<A MONTHLY. I>* 
7:,, 
XXIII. 
COLOMBO, MAECH 1st, 1904. 
No. 9. 
VilGETABLES ON TEA GARDENS. 
HOW TO GEOW THEM. 
A Paper read before the LinJcerpore Valley Societij of 
Planters by J. Norman Ross. 
( n CTf-ffls^' C_^>^^ '~1 \-^^^ paper on "Vegetables all 
!l«^^^n v^r^J} the year and how to grow them" 
'Jfd-vrii ifWiM alihough not directly connected 
with tea, is, I consider, an im- 
portant side issue from several 
pointa of view, for it is wel' 
known that good vegetables, 
properly cooked, are one of the 
best foods we can eat to 
keep in good health. We should endeavour to 
grow the most suitable varieties to have a supply 
all the year round, and with a little care and super- 
vision this is not difficult. Do not rely on your Mali, 
for however good a man he may be, unless he is care- 
fully watched, he will be sure to do something ex- 
traordinary, and probably leave you without vege- 
tables for a month or two at a time when they would 
be moat acceptable ! I consider a large vegetable 
garden should be kept on every tea garden, for after 
the bungalowa have been supplied, the surplus vege- 
tables are very much .ippreciated by the coolies aa 
they are very keen for tarcarri, especially towards 
the end of the week when their bazaar anppliea are 
finished, and I find it causes good feeling between 
us to give them what there is to spare. To maintain 
a large garden appeals at first sight very expensive, 
especially in the cold weather when the English 
varieties of vegetables are chiefly grown and laree 
quantities of water are required, which has sometimes 
to bo carried a long distance ; but any extra ex- 
penditure under this head can often be considerably 
reduced in the following somewhat novel manner. 
Some years ago I planted a plot of sugarcane, intended 
for the garden ponies, but I soon found out that the 
coolie children were also very fond of it, and large 
numbers used to come almost every evening for a 
stick. The arrangement was : to make them bring 
a kulsie of water for the vegetable garden before 
giving them any ; and afterwards I found they were 
quite willing to bring two or three leps in return 
for a piece of cane, and in this manner I was able 
tD give the whol? garden a good watering every 
second day. Another thing 1 fouud out was that I 
coxild get the children to catch more insects for 
two pice and a stick of sugarcane than I conld for 
four pice previously, so that the sugarcane harri/ 
not only pays for itself, but catches insects and 
waters the vegetable garden as well. Sugarcane is 
easily grown, being raised from layers ; one stick cut 
into sections of two joints each wiil pro3uce six or 
eight plants which, when large enough, should be 
planted out in rows about two feet apart, the same 
space being allowed between the plants. After 
planting, only two light hoes are required during the 
year, and with a dressing of old manure and lime 
every season, the plants will last fron six to ten 
years before requiring renewal. The lime is necessary 
as the cane is very sul>ject to white ants and borers. 
VARIETIES OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 
The following varieties of fruits and vegetables are 
those most easily grown and generally found in small 
gardens, but there are many others which, with a 
little extra attention, give good results, and are 
much appreciated either for their rarity or special 
qualities. With regard to root crops, such as beet, 
carrots, and turnips, it should always be remem- 
bered to sow them in drilh aud thiu out when ready, 
and never transplant, for when trausplanted they be- 
come stringy and are not nearly so good as when 
grown direct from seed. Tbis remuik also applies to 
onions; but leeks, I fi'id dj batter when transplanted, 
A space in the vegetable garden should always be 
reserved for pines, the best tinit we have here, 
for by being planted in the vegetable garden they 
are more easily picteoted from jackals. A jackal 
will break iti way through barbed wire fences inter- 
laced with bamboos, to obtain pineapples, aud will 
often eat or destroy ten or twelve in a single night. 
To get good large fruit, the largest suckers should be 
selected and planted four feet by three in a well 
manured and deeply trenched piece of ground. They 
should be planted very firmly, aud do not need any 
