( 2 ) 
Cultivation. — Garden work proper has been a good deal hindered this rear from want of 
sufficient supervision. For the first four months of the pear we were without a clerk, ami the 
Head Gardener, as well as myself, had to keep the accounts and write routine and official letters. 
For the remainder of the year too Mr. Nock's absence on leave necessitated the residence of 
Mr. Clark at Hakgala, paying only monthly visits here. Thus the plant* at Peradeniya have not 
had all the attention they require. 
Owing, however, to the dry season, a particularly good display of flowers ha> been main- 
tained through the year, and the following may be mentioned as flowering here for the first time : — 
Wormia suffruticosa, Paallinia sorbilis, Hvtenyiterg* ckr'yaophglla, R/ias glabra, Cai»oen$fa 
maxima^ Poinci ana. GilUexii, Sesbomia tripetiana, Pitheeolobtumt sp. < Kggers), Tejiluusia gr<<n<li- 
fiora, Detarium sen eg <ah mss, Gasleria vkmucosa, Bertholietia excelsa, Cauraupitn guianeruiit, 
Cnmbretum demndrum, Faradaga x/ilendida. Upomma alata, Rignonia purpu r«*, PaulowiUuflmia 
xpeciosa, Ruellia fonnbsa, Strobilantltes oaUosins, S. Dyeti, Wiggmeiadiscolw, Imbmparid rwrMWP, 
Iochroma. Tonelliana, Verbesina alata. Acokantla-ra spectabilig, Aristolochia satastfa, A. dig as. 
Sloetia Sideroxg/on, Dnndrobi am Brymcrianum, Lycaste Lawrettceana, La'Ua puitourata, 
Renanthera coccinea, sErides Houlletiana, Ca'logyue a.<jn rata. Calalhra Alton ia. Agarr llorrisii, 
A n thnrium Andrea 1 1 urn . 
Among these Camoensia. is especially worthy of note. We received this line Tropical African 
climber in 1883 from Kew and from Mr. Bull. It has been thrice in blossom herein January. 
August, and October. 
We have lost a good many trees this year, some from old age and otters blown down in 
heavy winds. A few of them were of interest, such as a very tall ChrysofhyUntm imptrimle and 
large specimens of Ochroxia borbonira, Uiusia rosea, and Cdtisvilfnamomga. Other trees have had 
to be removed as being too large, notably an immense Trachyldbwun HornemafUliattum covered 
with a very old specimen of the large climber Thanlnrgia Ian n folia, which overshadowed a large 
portion of one of the borders. 
In my report for last year I recorded the appearance here of a new kind of scale-bug 
{Orthesia nacrea). Mr. E. E. Green, the entomologist, was much struck with its abundance and rapid 
increase here, and has now published in the number of the "Tropical Agriculturist " for January. 18'.C>. 
an account, with accurate figures, of the insect, so that, if unfortunately it should spread to estates, 
planters may be put on guard and at once take steps for its destruction. Burning and burying 
primings on the spot (or even the whole bush), and frequent syringing with kerosine oil.* are his 
recommendations ; but he has great hopes that by obtaining certain lady-bird beetles (which feed 
upon scale-bugs) from Australia we might be as successful as they have been in the case of the 
pest {leery a Purcliasi) in the apple, orchards of California. This has been entirely eradicated 
by a lady-bird, Veda Ha cardinally, brought from Australia by Mr. Koebele of the Calif ornian 
Department of Economic Entomology, who has been lately travelling here and strongly recom- 
mends this plan. We do not, however, know the native country of this Orthezia (which it stems 
is the same as 0. insignis, Dough, obtained from Kew Gardens), whereas the Icerya was known to 
be an Australian insect : but the experiment is well worth a trial. 
, Weather. — An extremely dry year has to be reported, the rainfall being much the lowest 
I have yet recorded here, and 17 in. below the average of the previous ten years. February was 
absolutely rainless, and May practically so, and with the exception of January. August, and 
November, all the other months were below the average ; November, however, was a very wet 
month. Yet the number of days in which rain fell was 168, or 18 above the average of the last 
ten years. Great heat and drought was experienced in February, and very heavy wind in January 
and October. On 27th January, at 7 A.M., the very low temperature of 58° F. was registered. 
The following table shows the monthlv rainfall : — 
1894. 
Average. 
Rainfall. 
Rainfall 
Inches, 
Rainy Days. 
Inches. 
January 
3-69 
4 
1-87 
February 
. 0 . 
0 
1-52 
March 
3-93 
12 
4-71 
April 
7-24 
... 18 
9-51 
May 
0-12 
1 
7-92 
June 
7-65 
25 
9-93 
July 
5-97 
22 
6-11 
August 
6-60 
... 25 
6-22 
September .. 
5-95. 
20 
6-17 
October 
9-57 
19 
11-36 
November 
14-31 
17 
10-14 
December 
2-23 
5 
7-55 
Year... 
67-26 
168 
84-43 
41 
3 1 
9 ! For 10 years 
13 f 1884-93 
12 | 
20 J 
16 1 
16 j 
13 ! For 11 years 
18 f 1883-93 
16 | 
_10J 
150 For 10 years 1884-93 
* We find this efficacious in Pevadeniya ; and the Strawsonizer Company's hand-pump to be an efficient and manage 
