November r, 1890.] 
Supplement to the “ Teopkal Agriculturist.^' 
387 
■ wi ■■irwowwawwiM 
INDIGENOUS FOOD PEODU CTS 
CULTR'ATED AND WILD. 
Dy AV. a. De Silva. 
31. IJri/ojj/ii/llum, Cahjdnum, Siilisl). Sin. 
Ahlinmna, Embulhim or Ratayowa. 
This is a succulent plant which grows in all 
parts of the Island np to high elevations, and it is 
a weed found both in cultivated and uncultivated 
places, growing to the height of from 3 to 5 feet, 
and bearing panicles of peculiarly-shaped flowers. 
Its stem is round, thin and green, and its interior 
is filled with a succulent pith. Prominent scars are 
left at the places where leaves are broken from 
the stem. The leaves are thick and succulent, 
of an elliptical shape, and having creniilated 
margins which are of a brownish red colour. 
The flowers, which are borne in large panicles, 
have a light gi-eenish-colonred long tubular calyx 
having a beautiful delicate ajipearance. Before 
opening, the whole flower is enclosed in this calyx. 
The corolla is of a deep red colour, and the flowers 
contain a sweet nectar. 
The leaves of this plant give out buds from 
their margins, and hence it propagates and spreads 
very (piickly. The hardiness and the ease with 
which these buds come up are so marked that even 
a leaf plucked from a plant and nailed to a wall 
gives out small plants. 
The leaves are of a sub-acid taste and are used in 
making salads as well as curries. The name 
Ratagowa has evidently been given to this plant, 
as its leaves are edible like that of the common 
gowa (cabbage). 
Myrtaceae. 
32. Enyenia AquenjJ^Yxnw. Sin. Jamhu. 
This is a tree commonly met with in the Island 
up to a high elevation. The trees attain some- 
what large deniensions. The stem is thick and 
round, and like most dicotyledonous trees it is 
much branched. The leaves are lanceolate, long, 
and dark green, witli entire margins ; and they 
have an acid taste. The flowers are large, often 
purjile, and contain a large number of stamens 
arranged in the fleshy calyx. Tlie fruits gro^y to 
the si/.e of an egg, and are white when unripe, 
but attain a reddish hue when fully ripe. The 
pericarp is of a fleshy nature and covers a seed the 
size of an ordinary marble. The fleshy pericarp 
is of an acid taste when raw, but the ripe fruits 
have a sweetish sour taste. The fruits are much 
eaten, and the flowers and sometimes the young 
leaves are also eaten by children. The fruit makes 
a v(‘ry good j)reserve. 
Tile juice of the green leaves of this plant is 
used in cases of dysentery by native medical practi- 
tioners, while the bark is also employed in mak- 
ing decoctions. 
3 . 3 . Ei(ymi(r/jpylaiiic(i. Sin. Mamnda. 
Isa medium-sized tree growing in the hot drier 
]>arts of the Island. This is very commonly met 
with in cinnamon land. The tree is much 
branched, and the loaves are lanceolate with 
acute apices and entire margins. The young 
leaves are ])ink-coloured and give a very pleasing 
ajiiiearance to the trees. The flowers are small 
with glandiilose calyices, and the fruits are about 
the size of jieas, and wliite. The iiericarp is Ih'shy 
and has a sweetish taste. Tliis is generally eaten 
by boys. Excejit for this trifling use this plant 
can hardly be classed as a food product. 
3-1. Eugenia Cavyophyllaen, AVight. Sin. Dan, 
This is a common shrub growing up to an 
elevation of 3,000 ft. It is generally met with on 
the sides of ditches nr rivers, or in marshy places. 
The shrubs grow from (i to 10 feet in height, 
and are covered from the Inise with branches. 
The leaves are elliptical with a prominent midrib 
of slightly dusty colour. The fruits are borne 
in clusters and are a little larger than peas ; 
they are green and hard when nnrijie ; but the 
ri])e fruits are soft and jet black, and when brniseil 
give a \ iolet colour. These fruits are eaten, and 
in some places they are even sold in markets. 
They have a slightly astringent sweetish taste. 
The bark and leaves are occasionally used in 
native medical practice. 
35. Eugenia, Jamholana, Lam. Sin. Afadan. 
This is a tree growing in the drier jjarts of 
Ceylon. It grows to a medium size and is 
generally common in cinnamon land, and land con- 
taining fine soil. The trees are much branched on 
the to]i. The leaves are green with prominent 
nerves, and are leathery, entii’e, and of an elliptical 
shape. The flowers resemble the other myrtaceous 
])lants. They bear oblong fruits about double 
the size of an ordinary pea. These when raw are of 
a green colour, butwhenripethey become jet black, 
giving a deep violet colour when bruised. A single 
tree bears nniny bushels of these fruits in a season 
which are relished much. They have a sweetish aro- 
matic taste. During the season they find a way 
into the markets. The timlier of this tree is hard 
and elastic, and is used for various purposes. It is 
said that it has been successfully tried as railway 
sleepers, and there is a movement on foot to plant 
them extensively for this jnirpose in A^ictoria. 
The bark contains a good deal of tannic acid, 
ainl has proved to be a good tanning material. 
The liark and the leaves are used medicinally by 
the native practitioners of Ceylon. It is stated 
that some German physicians have found out 
some remarkable properties in the seed, Avhich 
has proved to be a remedy for diabetes ; and 
experiments are being made to test its value as 
such more fully. 

CEA'LON BEE CULTURE. A'l. 
By Aba. 
Since writing my last article on tlie above 
subject, I Avas agreeably surprized to read in the 
Ceylon Oh^erver a A'ery interesting account 
of the domestication of the Bambara by Dir. J. 
IlolloAAuiy of AVattegama. That gentleman says 
that a SAvarm of the Bainlmra lived for niontiis 
in 1883 in a hive sent out from Germany and 
kept in the verandah of his house. lie also 
mentions a A’ery nearly snccessful attemjit to 
ini])ort the Bambara into Germany, Avhere it is 
said that a colony of this bee Avotdd be Avorth ,€'50. 
The fourth s])ecies of Ceylon bee is the IRma 
Veyiya, a tiny bee ladonging to (he Trigon.a?. 
This insect produces only a small tpiantity of 
honey, of rather an acid taste, Avhicb is used in 
native medicine. The combs are abotit 4 or 5 
inches in circumference, and are Imilt iii the 
holloAvs of trees, crevice.s of rock.-;, buildings, 
