76 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Aug. i, 1894. 
his economic efforts, and so devoted himself more 
and more to his purely scientific Botanical work. 
There was, indeed, in 1854, a vigorous effort made 
in the Legislative Council (Sir G. Anderson be- 
ing Governor) to put down the Gardens alto- 
gether, the attack being led by Mr. Andrew Nicol ! 
We cannot find that Dr. Thwaites wrote anything 
about it ; but the Gardens were powerfully backed 
by Prof. Lindley and others in London and by 
the late (Mr. Win. Ferguson in the Ceylon Observi r. 
It is interesting now to find that so early as 
1860, Tea seed was advertised for sale at Peradeniya 
from a small plantation made there in 1845, and 
Dr. Thwaites was even then — 34 years ago — ad- 
vocating its cultivation. In 1865 he drew up an 
elaborate paper of instructions for the Commis- 
sioner (Mr. A. Morrice)* who was sent to India by 
the Government at the motion of the (Planters' 
Association, and 200 lb. of tea seed were dis- 
tributed from the Gardens in this year. This 
was, of course, China seed; for the " Hybrid "' was 
first obtained in 1867 and the distribution of 
its seed began in 1870. 
It is, however, with Cinchona that Dr. Thwaites' 
name is chiefly to be remembered in connection 
with planting. This industry, so profitable 
while followed in moderation, was almost wholly 
the creation of the efforts of Dr. Thwaites 
as head of the Botanical Gardens. We have 
told much of the story in the introduction to 
our " Handbook and Directory" and a great 
deal more in our volumes of the Tropical 
Agriculturist. [There was also given a full 
account of Cinchona introduction in the Hand- 
book io the Calcutta Exhibition of 1883-4, 
pp. 16-23.] Hakgala was chosen by Mr. Clements 
Markham and Dr. Thwaites in 1859 as a 
suitable site and opened under Mr. MacNicoll 
early in 1861. Dr. Thwaites had much diffi- 
culty in early days in getting the planters to 
utilize cinchona plants although offered for the 
taking. Mr. Win. Smith was very anxious to plant 
out 150,000 plants on Craigie Lea, Dimbula, 
when he first opened; but his two partners 
would have nothing to do with the "medicine 
plant " and so they threw away (counting half of 
the lot to grow and valuing at 10s per tree 
which many realised in Dimbula,) no less than 
£37,500 ! 
The South American Rubbers were received 
in 1876, and Heneratgoda was founded to re ceive 
them, being opened by Sir William Gregory in 
June 1876. There is an account of the acqui- 
sition of these given in Dr. Trimen's " Memor- 
andum " attached to the Report of New Products 
Commission (Sessional Paper 13 of 1881) and indeed 
there is a good deal relating to Dr. Thwaites' 
work in the island in that same Memoradum. 
* Mr; Morrice's Eeport is reprinted in the Tropical 
Agriculturist. 
With regard to Coffce-ltaj Disease, Dr. 
Thwaites republished extracts from bis Annual 
Reports 1871-74, referring to it and this formed 
Sessional Paper 25 of 1879. He took a serious 
view of the disease from the commencement. In 
his Report for 1872 he says that " though there 
is probably little hope of the disease quite dis- 
appearing from the Island," yet "it seems to 
me probable that in some years the disease may 
appear in a very light form, indeed, whilst in 
others it may be more pronounced; - ' and in 1873 
he. remarks that "it is difficult to see how 
leaf-disease can wear itself out and entirely dis- 
appear whilst Coffee trees remain for it to Mibsi<t 
upon."* Along with these reprints Dr. Thwaite* 
also published an official letter to Government 
dated 27th Septemljer 1879, on the complete fail 
ure of the sulphur and lime treatment to check the 
disease. In this letter and, more evidently, in a 
subsequent one dated 5th January 1880 (Sessional 
Paper 1 of 1880) Dr. Thwaites expresses \iews 
as to the nature of the disease which cannot be 
maintained in the light of Mr. Marshall Ward ~ 
subsequent researches. Liberian Coffee was in- 
troduced in 1875, and like all new products re- 
ceived a good deal of attention from Dr. Thwaites. 
It will be seen from the foregoing how imi 
mate was the relation between Dr. Thwaites, 
in the Economic Department of his duties, and the 
Planting Industry. But his heart was, of course, 
in his scientific work and his beloved Gardens. 
His visits to Colombo were few and at rare 
intervals, the chief being on the occasion of an 
Agri-Horticultural Exhibition where he was 
naturally the centre of authority. On these 
occasions there was always some rivalry about 
who was to act host. The only " Fellow of the 
Royal Society" in the island was highly ex- 
teemed in days of old. Learned Sir Charles Mac- 
Carthy and cultured as well as genial Sir William 
Gregory always insisted on Dr. Thwaites finding 
quarters at Queen's House. Sir Hercules Robin- 
son took less interest and it was during his term 
of rule that, at a Show in the Racket Court, two 
leading ladies— the late Lady Layard (wife of the 
Government Agent) and the late Baroness Corbet 
were found to be rivals for the honour, of entertain- 
ing the savant— and Dr. Thwaites with his stiff 
white hair, ancient look and old-world ways was a 
typical philosopher, but he was equal to the oc- 
casion. Making a sweeping bow to each of the 
ladies and looking from light to left he responded 
in the words of the poet : — 
' ' How happy should I be with either, 
Were t'other dear charmer away." 
The courtesy in acknowledgment of the 
Baroness as well as her Ladyship— all three 
being well advanced in life— was a little picture in 
* This must be the origin of the idea that Ur. 
Thwaites predicted the entire destruction of Coffee 
in Ceylon, which he never did. 
