ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS. 
EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR FOR 1889. 
CONTENTS. 
1. — Peradeniya Gardens. 
2. — Hakgala G-arden. 
3. — Henaratgoda Garden. 
4. — Anuradhapura Garden. 
5. — Badulla Garden. 
6. — Interchange of Plants and Seeds. 
7. — Principal Additions to the Collections. 
8. — Notes on Economic Plants and Products. 
9. — Herbarium, Museum, and Library. 
10. — Eeceipts from Sales. 
11. — Expenditure. 
1. — Peradeniya (j-ardens. 
THE cumulative work of the past ten years has at length resulted in the whole extent of 
these grounds being in fairly satisfactory order and well in hand, all that is now necessary being to 
keep them up at the improved standard they have reached. For this purpose our labour force is 
sufficient, and the increase made during the past year to the vote for Garden requisites has raised 
that also to an amount_more adequate to meet the various demands of a large botanical establishment. 
Lawns, — The fine stretches of turf have had much attention devoted to them during the 
year, and are very greatly improved. A large staff of boys has been constantly at work digging out 
the Elephantopus and other disfiguring weeds, levelling, removing anthills, stones, &c, working 
the meadow-mower and smaller machine, and sweeping up leaves. The large meadow-mower was 
thoroughly repaired in the early part of the year. The extraordinary rains of April brought on the 
annual attack of beetle-grubs earlier than usual, and by June the lawns were almost bare, but as 
Usual they quickly recovered themselves. 
Though not connected with the Botanic Gardens, this seems also the right place to put on 
record the successful establishment at Colombo of the great Brazilian water-lily, Victoria regia. 
Two plants of this, from the Agri-Horticultural Society's Garden at Madras, were brought by the 
Honorary Secretary, Mr. Thurston, to Colombo in October, and having been planted in a new tank 
in the Fort Public Gardens produced flowers in January, 1890. 
Labelling. — The majority of the trees and shrubs of interest are now provided with clear and 
conspicuous labels, this work having been vigorously carried on during the year, two or three men 
being kept constantly employed. The interest and usefulness of the Garden to visitors have been 
very greatly increased by the information thus given. The labels now used are made of brick, 
and are beyond the attacks of white ants, and very permanent. This is the cheapest material 
that can be obtained, and the only defect is a liability to break across near the ground, owing to 
imperfect baking. The lettering is in white paint on a black ground, and this is the principal cost; 
1 am also experimenting with another label, in which printed tickets can be employed (thus much 
reducing cost) ; these are made of cement, in which a piece of glass is inserted over the name, and 
if these are found to be watertight they will probably be the best and cheapest form. 
Large labels bearing the names of the Natural Families have been set up in their respective 
places in the Herbaceous Ground. 
Visitors. — No less than 1,531 persons (not resident in Ceylon) signed their names in the 
visitors' book, a considerable increase over last year. The opening of the new station at Peradeniya, 
which took place on December 1, has rendered it easy to visit the Gardens by train, the station 
being no more than about a quarter of a mile away. 
Weather. — Though the rainfall for 1889 was about the average in quantity, its distribution 
Was very unusual. As a rule, our two wettest months are October and June, but their places wen' 
