to 
add have also rotted from the same cauee ; as res- 
pects the other fruits and flower seeds from the 
Horticultural Society of London which were sown 
in the latter part of April. None of the former 
have yet vegetated and very few of the latter, 
but as a sufficient time has not yet been allowed 
to them all for that purpose (particularly for the 
stone fruit) I hope to have the honor of forward- 
ing to Your Excellency, a more particular and 
detailed account, when the period necessary for 
them shall have elapsed. 
I have the honor to be Sir, Your Excellency s 
Most Humble and Obedient servant, 
J. G. Lear. 
Royal Botanic Garden July 8th, 1639. 
His Exoel!enoy the Rt. Hon'ble the Governor 
&c. &c, &c. 
Mr. Lear in answer to His Excellency the 
Rt. Hon'ble the Governor's letter of last evening 
has the honor to inform His Excellency that 
however much he ret/rets the loss of His Ex- 
cellency's horse, and however hurtful to his feelings 
it must be to be accused of ill-usage towards him, 
he has the most conscientious satisfaction of not 
deserving it, and trusts that His Excellency on inves- 
tigating the matter will be apprised of that and be led 
to°form a conclusion more lenient to him, (Mr. L.) 
Royal Botanic Garden, lGth June, 1839. 
His Excellency -the Rt. Hon'ble the Governor, 
Sir,— Permit me to offer you my very grateful 
acknowledements for the means of instruction, which 
you have been pleased to honor me with in the 
very interesting and valuable papers on the sub- 
ject of Cinnamon and Cassia, of which I will take 
great care and return safely with " the copy " (when 
eompleted) which you were pleased to call for, 
I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient 
humble servant, 
J. G. Leak. 
Royal Botanic Gardens, 2nd July, 1839. 
Mr. Lear has the honor to acknowledge the 
receipt of His Excellency the Rt. Hon'ble the Gover- 
nor's "box and parcel of seeds," to which he will 
pay the greatest attention agreeably to His Excel- 
lency's commands. He has also the honor to state 
for His Excellency's information that the American 
seeds previously received from His Excellency prove 
themselves to have been of fine quality and well 
preserved ; they have vegetated better than any Mr. 
Lear has hitherto seen in Ceylon. Mr. Lear is 
firmly of opinion that seeds should leave England 
in the autumn, as early as possible after they are 
well ripe and harvested, being when quite fresh 
better able to resist the frequent changes of tem- 
perature to which they arc necessarily exposed ; they 
should also be without a mixture of the previous 
year's collecting, a pactice in which many seedsmen 
are given to indulge. This may be borne in England 
with tolerable results, but will not answer for export- 
ation. To this Mr. Lear attributes failure in many 
casos, — a month or two is also gamed in the age of 
the seeds by shipping early which is of great conse- 
quence to some kinds ; but whilst a few months would 
determine the existence of vitality in some kinds, 
•n others it would have but litllo effect, and Mr; 
Lear thinks upon the whole that His Excellency's 
fine assortment will be but little hurt. Season doea 
certainly very much influence the success of seeds 
generally, but it varies as seeds happen to be the 
produce of countries equal or opposed in this res- 
pect. This monsoon has been very favourable to 
the American seeds. 
Royal Botanic Garden, Peradenia, 29th July, 1839, 
Mr. Lear has the honor to forward by the bearer 
for His Excellency the Rt. Hon'ble the Governor 
the Cucumber and Melon seeds agreeable to His 
Excellency's instructions of yesterday, and to state 
that he will report the result of the remainder in 
due season for His Excellency's information. 
Royal Botanio Garden, 31st July, 1839. 
His Excellency the Rt. Hon'ble the Governor, 
Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt 
of Your Excellency's letter of yesterday's date with 
its enclosures from Mr. Dyke, and am delighted to 
find that that gentleman has been successful in 
ripening the " Smyrna Melon " as it gives great 
hopes that with other and perhaps more esteemed 
kinds he may be equally so, at a future period, I 
have availed myself of Your Excellency's kindness 
to retain a portion of the seeds* from Mr. Dyke, 
they will greatly assist me in forming my con- 
clusion (which 1 hope to be able eventually to do) 
as to the best seasons for their cultivation here. 
There has been of late so much wet that plants of 
these succulent and tender nature could not reason- 
ably be expected to arrive at much perfection. 
Mine have constantly been rotting off and disap- 
pointing all my efforts to prevent them, hitherto, 
with the exception of the "watermelon," one of 
which I have grown to a very large size and toler- 
ably well flavoured, but during the next monsoon 
I hope to have better results. Your Excellency's 
instructions respecting Melon Seeds for Mr. Dyke 
with my attendance upon Your Excellency at the 
Pavilion shall receive my particular and early duty. 
Most sincerely hoping that Your Excellency has 
thoroughly recovered from your late severe indis- 
position. 
I have the honor to be, Sir, Your Excellency's 
most faithful and obdient Servant, 
J. G. Lear. 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Aug. 30th 1839. 
(To be continued.) 
" THE TEMPERANCE BUDGET." 
An Interview with a Tea Broker. 
Calling this morning upon Messrs. Gow, "Wilson, and 
Stanton, of 16, Roodlane, a representative of th6 Pall 
Mall Gazette found Mr. Wilson and Mr. Davis hard 
at work arguing pro and con. on the possible advantages 
or otherwise which will follow the reduction in the 
tea due : — 
" We have not yet made up our minds," said Mr. 
"Wilson, "we don't yet know whether this reduction 
will ultimately benefit the Indian and Ceylon or the 
China markets. My partner, Mr. Davie, thinks the 
former will have the benefit. The fact is that the 
duty on cheap teas has been proportionately much 
higher than on dear teas. The market prices of teas, 
apart from the duty, have been averaging on Oeylon 
teas about eleven pence, on India teas teDpence, 
and China teas sevonpecce per lb. Now the sixpenny 
duty was consequently nearly 100 per cent, on the 
China teas, whereas it was only 50 per cent, on 
India and Ceylon teas. The question cow is— will the 
reduction of the duty by making the cheap tea oheaper 
cause a greater consumption of them. 
" I don't believe it will," said Mr. Davis, " the public 
has by this time been educated to the taste of the better 
* The remaiudrr I have tho honor herewith to 
enclose 
