( 3 ) 
It would greatly add to the beauty of the fernery if the undergrowth of the surrounding jungle was cut 
away, but with our present supply of labour we are unable to find time for this. 
In August a bed was made at the top of the fernery for the comparatively rare and striking red balsam, 
Tmpatiens Walker i. Plants of this curious species were brought from the Kamboda district, and 76 set out in the bed, 
where they are now doing well. 
Plant Sheds and Nurseries. — A large stock of useful and ornamental plants has been kept up, both for 
distribution and for the use of the Garden, but a good deal of this work is disappointing. There is but little demand 
for plants, yet a certain amount of stock must be kejjt up in case it is asked for ; thus a great number of plants soon 
grow out of hand and have to be thrown away, as the vote allowed for the Garden is not sufficient to enable us to 
prepare land and plant out any large quantity of duplicate plants. For instance, we have now between 2,000 and 
3,000 young oaks growing well in nursery beds, and the number is quite enough to form a respectable plantation as 
a trial. It was hoped to plant them out on the patana land above the Garden, but it has been found impossible to 
spare the labour necessary to prepare the land for them, wliich, if done at all, ought to be done well. This is only 
one instance of many, and it seems a pity that the trouble and labour, as in this case, of several years’ attention 
should have to be wasted. 
There were 487 pans of seeds sown, 49.400 seedling plants were pricked out or transplanted, 89,950 cuttings were 
put in in nursery and propagating house, and 6,372 plants were potted. Several beds of seeds were sown in the 
nursery, and some annuals in the open borders. 
Borders, Shruhheries, &c. — 54,500 plants of ornamental trees and shrubs and garden plants and annuals were 
set out during the year in beds, borders, and shrubberies, the majority of course being herbaceous plants and 
annuals ; and several new borders have been made. 
The rough and unsightly plot of ground immediately above the plant sheds was taken in hand in the early 
mouths of the year. The lower part was levelled to give room for the new propagating pit, and the low rough 
bank above was made even and turfed. 
All the undergrowth weeds and rubbish were cleared away from the plot of land below the herbaceous 
garden, and during the rains in August 17,300 roots of Paspaluin conjugatum were jdanted out in it. These are 
now growing well and will, it is hoped, soon form a nice green carpet. 
To the north of this a piece of land has been set off to form a rubbish and soil yard. The site is con- 
veniently suited for this purpose, but it will be necessary to hide it from view by a high hedge. This piece of 
land has five sides, and in order to give a trial to several plants a different kind has been planted on each side. The 
following plants and cuttings were put m : — Frenela rhomhoidea, English oak, Cryptomeria japonica, Duranta 
Plumieri, and Pittosporum undulatum. All have made a good start, and appear likely to answer tbe purpose well. 
Between the entrance to the fernery and the steps leading up to the office, a retaining wall, 71 ft. 
long and 3 ft. high, was built, to do away with the uneven crumbling bank that existed there. Sedums, 
Echeverias, Begonias, and other plants have been planted in the joints between the stones. This now forms a 
pretty bank. The border made at the top of this bank is planted with a line of Cineraria maritima, in a serpentine 
fashion, to form twenty-four spaces. The spaces in front are planted with different sorts of verbenas, and those at 
the back with varieties of geraniums. A row of golden feather is planted in front, and between this and at the 
top of the wall five kinds of ivy-leaf geranium. 
A row of box, 65 ft. long, has been planted on the west side of the carriage turn at the end of the flower 
garden. The plants are growing well and bid fair to make a good hedge. 
Along tbe lower side of the carriage drive from the corner of the new pond to the entrance gate plants of 
Cupressus macrocarpa have been planted out 12 ft. apart. These are intended to form an avenue to replace the 
scrubby-looking casuarinas now growing there. 
During the dry months, when the water in the lower pond was very low, the opportunity was taken of 
cleaning out a quantity of silt and to make another attempt to stop the leaks. A large trench was cut across the main 
road to allow the leaking water to escape, and another trench was opened at the back of the retaining wall to the 
depth of the leaks. This was then filled in with tempered clay, well rammed. The cracked joints in the face of the 
wall were cleaned out and filled in with cement concrete. This so far has answered well, and I trust will be a 
permanent success. 
When heavy falls of rain come the rush of water flushes over the edging and has several times caused great 
damage to the drive. To prevent this another course of bricks is required, which would turn the water to the 
mouth of the outlet. 
Turf verges, measuring 430 running yards, twelve inches wide, have been laid down along the sides of the new 
paths and the part of drive which was remade. 1,020 square yards of turf were laid down on banks and in flower 
garden. 
Flower Garden . — As the turf in the flower garden had become uneven and the beds more or less out of 
shape, it was found necessary to rearrange the whole. All the turf was taken off and the gi’ound levelled and 
returfed. It was then carefully rolled once a day (a handy iron roller being kindly lent by Mrs. Baker of Nuwara 
Eliya for this purpose) until it bad begun to grow freely, when a new design of twenty-nine beds was cut out in it. 
These beds were thoroughly prepared and raised to tbe proper level, and in December were all planted with 
various showy plants. 
Rose Garden . — The rose plants have done very much better this year. Towards the middle of August all 
the plants were pruned down close. The soil was removed down to the roots, and those that were too low were 
lifted up and fresh soil placed among and over the roots. A good dressing of leafmould and ashes, with six cart- 
loads of well-decomposed manure, was then laid on the surface and pointed in. After this treatment they began to 
grow freely and towards the end of September they were in good bloom. No less a quantity than 4,320 buds and 
expanded blooms, in 87 varieties, were counted on the 171 plants on September 30, one plant of Lamarque having 
675 on it. There was also a good show of I’oses in the early part of June, 76 varieties being out at the same time, 
and the blooms wore of good colour and substance. 
