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Fruit Trees at Hakyata. — -Mr. Nock reports : — 
Some of the apple? graftei ia Dj^einbsr list year have mide remarkably fine growth, many of the shoots 
being over,5 ft. long and stout in proportion. Sixteen of these have been planted out in the Ijorders of the walled-in 
garden ; also 12 pear plaut-i, which were grafted on to stocks of the well-established and common cooking pear. 
Twenty -nine site? were specially prepared round the wall and planted with pears (7), plums (7), peaches (4), figs (5), 
cherries (3), apricots ( I ), and grap 3 vines (2 ). A galvanized wire trellis, 6 ft. high with eight rows of wire, has been 
fitted up against this wall all round to train these on, and it ds hoped that, with the protection of the wall and 
good soil and situation, they will become established. The figs have done very well this year, producing a good 
crop of very fine large fruit. Though but few ripened properly, they were excellent when stewed, and are well 
worth growing if for this purpose alone. The English blackberries have continued to do well, and have again 
given good crops of large handsome fruit. The American variety, though growing well, does not produce fruit 
freely, and I think it is now fully proved that it is not worth growing in this locality. 
Straivherries at Hakgala. — Mr. Nock further reports : — 
The seedling plants of strawberries in the border of the walled-in nursery fruited really well during the 
months of February, March, and Api-il. I have seldom seen such a good show of fruit as thei'e was on them at 
the beginning of Mai'ch. I counted the set fruit in three plants with the following results:— No. 1 had 337 : No. 2, 
175 ; and No. 3, 11(). Tlie plants were literally covered with fruit in all stages, but the heavy rain in March spoilt 
a large quantity of them. In April they fruited in appreciable quantities, and were of good size and flavour ; the 
largest gathered was 1^ in. long and 4 in. in circumference. They suflEered a good bit from the drought in August 
and September, and subsequently from heavy rain at the end of the year. I see no reason, however, why good 
strawberries should not be grown in the mountains, if a well drained open situation is chosen for them, care 
taken in the preparation of the beds and planting, and subsequent cultivation. 
Nutmegs. — It is somewhat remarkable that there is no export on any commercial scale of 
this product, as there must be a very large number of trees in the country. The few old trees in 
Peradeniya are I believe about contemporary with the Gardens, i.e., about seventy years old ; they 
are a fine sort, and bear copiously nearly all the year round without any attention whatever. 
During the last ten years we have supplied over 118,000 seeds from these trees to meet a pretty 
steady demand for cultivation on low-country estates. 
Potatoes at Hakgala. — Mr. Nock gives the following iuteresting report : — 
As being the tenth crop from tubers grown in the Colony, the following results are of interest. They were 
))lanted over a patch of ground 33 ft. long by 1.5 ft. wide at the end of August and lifted in the early part of 
November, being in the ground not quite three months. The weather was for the most part dry. Tho name of the 
variety was " Imperator,'' and the yield was 83G tubers, which weighed 19ii lb. 4 oz. There were only nineteen 
small ones among them, and seventeen diseased. The tubers were very handsome and of good size. 
Calathea Altouia. — This plant produces small tubers, which are used as a vegetable in the 
West Indies and Trinidad, and when boiled form a fair substitute for potatoes. We received several 
roots in March from Trinidad, which are doing well at Peradeniya, though much sought after by 
rodent animals. 
Polggonum sacluilincme. — This coarse but rather handsome weedy plant, occasionally grown 
in European gardens, has been lately strongly recommended as a fodder plant, growing as it does 
with great rapidity and vigour to a large size ; it is said to hive yielded from 80-178 tons per acre. 
It is a native of Siberi;i and North Japan, and takes its name from the Russian island of Sakalin 
between those two countries. We received in December four roots of this from Mr. T. Christy, of 
London (two through Mr. J. Ferguson), and they have started growth at Hakgala. 
Herbarium, Museum, and Liurarv. 
(reneral Herl)ari ti m. — Home progress was made in the early part of the year in mounting, 
naming up, and arranging this extensive collection, and in this work 1 hail the assistance of Mr. C. 
H. Nicholls of New College, Oxford, who spent a few^ months of study at Peradeniya. There is 
yet work of this sort enough to occupy many years remaining to be done, but it requires 
some knowledge of herbarium work to do it properly, and 1 have no time for it niy.self. 
During the latter part of the year, hoAvever, the Draughtsman rendered good service in this 
way, having mounted and arranged the lai'ge additions to the Foreign Ferns accnmuhited iluriug 
recent years. 
The following additions were received during the year : — 
391 species, named and mounted, of Indian Plants. (From the Calcutta Herbarium.) 
A large collection from India and Malacca. (From the Kew Herbarivnu.) 
13() species of named Indian Plants. (From Ur. Eyre do Crosi)igny, Kngliuul.) 
A collection of Ferns fioni St. A'incent, W. Indies.' (From the Kow Ilerbarinni.) 
A collociinii ,.r Mds-r- aiicl llojiatic^u, varmus. (From the Kow Herbarium.) 
