Supplement  to  this  Day's  Issue. 
THE  EOTAL  BOTANIC  GARDENS. 
[EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  REPORT  OF  THE  DIRECTOR  FOR  1892.] 
1. — Staff. 
In  response  to  an  application  at  the  commencement  of  the  year,  Government  agreed  to  the 
formation  of  a new  class  of  employes  under  the  title  of  “ Upper  Gardeners.”  These  posts  are 
intended  to  attract  youths  of  some  education  who  desire  to  qualify  as  skilled  gardeners,  and  so  be 
fitted  to  take  superior  places  in  private  employ.  Three  posts  of  this  class  were  accordingly  made, 
on  an  ascending  scale  of  pay,  and  suitable  appointments  made  to  them.  At  present  the  senior  is 
employed  at  Peradeniya  and  the  two  juniors  at  Hakgala. 
2. — Peradeniya  Gardens. 
Visitors. — The  beauty  of  the  Gardens  and  the  interest  of  their  contents  are  becoming  more 
and  more  recognised,  and  few  travellers  who  can  spare  time  leave  Ceylon  without  paying  a visit  to 
them.  During  the  year  1892  no  less  than  1,966  such  visitors  entered  their  names  in  the  book  kept 
at  the  Lodge  for  the  purpose.  I find  the  labels  to  the  trees  very  much  appreciated,  and  hope  to 
greatly  increase  their  numbers  on  a general  system  ; but  this  involves  much  expense,  and  can  be  only 
done  gradually. 
The  third  edition  of  my  little  Hand-Guide  to  the  Gardens,  published  in  1890,  is  already 
exhausted,  and  a new  one  is  urgently  called  for.  This  will  be  undertaken  as  soon  as  I can  find 
time  for  the  work,  and  I hope  to  improve  it  by  a somewhat  fuller  treatment  of  the  subject. 
3.— Hakgala  Garden. 
Progress  is  being  steadily  made  in  the  improvement  and  upkeep  of  this  interesting  Garden 
every  year  ; but  several  matters  continue  to  retard  its  development. 
A water  supply,  in  spite  of  efforts  to  afford  it,  is  still  a desideratum,  the  new  reservoir 
being  at  the  present  time  completely  useless.  Its  construction  was  “ completed  ” by  the  Public 
Works  Department  at  the  end  of  April,  but  on  being  filled  it  was  found  to  leak  badly.  Efforts  to 
stop  the  leaks  were  made  in  May,  July,  and  August,  but  on  each  occasion  without  success,  the 
cause  apparently  being  the  existence  of  springs  in  the  floor  of  the  reservoir.  It  is  hoped  that  a 
further  and  successful  effort  will  soon  be  made.  A further  expenditure  will  then  be  necessary  to 
convey  the  water  to  the  various  parts  of  the  Garden  where  it  is  needed.  I applied  for  a vote  for 
this  purpose  during  the  year,  but  (owing  to  my  absence  in  England)  my  application  was  received 
too  late  for  consideration  with  the  Estimates.  I shall  renew  the  application,  and  trust  that  it  will 
be  granted,  such  means  of  distribution  being  a necessary  part  of  a proper  water  supply  to  the  Garden. 
The  following  are  extracts  from  Mr.  Nock’s  Report  for  the  year  : — 
Nurseries. — The  imported  weed,  Oxalis  violacea , has  become  a real  pest,  and  is  most  difficult  to  eradicate  on 
account  of  its  numerous  bulbils,  which  are  reproduced  in  a very  short  space  of  time.  To  give  an  idea  of  the 
rapidity  with  which  this  plant  propagates  itself,  I have  counted  as  many  as  32  bulbils  at  one  root,  and  the  plant 
was  probably  not  more  than  six  weeks  old.  When  it  is  considered  that  each  young  bulbil  is  only  about  an  eighth 
of  an  inch  in  diameter,  the  difficulty  in  picking  them  out  will  be  understood.  During  the  year  no  less  a quantity 
than  138  bushels  of  these,  iucluding  the  stalks  and  leaves,  have  been  collected  and  burned.  But  it  is  impossible  to 
eradicate  it  from  among  nursery  stock,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  nursery  ground  has  been  given  up  for  the  present. 
64,414  plants  and  seedlings  of  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs,  general  garden  plants  and  annuals,  were  set 
out  dui’ing  the  year  for  the  supply  and  upkeep  of  the  garden.  This  is  considerably  in  excess  of  last  year,  which  is 
accounted  for  partly  by  the  addition  to  the  fernery,  but  chiefly  to  the  bad  weather  at  the  beginning  of  the  year, 
which  killed  off  large  quantities  of  succulent  plants,  and  to  the  ravages  of  the  black  grub  among  the  bedding-out 
plants  in  November  and  December. 
750  plants  of  English  oak  and  100  Eucalyptus  were  set  out  on  the  patana  on  the  south  side  of  the  garden, 
and  most  of  these  have  grown,  but  as  the  plants  were  not  fenced  they  have  been  damaged  by  cattle  and  elk. 
Black  Caterpillars. — These  insects  have  been  much  more  destructive  this  year  than  usual.  Hand-picking 
seems  to  be  the  only  effectual  means  of  destroying  them.  In  this  way  hundreds  were  caught  nearly  every  morning 
during  the  months  of  November  and  December.  Burrowing  just  underneath  the  surface  of  the  ground  they  attack 
the  young  plants  and  bite  them  through  at  the  collar,  and  in  this  way  large  quantities  of  plants  have  been 
destroyed.  The  only  way  to  prevent  this  is  by  placing  round  each  plant  small  pieces  of  tin  or  zinc,  2j-  to  3 inches 
in  diameter  and  2 to  3 inches  in  depth,  and  fastening  them  together  by  a small  clip  formed  by  the  edges  being 
bent  back  so  as  to  slip  into  one  another. 
4. — Henaratgoda  Garden. 
This  branch  maintains  its  character  as  a well-managed  experimental  garden,  and  is  full  of 
plants  of  economic  interest,  most  of  which  are  doing  well. 
5. — Anuradhapura  Garden. 
The  remarks  made  last  year  on  the  growth  of  plants  in  this  garden  may  be  repeated.  Cacao 
of  the  Forastero  variety  was  fruiting  fairly  well  at  the  end  of  the  year,  shaded  by  Erythrina 
