July i, 1890.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
29 
Her23esth Jfonniewr. — Dutt states that this plant is 
considered to be a nervine tonic, and as such is useful 
in insanity and epilepsy. Ainslie says that it is 
diuretic and aperient and is serviceable in cases of 
dysuria accompanied with constipation. 
Adiantum lumdatum. — Used by the Mahometans of 
India as a substitute for the ordinary maidenhair of 
Europe, and is employed as a deobstruent and resolvent. 
Jatropha alanduLifera. — The oil of the seeds of this 
plant is used as an application to ringworm, chronic 
ulceration, etc. An account of its properties was pub- 
lished in the Journal cle Pharmade, [8], xl,, p. 16. 
Calotropis gigantea. — The flowers of this Ascle- 
piadaceous plant are used in cough, asthma, catarrh and 
loss of appetite. The bark of the same plant is used as 
on alterative, and is said to promote the various secre- 
tions of the body, and hence to be useful in skin disease, 
dropsy, etc. 
Asafcetida. — The tears sent are slated by Dr. Dymock 
to be the largest he has ever seen. — Pharmaceutico.1 
Journal. 
♦ 
EBPORT ON THE ROYAL BOTANIC 
GARDEN, PERADENIYA, NEAR KANDY. 
{By the late Dr. IF. C. Ondaatje, Acting Botanical 
Superintendent, 1st June 1843.) 
{Continued from page 9.) 
Myristica Officinalis, Linn. — The nutmeg is now 
covered with Rower and fruit, and I have been 
already able to raise a pretty good number of 
seedlings (about 180) from the ripe fruits. 
The nutmegs are of an excellent flavour. 
Caryophyllus Aromaticus, Linn. — Clove trees are 
likewise growing remarkably well, and are all at 
this moment in full bearing. A vast number of 
seedings have been obtained, and there are still 
a great many available at the Garden. 
Amomiim Gardamomum, Linn. — Cardamom plants 
are found here growing since the days of Mr. Moon. 
The Cardamom they jproduce is of an excellent 
quality, and I have no doubt will always find a 
ready market. 
Eugenia Pimenta, D. C. — Allspice succeeds 
well. 
Melaleuca Cajuputi, Roxb. Croton Tiglium, 
Linn. — Melaleuca Cajuputi, a well known and use- 
ful medicinal plant grows remarkably well, and 
has been introduced into this Garden from the 
Hon’ble Company’s Botanic Garden, Calcutta. Croton 
Tiglium, Linn., a native of this Island, promises 
to be of much medicinal use, it only extensively 
cultivated, 
Janipha Manihot, H. B. K. — Janipha Manihot, a 
plant from which the Tapioca is made, thrives 
well here. 
Datura Stramonium, Linn. — Datura Stramonium, 
(In Singhalese, Itatta atana, Rata signifies .foreign) 
grows in the Garden remarkably well, and I have 
seen several plants in the neighbourhood of Kandy 
growing wild with much vigour and luxuriance. 
Theobroma Cacao, Linn. — The Chocolate plant 
grows exceedingly well, and with very little care ; 
— Seedlings also of this plant shoot up spontaneously 
about the Garden; its beans, when prepared like 
Coffee, make an excellent drink, so that the well 
chosen name of “ food of the gods” by which the 
illustrious Linnieus has designated it, holds good 
in the case of our own pilants. 
Vanilla Aromatica, — The sweet Vanilla is found 
in Peraderia on some of its noble hills; but I 
am sorry to state that it does not thrive so well 
in the Botanic Garden, as in its own locality. 
IFest Indian. Yam {.Inim Sp.)— “West Indian 
Yam” grows abundantly in the place, it is ex- 
cellent in quality and if only known as it ought 
to be, it will, I think, supersede the potatoe. 
Mauritius Sugar Cane, Coffea Arabica, Linn , — 
It is very easily cultivated. Mauritius Sugar Cane 
grows well. I merely allude to this as it is a well 
known fact in this country. Several portions of 
the Garden are covered with Coffee plants, most 
of which are noiv in full bearing, and all ap- 
plicants are most liberally supplied with seedlings. 
The Coffee is most excellent in quality and 
equal to the very best kind. 
Sansevicra. Zeylanica. — Among plants producing 
vegetable fibre, the Sanseviera, Zeylanica, Linn, 
is deserving of particular attention, as it yields a 
very strong and durable cordage. 
Sago and Date Palms . — The Sago and Date Palms 
grow well here, but as Ceylon is a country which 
is so remarkable for its fine majestic Palms, I 
need perhaps hardly notice the circumstance. 
Tobacco . — 1 have recently succeeded in raising 
seedings from the Jibelee and Roiosa Tobacco 
seeds kindly given to me by Dr. Williiam Griffith, 
the able Superintendent of the Honble Company’s 
Botanic Garden, Calcutta. 
3. The Improvements I have been effecting . — In 
the third place I beg leave to call His Excellency’s 
attention to the improvements I have been effecting. 
One of the first things, to which my attention 
was called after I had taken charge. of the Garden, 
was the putting in order the cultivated part, which 
I have almost succeeded in accomplishing. 
I am also engaged in collecting chiefly from the 
jungles, the greatest number of species of inidigenous 
plants and arranging them, as far as practicable, ac- 
cording to the “Natural Order,” a system of great 
importance in every Botanic Garden, but which 
does not appear to have been generally adopted 
here. 
It would seem however from the regular' ar- 
rangements, of some plants, that the late Mr. Moon 
conducted his operations, to a certain extent, ac- 
cording to the Linncean system of classification. 
One great advantage of collecting together native 
plants will be the opportunity which will thus be 
afforded of examining and ascertaining, with the 
greatest facility and precision, their various pro- 
perties and qualities, and it is perhaps the more 
necessary to do this, as I have good reasons to 
believe that this Island contains many plants which 
may serve the purposes of Commerce, and the Tech- 
nical Arts, and be used as Mordants, also inMediciiie. 
Appropriation of apiece of ground as a Medico- 
Botanic Garden. — Considering the greaty utility of 
indigenous medicinal plants, and encouraged by cer- 
tain works recently published at Calcutta and Madras, 
on the subject of Indian Botany and Materia Medica, 
I have devoted an extent of 5 acres of land for such 
plants. 
There are not a few drugs of this country that 
may be substituted for those of Europe, which are 
costly, difiicultly obtained, and very often are found 
to be inert from having been kept long. 
A few instances in proof of this observation may 
here be adduced. The Hemidesmus Indicus, R. Br. 
an excellent substitute for the Sarsaparilla, nay I am 
bound to say (as I have known its virtue practically) 
it is even to be preferred to the Sarsaparilla itself. 
In India this is extensively used with success, and 
the opinion of the Faculty in Calcutta is much in 
its favor.* Witness again the bitter tonic, f Coc- 
culus Cordifoiius, I). O, In Plumbago Zeylanica, 
Linn, a plant of this Island, we have a blistering 
*■ By desire of the Medical Board of Bengal, the 
Hon’ble Company’s Dieptnaary has been supplied with 
131 maunds of the root of the Hemidesmus from 
the Calcutta Botanic Garden. 
Hemidesmus indicus, in Singhalese Irmns, in Tamul 
Nannare vair, in Bengalle. Annite Mul. 
t This may .supply the place of the Quassia. 
