( 6 ) 
doing well, and many young trees have made very good growth, especially Cedrela odorata, 
Albizzia moluccana, Prosopis glandalosa, Divi-divi, Loquat, &c. Erythroxyon Coca is fruiting 
freely. 
Several varieties of Tobacco have been grown for seed — Brazilian, Virginian, Havana, 
Sumatra, and Manila, and a large crop of each sort, except of Manila, was produced and carefully 
collected. The Havana variety appeared to suit the locality best. There has been some demand 
for seed, and over 60 oz. have been disposed of to planters and others. 
The rainfall for the year was 93 - 89 in., being 15 - 58 in. more than the average ; but of this no 
less than 4167 in. fell in December. 
6. —Interchange of Plants and Seeds. 
Though our relations with other botanical establishments are maintained, I find it increasingly 
difficult to obtain seeds and plants of interest additional to those we already possess. Many of those 
I am most desirous to acquire are liable to lose vitality or to succumb to adverse influences during 
transit, and arrive dead. Disappointments of this kind during the past year have been unusually 
large. The recent publication of a Catalogue of the contents of the Gardens will, it is expected, by 
showing clearly what we possess, result in the acquisition from other countries of many of our 
desiderata. 
The customary gratis supply of useful and ornamental plants to public places and persons in 
the Colony has been made on application as follows : — To the Government Agents and their Assistants 
at Galle, Badulla, Kalutara, Matale, K^galla, Hambantota, and Haldummulla ; the Public Works 
Department, Colombo ; the Colombo Municipality ; the Colombo Museum ; the Pavilion, Kandy ; 
the Nuwara Eliya Local Board ; the Superintendents of Police, Colombo and Galle; the Engineers' 
Quarters, Kandy ; the Medical Officers, Lunugala and Deltota ; the resthouse grounds at 
Wilson's Bungalow, Horton Plains, and Anuradhapura ; the Stationmasters of Matale, Rambukkana, 
Hatton, and Kotagala ; and the Rev. J. Langdon's Industrial School at Haputale. 
I have to express my obligations to the Agents of the great Steamship Companies, the P. &0. 
and the British India, for their continued assistance in carrying free of freight to or from Colombo 
Wardian cases passing between Peradeniya and the other Botanical establishments of the Empire. 
8. — Notes on Economic Plants and Products. 
Tea. — The cultivation and manufacture of tea have now fairly attained the position of the 
leading planting industry of this Colony. It is estimated that little under 180,000 acres are now 
occupied with this culture, and the exports during the last financial year reached a total of over 
twelve million pounds (12,013,686 lb.), the average price realised being close upon Is. Id. per lb. The 
planting of tea still goes on in all parts and at all elevations of the Colony where the rainfall is 
sufficient ; and even in the Uva districts considerable areas are now cropped with this hardy shrub. 
In connection with this industry the question of fuel must shortly become one of pressing 
importance in several districts. I made a few remarks on this subject in my report for 1883 (see page 
10), and am not able to add much to them. For the higher elevations the Australian Wattle-acacias 
are unrivalled. As an example of their remarkably rapid growth, that of the silver- wattle (A. dealbata) 
at Hakgala may be noticed. Trees of this, six years from seed, are 51 ft. in height, with stems over 
4 ft. in circumference at the base. The tendency of this species to send up numerous suckers is of 
course much in its favour as a fuel-producer, but necessitates a plantation apart from other cultiva- 
tions. Of trees of a more valuable character we have endeavoured to meet a very large demand for 
seed of Cedrela Toona, Grevillea robusta, and the native Albizzia stipulata, and have been able to 
supply many hundred ounces from the trees in Peradeniya. The Grevillea seems the most generally 
suitable. Toon, with its beautiful wood probably unrivalled for tea-boxes, is really too good to grow 
for fuel. At medium elevations a very common weedy little tree (Trema orientalis), the 
" Gedumba " of the natives and the " Charcoal Tree " of the English, may be recommended, as it 
will grow vigorously on the very worst and most stony land. 
It is with unalloyed satisfaction that all who wish well to the Sinhalese must see that a real 
beginning has been made in inducing them to work as daily labourers on the tea-estates. Managers 
are gladly employing this Sinhalese labour where they can obtain it, and in some cases are paying 
something above the usual rate of cooly wages as an inducement ; the work is light, easy, and 
constant throughout the year. In the general interest of the country it is greatly to be hoped that 
everything will be done by those who have authority over, and influence with, the impoverished 
villagers to help them to overcome their prejudices and accept this regular work now offered to them. 
The success of tea-growing in Ceylon is leading many other countries to attempt its cultivation, 
and we have lately sent a supply of seed to New Zealand, where the experiment is being conducted 
by the Chief Conservator of Forests, on both the east and west coasts of the Northern Island. The 
plant is doubtless capable of culture under a very wide range of climatic conditions, but the success 
of tea-cultivation anywhere as a commercial speculation depends entirely on the cost of production, 
and mainly on the rate of wages for labour. 
Coffee. — With an export which has dwindled down to 180,429 cwt. in the past year, it would 
really appear as though this cultivation, so long associated with Ceylon, were destined to become 
one of quite secondary importance to the Colony. This further great decrease is due to continued 
dirninui ion of area, and this has gone on in'spite of the high prices for coffee ruling in the market. 
Hut in addition to other trials coffee has suffered severelv during the last two or three vears 
