January i, 1889.] TK5 TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
439 
attacked the soaro crops. Mr. Cotes belinves 
it to be the larva) of two allied species of noctues 
moths, one of which was much like Heliothes Armigera. 
This is a co-mopolitau pest, ami an omnivorous fee ler. 
It has infested dha) iu Uohra Dun, and is well known 
in America, where it has beeu attacked with some 
success with kerosine and arsenic, 
Turning now to the records of the experimental 
cultivation, we find the results full of interest. Potato 
disease has been spreading to an alarming extent du- 
riug the last two years, and it is recognised that some- 
thing must bo done to save this valuable esculent, 
which is now considered an essential part of a Euro- 
pean's diet here as it is at home. Much can bo done 
to mitigate the severity of the disease by choice of 
suitable soil and manures, but, generally, the most 
effective plan is to obtain new varieties. Seventeen 
new varieties were experimented on during the year, 
and though it is as yet too soon to form an opinion of 
the relative merits of those, the results bave been 
generally good, and the Superintendent is confident 
that he has now good material to work upon. The 
local gardeners are not slow to recognise the advantage 
of having improved seed tubers, and during the present 
year the cultivation of these is likely to pass beyond 
tho experimental stage. Amongst the new food plants 
introduced the most important is the Chocho whose 
fruit and yam-like roots are largely used iu tropical 
America for food. Three ripe fruits of this plant were 
obtained from tho Superintendent of the Ilakgala Gar- 
dens in Ceylon, and in three and a half mouths after 
their receipt Mr. Cameron had plants laden with fine 
fruits. Those were freely distributed to local gar- 
deners, and the plant being a perennial one of easy 
growth, may be considered to be fairly established in 
Bangalore. Well grown fruits should weigh about 3A lb. 
each. "Inconsistency and flavour they differ slightly 
from custard marrow.'' Experiments have also "been 
continued on the tree tomato, which has fruited 
several times, and on tho " Paragon" tomato from 
Philadelphia, which " promises to surpass the finest of 
its kind." A large number of fruit trees were received 
from England during tho year, most of which are to bo 
planted iu tho Palace Gardens, where everything is 
favourable to health, growth and rapid propagation. 
The experimental cultivation of the Arabian date palm 
begun in 1885, has been cotinued. These experiments 
are on a tolerably large scale, for 090 offsets and 1634 
lb. of seed have from time to timo been obtained ami 
there are now iu tiie nursery 1,854 date palms. Those 
which were plauted out in tho grounds in October 
l»8d have grown very satisfactorily, and tho largest 
of them aro now six feet high, with a leaf diameter 
bi trom 5 to G feet. In their early years tho date 
Offsets roquire to be carefully preserved from the 
attanksof white ants, which are attracted by the dea l 
fibrous matter on the stems and leaf scapes, but after 
a time they are free from d inger from this source 
A number of rooted offsets which were planted out at 
Uebbal, ou the banks of a nullah, have not been a 
mooess, and this confirms the results obtained in 
other parts of tho Presidency as to the necessity of 
selecting suitable soil, froo from exce-sivo moisture 
fortheso plants. Instead of al once distributing the 
plants over tho oountry, Mr. Cameron proposes to 
form a local plant uion under skillod supervision iu a 
lull ible locality, whence, in the course oi ... f,. w v ,.., r . 
offsets and seeds oould bo distributed with much 
greater hope of success. 
The Beblrnl plantation continue* to in ike progress, 
ami new contains :. |sy trees, oi whi h over 2,000 aro' 
mafaoganv. V i.-ilihy pl„ n t of the • Palo de vaca," 
• >r< ow tree i South Am ric.i, i- growing II. T|,i 8 
Is a tree oYscrib d by Humbolt. Wb n incisions aro 
RDM itl the trunk there is a profits. f| w ol a cluov 
tlueki-h milk, " <l dtitute of acridity and exhaling a 
y.rv ajrceable balsamic odour" which can ho drunk 
iu large quantities wi bout evil effoot. The j dec is a 
source .,f Lndia-rub or;nnd it is for this, an i not as a 
substitute for the cow that it is being cultivated at 
Bangalore. Tho fiuo collection of orchids id the Gardens 
ha, been greatly enriched by the receipt of over I in 
Burmese orchids from Mr. .?. H. Gilbert^ Principal ol 
the Rangoon College. Of these Mr. Cameron writes 
that they form " the most valuable gift the gardens have 
received during my term of office.'' Tho net cost of 
the Oardeus to Government was 1113,728. 
