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seed, but none germinated, and in November two plants arrived in a Wardian case, but soon died. 
I am now informed by Mr. Ridley, Superintendent of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, that these 
seeds do not retain their vitality after gathering for more than twenty-four hours. But the plant 
grows like a weed at Singapore, and if once successfully introduced here would probably nourish 
equally well. 
Sarsaparilla. — The "Jamaica Sarsaparilla" of commerce is the produce of Smilax offici- 
nalis, and comes chiefly from the Cordillera of Chiriqui in the Isthmus of Panama. It derived its 
name " Jamaica" from being formerly brought from Central America to that island, whence it was 
exported to Europe. Of this plant next to nothing is known, but a Smilax has been cultivated in 
Jamaica itself for many years, and affords a sarsaparilla which is exported to a small extent. A local 
nurseryman having recently forwarded a sample grown in Ceylon from plants of this kind imported 
from Jamaica, attention has been again called to the plant, of which several specimens from Kew 
are in cultivation at Peradeniya. I gave a woodcut illustration of the base of the stem and roots 
of this Smilax in " Medicinal Plants" (sub t. 289), in an account of S. officinalis, to which species the 
late D. Hanbury considered it to belong : but as I there pointed out, the specimens do not well agree 
with De Candolle's description of the type-specimens of that species. Quite recently also Sir J. Hooker- 
has expressed his opinion (Bot. Mag., sub t. 7054) that the cultivated Jamaica sarsaparilla and 
S. officinalis will prove, when their flowers are known, to be different species. 
Disease in Gocoanut Leaves. — Some alarm was caused in the early part of the year on a 
cocoanut estate at Veyangoda by an affection of the leaves of this palm. The disease was seen to 
commence as small yellow roundish spots, which gradually die in the centre, and by spreading and 
coalescing finally result in the death of considerable portions of the leaf. A parasitic fungus at 
once suggested itself as the cause, but a careful microscopical examination has not revealed 
to me the presence of any species likely to cause the damage. Mr. M. C. Potter, of Cambridge, 
however, who investigated some material which he took home with him from Ceylon, informs me 
that he finds a fungus in the patches allied to Helmintliosporium, which he thinks may do some 
damage. This I did not detect in the specimens examined by me, and I have arrived at the con- 
clusion, from an inspection of the trees and from the history and local character of the affection, that 
the malady is due to some cause affecting the general nutrition of the trees attacked. The disease 
does not show any decided tendency to spread even in the neighbourhood of the worst cases. 
Oranges from (Queensland. — The loss of a consignment of grafted oranges from the 
Queensland Acclimatization Society in 1886 was recorded in my report for that year (p. 10) ; and I 
am now glad to report the arrival of a second assortment in September in excellent order, from the 
same source. There are twenty-four selected named varieties, and a plantation has been formed at 
Peradeniya, where they are doing well. 
Kei Apple (Aberia caffra). — Bushes of this at Hakgala of some age, but of the origin of which 
we have no record, fruited during the year. This large spiny shrub is a native of Natal and Kaf- 
fraria, and grows well in South Europe and other warm temperate regions ; in Natal it is much used 
for fences. The fruit has a very agreeable acid flavour, and is well adapted for preserves. The 
plant is a near ally of our native " Ketembilla " {Aberia Gardneri), the smaller fruit of which is also 
edible. 
Fruit Garden at Hakgala. — Mr. Nock reports : — 
The beds for the fruit trees were completed in January, and the plants set out 6 ft, apart. 
They commenced to grow at once, and the cherries and raspberries bore a good many fruit. The apples, 
pears, plums, cherries, and peaches made very fair growth, and the wood ripened well. They began to rest in June. 
The strong winds at this time blew off: nearly all the leaves, and they had a very rough time of it. Early in Novem- 
ber all were pruned that required it, and it was hoped that they would then start into active growth, and to induce 
them to do so they were lightly syringed night and morning. Nearly all the apples and a few of the pears and 
plums started into growth in December, but I regret to have to report that none of them look really healthy, and 
I am afraid that very few are likely to do much good. 
Trial of Potatoes at Hakgala. — Mr. Nock, having received from England tubers of twenty 
varieties of potatoes, has been able to make a trial of them, and gives the results as follows : — 
They were planted, in good soil, on February 6 in a plot of ground facing the east. They began to show on 
the 15th ; by the 20th were all above ground, and by the end of the month most of them were earthed up. 
During the first three or four weeks they suffered a good bit from grub, especially Nos. 2, 8, 10, 15, 18, and 
19. They grew very fast, and looked remarkably well till the heavy rains at the end of March, and immediately 
after the rains some of them began to show signs of disease in the tops, the worst being the Kidney varieties, 
Nos. 5, 9, 13, 15, and 19. 
The weather continuing wet they were all lifted on April 22, having been in the ground only seventy-five 
days. If the weather had been fine they would have been allowed to stay in the ground a fortnight or three weeks 
