ROYAL BOTANIC GAEDENS. 
EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR FOR 1901. 
1. — General. 
The organization of the Department upon modern lines has continued, and is becoming fairly 
mplete in the case of two of the three main subdivisions which are proposed, the Scientific and the 
jtanic and Horticultural Gardens Divisions. The third, or Division of Experimental Gardens, is as 
st only under consideration, but it is hoped that it may soon be oi"ganized. The Scientific Division, 
hich includes the Director, Mycologist, Entomologist, Chemist, and Assistant, is charged with the 
ientific investigation of the flora of Ceylon, both indigenous and introduced, with special reference to 
e economic uses of the plants and the diseases that attack them. The work of this division includes 
e upkeep and working of the laboratories, library, herbarium, and museum, tours in the Island for the 
ady of plants, cultivations, and diseases, the giving of advice and assistance in all such matters to 
ficials and cultivators, personally and by letter, and, most important of all, the continual cari-ying on 
researches upon the physiology and pathology of plants, their structure, distribution, and other 
ibjects. Successful practical applications of science must be based upon thorough scientific investi- 
itions ; such work is laborious and needs long periods of time, and it is of the greatest importance that 
.e scientific officers should have the greater portion of their time at their disposal for such work. 
h.e appointments of the Entomologist and Mycologist in particu.lar have met with much appreciation, 
id their help is so constantly sought that a very great part of their time is taken up witli personal 
sits, interviews, and correspondence. In the past year a great amount of work has been carried out 
jT' these officers, whose repoi'ts are given below, and the result of their work is becoming clearly 
)parent in the greater freedom from disease of many districts and estates. The Colony has on the 
hole been free from any very serious epidemics of disease during the year, and the agricultural public 
is become much more alive to the advantage of keeping a sharp look out for the first appearance of 
sease and of immediate treatment thereof. 
The Director and Chemist have completed an investigation into camphor and have published 
3ults, showing a fair possibility of this product laroving remunerative as a cultivation in Ceylon. It 
already being tried on several estates, and if it prove successful will add another to the few minor 
Dducts that are as yet cultivated in the tea districts. Investigations of citronella oil, indiarubber, and 
jier products have been continued. The good results of similar work in past years are now becoming 
sarent in the increasing export of, and the liigh prices obtained for, indiarubber and coca, both 
ijginally introduced by this Depai-tment, and which may now be looked upon as new minor industries 
iiCeylon. 
1 The Assistant has continued his researches into the mode of formation of ebony, calamander, 
ill similar timbers, and into the important problem of the formation of rings in tropical timbers. 
H has also explored the guttapercha-yielding districts of the south-west, and investigated our local 
^|ta-producing trees. Some of these have been found to yield a gutta in fair quantity by simple 
t£(|Ding, without its being necessary to sacrifice the tree. The gutta is not of good quality, but it is not 
iairobal)le that it may prove commercially valuable. 
, The Director has completed the investigation of the flora of the Maldive Islands, including the 
(-'uivated plants. The results have been published in the new scientific journal, the "Annals of the 
