<A MONTHLY. 
Vol, XX. 
COLOMBO, JULY 2nd, 1900. 
No. 1. 
"PIONEERS OF THE PLANTING ENTERPRISE IN CEYLON." 
{Ihird Series.) 
The Late HENRY TRIMEN, 
F.R.S., F.L.S., M.B., &C. 
HERE can be no difference of 
opinion as to the claim of the 
late "Dr. Trimen" — to quote 
the title by which he was 
nniversally known and es- 
teemed in Ceylon — to a place 
in the portrait gallery and 
biographical series of our 
Tropical Agriculturist. His predecessor, Dr. 
Thwaites, has already been duly noticed ; but 
Dr. Trinien, while an equally accomplished scien- 
tist, did far more in tiie direction of economic 
botany in Ceylon, and it was his fortune to watch 
the decay of Cojf'ea Arahica and to encourage 
the succeeding industries in Cinchona and Cacao, 
and above everything to do all in his power to 
promote the success of our present staple Tea, 
The Annual Reports on the Roy.al Botanic Gardens, 
for which he was responsible, were models of 
■what such Reports should be, and especially 
were they full and practical in their treatment 
of new economic products as may be judged 
from the many extracts we have embodied in the 
Planting and Agricultural Review of our " Ceylon 
Handbook and Directory." He was also a fre- 
quent contributor to our monthly periodical, the 
convenience and usefulness of which he much prized, 
and he never failed to give a prompt reply to the 
many letters of enquiry as to plant troubles, or 
experimental culture, made to him by us on behalf 
of planters up and down, and even from beyond, 
the Island, A more obliging official, more attentive 
correspondent, or more pleasant friend and genial 
man than Dr. Trimen never came to Ceylon, 
Apart from our own personal experience, we are 
simply echoing the very high opinion entertained 
by such competetit judges as the late A. M. Ferguson, 
C.M.G., and W. Ferguson, F.I/..S. ; whicli his subor- 
dinates — native as well as European — were deeply 
attached to iiim. 
With so much by way of preface, we will now 
proceed to extract from the " Journal of Botany" 
for December, 1896, the brief bat appreciative 
memoir written by the editor, Mr. James Britten, 
F.L.S., Senior Assistant Department of Botany, 
British Museum (Natural History) South Kensing- 
ton. Dr. Trimen himself had been editor of this 
Botanical periodical at one time and it was very 
fitting therefore that justice should have been done 
to his career and memory in its pages, as follows : — 
IN MEMORY OF HENRY TRIMEN. 
(WITH rORTRAIT.'') 
Henry Trinien was born on October 26t^h, 1843, a 
3, Park Place Villas, Paddington, London. He waa 
educated at King's College, London, firstly in the 
school and subsequently on the medical side of the 
College. Very early in life he showed a strong 
animals and plants with much ardour. His elder 
* We are indebted fo! a supply of thif portrait 
to the printers of the "Journal of Botany." 
