( ^ ) 
Ballardie, Mrs. Grinlinton, Miss McLaren, and Miss Layard, and Messrs. C. H. Bagot, F. Bayley, D. F. 
Browne, N. G. Campbell, J. Cotton, G. de Saram, J. Ferguson, E. Hamlin, T. C. Huxley, A. J. Kellow, 
R. M. Knight, A. C. Lawrie, G. E. Miller, E. Mortimer, J. Regan, H. B. Roberts, J. H. Starey, F. H. 
Stephens, E. J. Thwaites, R. Wardrop, J. Wickwar, E. P. Willisford, and J. P. William Bros. 
We have, as usual, distributed from the Gardens, free of charge, large quantities of plants 
and seeds to public departments, places, and persons throughout the Colony, viz.: — The Queen's 
House at Colombo, the Pavilion at Kandy, and Queen's Cottage at Nuwara Eliya ; the Municipalities 
of Colombo and Kandy ; the Go vernment Agents of Batticaloa and Ratnapura ; the Assistant Agents 
of Matale and Kegalla ; the Director of Public Works and the Public Works Officers at Kandy, 
Batticaloa, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Katugastota, Mihintale, Haldummulla, Dikoya, and Haputale ; the 
Principal Civil Medical Officer, Colombo, and the Hospital and Dispensaries at Kandy, Nuwara 
Eliya, Hanguranketa, Kalmunai, and Maturata ; the Assistant Conservators of Forests at Ratnapura 
and Kurunegala ; the Postmastei', Maskeliya ; the Railway Stations at Nanu-oya, Gampola, Matale, 
Veyangoda, Henaratgoda, Hunupitiya, and Katukurunda ; the " Happy Valley " Mission, Hajjutale : 
the Agricultural Instructor, Nildandahinna : and the Churchyards at Nuvv^ara Eliya and Wattegama. 
I have, under the head of Receipts, given a statement of the estimated value (at our ordinary rates) 
of these gratuitously distributed plants, &c., which ought to be taken into consideration in estimating 
the amount of saleable produce sent out from the Gardens. 
8. — Additions to the Collections. 
As is seen by the following lists, my visit further East resulted in the acquisition of several 
interesting plants, which have been for too long desiderata, in Ceylon. Some of these I brought 
back here with me, and others have been since received. 
For the lai-ge additions to our collection of orchids we are again mainly intlebted to Messrs. 
Sander, of St. Albans. 
The sum at my disposal for the purchase of plants has been expended on a large collection 
of plants (including many roses) from Messrs. Cannell ; a large collection of seeds from Messrs. 
Haage and Schmidt, of Erfurt ; and a further selection of plants and seeds from Japan from Mr. 
Boehmer, of Yokohama. Most of these pui-chases were for Hakgala Garden. (In the following list 
for that Garden the large collection of temperate ferns was purchased from Messrs. Veitch in 1890, 
but the consignment sent in that year having nearly all died eii route, Messrs. Veitch kin(.lly sent a 
duplicate series during the past year.) 
[Then follows the list of plants acquired.] 
9. — Notes on Economic Plants. 
Tea. — An enormous increase of more than million lb. over last year's export — much 
exceeding all expectations — has been witnessed during 1891, the total export being no less than 
68,27-i,-J:20 lb. This greatly increased yield has doubtless been largely due to the continuous rain- 
fall of the year. It cannot be regarded as altogether an unmixed benefit, as there seems to be no 
doubt that the quality has often suffered from the great difficulty experienced in properly withering 
the leaf. Prices ranged considerably lower than in 1890 for the greater part of the year, the average 
for the whole being estimated at a little less than lOd. per lb. 
The hitherto extraordinarily rapid progress of the exports from Ceylon may no^v be expected 
to be considerably less marked ; we have also now reached the point when an extension of existing 
markets has become essential to the industry. It is satisfactory to note that the Australian ports 
took 3,210,598 lb. during the year, an inci'ease of nearly three-quarter million lb.; and that to 
German and Austrian ports a direct export of 237,299 lb. has taken place, showing a commencing 
taste foi- Ceylon tea on the European continent. It is noted that in England for the first time the 
year showed a larger consumption of Ceylon than of China tea, the figures being roughly .31 
against 49 million lb. 
As a whole, the condition of the plantations remains excellent. In a few places, where 
planting was done on shallow soil in worn-out coffee estates, the bushes have shown a tendency to 
die back when the roots have reachotl an impervious bed of rock ; biit considering the rapidity with 
which whole districts were planted u]) with this product, it is rather a subject for astonishment 
that so generally high a standard of healthy trees has resulted. I regret to notice that He/opelfis 
has been doing a little damage in some low-country estates, but nowhere has this pest assumed any 
serious proportions. 
Coffee. — There is no change to report in tlie position ot this cultivation in Ceylon. The 
export, 82,324 cwt., is mucli tiie same as in 1890, and the crop, so far as estate cotVee is concerned. i.s 
mostly derived from ihv east of the Island. 
I am however, since my visit to Java, lunw ihau eviT ut o|iiniiiii iliat ilie c-ulti\ation of 
Liberian coffee in Cevlon was too hastilv alKindoiu'il, ami wduM lie siill a )>r(iliiable onv. 
