r 6 ) 
Though I have expressed the opinion that this is a cultivation more suite'l to a Government 
Department than to private planters, yet if the cultivator can afford to wait for al)out twelve years, 
there is little doubt of a profitable return. After the trees are once in full bearing they are said in, 
Brazil to continue to yield for a period of 75-100 years. 
CastiUua elastica. — A sample of this rubber sent home on trial, grown on an estate in Matale 
was favourably reported on, being valued at 2.s-. 8cZ. to in. Id. per pound. The quality of this kind of 
rubber produced in Ceylon has always been excellent, but my experience hitherto has been that 
the amount of caoutchouc obtained from the milk is too little to make it a profitable cultivation ; 
the yield per tree seems very small. 
Mamliot Glaz/'ouii. —Qean\ Rubber has not taken any hold on planters here as a permanent 
cultivation ; yet it might, I think, be worked at a profit by a system of annual planting, and the 
sacrifice of successive crops of trees when they reach ten or twelve years. About 1^ lb. of dry 
rubber is at that age obtained from each tree. 
Gain.hir. — I am unable to report at present any success with tills. None of the seed produced 
germinated, and we have still only five bushes, which do not grow rapidly here. Out of many 
attempts we succeeded in getting from these onlj- three more plants by layering. I fear oar 
climate is unsuitable. In North Borneo this product is reported to have done very well in the 
Grovernment Garden at Sandakan under the care of a Chinaman ; and a sample analyzed by Messj-s. 
Huttenback & Co. was all that could be desired in tannin strength — 27"S;) ])er ceiu. It seems 
likely that this will become a large export from the new colony in time. 
Goat. {Eriithro.rylon Coca).— In. my Report for 1888 (p. li) I gave analysis of three samples 
seat to London for report ; the percentage of crystal lizable cocaine was O"!? to O'tiO i>er cent. 
These samples were all of the large-leaved typical variety (of which a figure has just been published 
in the Botanical Magazine, t. 7384:), which has been grown here for many years. But we also 
cultivate the smaller-leaved form which has been named var. novo-fjjrinateh.tc, and I sent to Kew 
in April a sample, prepared at Henaratgoda Garden, with a request for an analysis of this also, for 
comparison. Mr. A. G, Howard gives it as follows : — 
Crystallized alkaloid ... ... ... 0'56 per cent. 
UncrystalliJied ... ... ... ... 0'47 ,, 
Total ... 1-03 
and he remarks that the amount of uncrystallized alkaloid detracts from its commercial value. 
So far as these analyses go, it would appear that, contrary to what has been stated, this variety 
is less valuable than the old large-leaved kind. 
Gubebs. — Our plants are now growing luxuriantly, and are undoubtedly the true specieB, 
Piper Gubeha. They are in full flower, but all prove to be male plants, and of course useless from the 
cultivator's point of view. I shall endeavour to obtain fruit-bearing plants. 
Gamphor. — A large quantity of seed of the Camphor Laurel {Ginnamomum Gamphora) was 
obtained from Japan, but as it travels badly only a small proportion was raised. About 2,000 
seedlings are now at Hakgala. This tree may do in the drier parts of our hill-country ; there 
is a very old tree of large size in Peradeniya, but it never flowers here. 
Sansevieria cijlindrica. — This has recently been praised as afl[:ording the best of ■ the 
" Bowstring Hemps," especially useful in deep-sea soundings. It is a native of Tropical Africa, 
and we have grown a few plants here since 1884. As a renewal of interest has lately been showr 
in this fibre-plant we are propagating it and shall form a small plot. 
SisalHemp {Agave rigida, var, Sisalana). — The plants of this in our plot at Peradeniya (see 
report for 1890, p, 12) have not grown rapidly, and, compared with many other Agaves, produce 
very few off-sets. We are therefore not a.ble to make progress in its propagation, a matter of little 
importance here, where fibre cultivation is little likely to be taken up. 
Fruit Trees. — The year was a good one for fruit. The little plot of Singapore Mangosteens at 
Henaratgoda fruited for the first time, one bush bearing thirty fruit. The curious stoneless Mango 
at Peradeniya (given to us a few years back by the Maha Mudaliyar) also fruited in July. In this 
the stone is usually represented merely by a thin membranous seedless plate; occasionally, however, 
a stone and seed is formed. Four of the thirteen selected grafted mangoes received from Poena in 
1884 also flowered for the first time, but set no fruit. They have been heavily pruned and manured, 
