( i ) 
I in. each. March, April, July, and December had a fair fall, whilRt in October and November as 
much as 19-J 8 in. fell. The Garden suffered much from drought in May-September, and during 
the latter part of the pej'iod no water could be got from Tissawi-wa ; many plant!?, e\t-u trees, died, 
but most have been re-supplied. 
The usual Provincial vote has enabled me to put a tiled roof on the cottage of the Arachchi, 
the timber used being obtained from the jungle trees remaining in the Garden itself. That uHic<^r 
keeps this little Garden in very neat order iu spite of the climatic ditficulties aud the very little 
interest in it taken by the people of the place. 
The plants mostly are doing well. I found, iu December, ].riberian coffee ripening, and a few 
pods on the Forastero cacao trees. Eucahjjitus (ilha is a great success here. Many of the palme 
have been killed or much damaged by the attacks of beetles. 
Badulla Garden. 
As everywhere else, the rainfall here was much below the average — only 70-90 in. for the 
year. It was however fairly well distributed, September being the driest month with 0-()8 in., and 
November (as usual) the wettest with l.*)-;")! in. on twenty-four days. 
This Garden has very greatly improved in appearance, and the place is becoming a favourite 
resort of residents aud visitors. The plants are all growing up rapidly, and it will be necessary now 
to thin out the numerous trees and palms, leaving only the best ones to form good specimens. It 
would be very desirable to gravel the paths, and also to put labels to the trees. &c., but 1 have no 
funds for these or any other improvements. 
The west entrance now looks very well, the avenue of Casff/nn.y/erimon and Spatlifxlm 
trees having grown up rapidly. The young trees of the neAv large-leaved mahogany (Siviefenia 
macrophijlla) are doing specially well, the largest being now 12 ft. liigh and 10 in. round the stem. 
Oranges and cacao are beginning to fruit, and on the apijiication of tlie Government Agent 446 fruit- 
trees were supplied for distribution to the resthouses of the Province ; but the sale of plants to the 
public is very small. 
The Garden has had the great advantage for the latter half of the year of a regular supply 
of manure (town refuse) supplied by Mr. Rettie through the Government Agent. 
The Public Works Department repaired, in May-June, the Conductor's little cottage. On 
account of its bad position and insanitary state I had strongly recommended its removal and the 
erection of a better one in a more suitable site, but this unfortunately has not been agreed to. The 
cooly lines have been newly thatched, but require rebuilding. 
Notes on Economic Plants. 
Tea, — The great increase (over 13 million lb.) in our export for 1893 over the previous yeiir, 
coupled with the gradual but steady fall in average price (about 9f/. per lb. in 1893); renders still 
more pertinent the remarks I ventured to make in my last report on the danger of over-production. 
I see no other danger to the industry in Ceylon, but that is imminent ; and the only justification 
for any further large addition to the area of this cultivation here must be based on some probable 
expectation that the existing markets can be added to or greatly extended. I believe it would be 
to the true interest of the Colony if the acquisition of new land for tea planting, especially in the 
low-country, were made as difficult as possible. 
We exported 84,406,064 lb. in the year, of which 75^ million lb. went to the United Kingdom 
(an increase of over 10-^ million) and nearly 7 million lb. to the Australian Colonies (an increase of 
nearly 2 million). Of other markets it is satisfactory to notice a commencement made direct to 
Russia (over 53,000 lb.), a country where the consumption of tea is enormous. The direct export 
to America is at present trifling. No change is reported as to the proportion of Ceylon to other 
teas used in England ; it is still about 31 per cent. 
In consequence of niimerous reports made to me of the damage done to plantations by a 
"mosquito " blight, I thought it my duty, after satisfying myself that the mischief was wholly 
due to the attacks of the native flying bug, Hclojjeltis Anton//, to address, in August last, a letter to 
the newspapers (as the best means of publication among those concerned) strongly urging a general 
concerted attack on the insect by catching and destroying it. When in 1884 the same insect did much 
harm to cacao in some districts, it was found practicable in this way to much mitigate the injury done, 
and I therefore felt warranted in making a strong appeal. This was generally supported, and the 
campaign has been vigorously carried on. How numerous these creatures really are (though rarely 
seen unless looked for) may be judged from the fact that several superintendents have told me that 
they destroy from 3,000 to .5,000 daily by systematic hunting. I trust that all interested will join 
the campaign, as I fully believe that in a universal slaughter we have the means of coping with this 
pest in Ceylon. 
