(■ 6 ) 
SCIENTIFIC ASSISTANTS REPORT. 
During the past year my time has been spent investigating several braviches of c- -onoxnic botan; 
and for convenience the report is arranged under separate headings. 
Ehony. — The work on Ceylon species of Diospyros has been continue'l, and I have uom' succet ie 
in obtaining samples of every species known in this Island, together with material from India, Chin 
Malaya, Australia, and the Andaman Islands. A comparative account of the value of ebony from a 
countries is being prepared, and to ensure completeness I shall be very grateful if any one interests 
will forward specimens of any species of ebony whenever possible. In Ceylon, by direct observatioi 
in the forest, two species have been found, which, though ordinarilj' regarded as of little value, ai 
capable of producing an ebony which certainly comes second to calamander in point of beauty ai. 
hardness. These species (Z). oocarpa, Thw., and D. afjfinis, Thw.) are not found in the wet zones, bi 
occur, often in abundance, in the intermediate and dry zones of Cejdon. 
The greater part of my work has, however, been spent in the forests of the wet zone, and here 
have been able to find abundance of calamander trees in ja.ower and fruit, together with quantities 
material of several of our rarest species. One species of ebony (D. opposiiifuUa, Thw.) is limited 
the upper part of a hill in the Southern Province, and the timber from it was associated by pa 
botanists with that of calamander. I regret that such is not the case, the timber being, when fresh 
felled, of a dirty white colour and the centre of the stem invariably hollow. Furthermore, the al)un 
ance of parenclayma, the presence of wide medullary rays, and the large-lumined water-couductii 
elements which characterize this species proA'e it to be of poor value when compared with oth 
Diospyros timbers. 
Seeds of every Ceylon species have been obtained, propagation by layeiing and cuttings has be( 
effected, and we have now a representative collection of the Ceylon Diospyros growing in these garder 
The flowers, hitherto regarded as mainly dioecious (i.e., male and female on different treef 
have been studied fiom fresh material in the forest, and in this branch of work many interesting fa( 
of purely systematic value have been obtained. Though in Ceylon we have only twenty species 
Diospyros, yet at least nine of them show a departure from the dioecious condiiion. Some are mon< 
cious only, others monoecious or dioecious, and others are dioecious or polygamous. The complicat 
relations determined for the different species show how inadequate an account may be which is bas 
on examination of herbarium material alone, and the necessity to work out questions concerning t 
morphology of the flower in the forests. 
Many flowers and fruits have been found which are new to science, Imt an account 
them, together with remarks on the evolution of sex in Ceylon species of Diospyros, will be puljlish 
elsewhere. 
Guttapercha. — On the suggestion of the Director, an investigation into the yield of gut 
percha from Ceylon species of PaJaquium was instituted. This work has been done almost entire 
in the forests of the wet zone, and up to the present some eight species of Saputacece have be 
experimented with. 
The results from two species of PaJaquium, viz., P. petiolare, Engl., and P. grande, Engl., ha 
been satisfactory. The yield of guttapercha from these species exceeded all expectations, since in po 
of quantity it was in excess of the latex yield from Para rubber trees in Ceylon. Furthermore, thert 
no necessity to fell the tree as is done in Malaya, and though they are of slow growth, they constan 
bear abundance of fruit. 
Samples of the guttapercha have been prepared in various waj's, and should the analytical rep^ 
upon them prove encouraging, there will be no difliculty in collecting several hitndreds of seeds a 
seedlings from the districts investigated. 
Seeds of many other sapotaceous plants have been received from all parts of the world, an( 
comparative account of the nature and development of the laticiferous sj'Stem in them is now bei 
arranged. 
Medicinal Plants— X revised account of the medicinal plants now growing in Ceylon is bei 
prepared. Large experimental plots have been started, and an analysis is being made of the occurren 
quantity, and nature of the chemical bodies to which the medicinal properties are due. 
General. — An analysis of the tea plant is being made in conjunction with Mr. Kelway Bamb 
and the results obtained, particularly with reference to the occurrence and qtiantity of the enzyi 
tannin, and starch, the value of certain tests, and the relation of percentage of enzyme to flavour, \s 
soon bo [)]aced before the planting community. B 
OtJjer subjects, such as the comparative value of Ceylon timbers, nitrogen nodules on EntaA 
scandens, observations on Dracaina rejiexa, cleistogamy in Ruellia tuherosa, the botany of Hinidijj 
kanda, and tlx- deveIo])ment of san'lalwood trees, have received much attention during the past yearB 
HERBERT WRIGHT I 