Of the other Parks and Gardens under Mr. Cameron's 
charge not much need be said. All who know the 
Gibbon Park will be surprised to learn that it is kept 
in its present admirable order for an expenditure of 
only Ulj.'jtO — a sun which does not leave much margin 
for improvomunts of any kin i. The Palace Park and 
Gardens are also under Mr. Cameron's care. Fortunate 
on the whole as to sod and situation they have devloped 
rapidly, and now form one of the sights of Bangalore, 
and as remarked in the report, " When the Palaceis 
completed, His Highness the Maharajah will have a man- 
sion and groumls that are iut equalled in Southern 
India." Much has been done in the way of planting 
trees and laying out tlower beds, but a good deal of 
planting has siilLto be done in the rear of the Palace 
before the work can be held to he complete. The fer- 
nery, which uow measures 127 feet by 27, is the largest 
of its kiud in Bangilore, and coutaius a wounderful 
collection of beautf ul plants. An appendix to the report 
contains a list of 017 plants collected in the Bangalore 
district with their technical and their vernacular names, 
the latter beiug given in both English and Oauarese. 
This list nas beeu drawn up with the assistance of Mr. 
M. A. Lawsou, and forms the first part of a systematic 
list of the plants of Mysore with their authentic vern- 
acular nanes— a work of much practical value. — Madras 
Mail. 
THE MATERIA ME DIG A OF CEYLON. 
Pharmacy in the East was in ancient times practised 
by the priesthood, and this was the case long he- 
fore any system of a meteria medica was reduced 
to writing. Ceylon possesses what is believed to be 
the oldest work on pharmacy iu the east; it was com- 
piled by one of the ancient sovereigns of that country 
a century or two before the Christian era, and at 
the present time it contiuues to be consulted by 
village practitioners, who are, however, in most in- 
stances incapable of distinguishing between what is 
useful in its conteuts and what is simply worthless. 
Its royal author, who found time to study the medicinal 
properties of iudigeuous roots, herbs, and gums, not 
only acquired a practical knowledge of all these things, 
but applied that knowledge personally in hospitals 
aud dispensaries erected by him at considerable cost 
iu his capital. In the suburbs of that ancient city there 
were formed botauic gaidous iu which the most useful 
herbs and plants were growu for hospital use. In 
the record of tho meteria medica of that day prepared 
by tho sovereign of Ceylon there were many articles 
named not known at the present time, whilst a good 
number ol those mentioned in it are known to be of 
very questionable value; but neither is there any doubt 
that this " King's book " made reference to plants 
and drugs the uso of which has iu the present day 
beeu adopted not only by the educated burgher 
practitioners of Ceylon with the greatest advantage 
but by European members of the profession in the' 
treatment of diseases provalent in that country. 
Tin- native practitioners, who coatiuue to practise 
on the old lines of the vederalts, raroly employed 
powerful or hurtful remedial agents being content to 
relievo the patient by means of emetics .m l purga- 
tives, assisted by an extremely low diet, so that, whilst 
often failmg to effect a cure, thoy rarely cause mis- 
chief. Better tra'r. 1 i d men. hrolligcut Singhalese 
doctors adopt a ivstern not very dissimilar to modern 
European treat ni at, frosting » goo' dal to uature 
lor efforts to re-tore health, whilst pi u.un the patient 
under the i avouhihle conditions for rooQverj bj 
means of mutablv dii I. There is DO doubt that, al- 
though worthless mixtures are often • inployod by 
ignorant native practitioner*, tho materia medica of 
Ceylon will compile I n >' ir.ihly in some respects with 
the phnr.iiaeiip.-ins of West. to nation-. 
En the native materia medica, a . formulated in their 
books, thuro are a largo number of plants declared 
