luNfi  T, 
Till*:  TROPICAL  AGRlCUL'rURIS  r. 
853 
THANKS  TO  TIIK  CIIAIUMAN. 
Mr.  John  Fkiiouson  saM  before  they  separated 
a liearty  vote  of  lliatiks  to  tlie  Cliairmaii  for 
p esidiiiy  would,  lie  felt  sure,  be  approved  of. 
The  histoiy  of  the  Ceylon  I'ea  Plantations  Coiu- 
jiany  was  not  only  a ereJil  to  tlis  Tea  Paiter- 
pnse  in  Ceylon,  but  had  tended  to  the  iirospi'rity 
of  the  eoiuiminity,  and  had  undoubtedly  siieipi;- 
thened  the  credit  of  the  Colony  at  iar;.;e.'  (Hear, 
hear)  ; and  to  Mes.srs.  Jtulheiford  and  Talliot 
more  than  any  others  were  due  its  continued 
succes.s. 
Mr.  Alkx.  P>j;ookk  (of  Mes.sre.  J.  .A.  Jfadden 
& Co.)  .seconded  the  proi>osal,  which  he  felt  sure 
would  be  earned  by  acclamation.  (Applause.) 
THE  KOVAL  KOTANIC  GAllUEN 
KEPOKTS. 
The  yearly  reports  issued  by  the  Director  of  the 
Royal  Botanic  Dardens,  Peradeniya,  are  not,  I think, 
(liute  creditable  prodnctious— scarcely  worthy  of 
our  splendid  Gardens  and  not  altogether  what  the 
public  seem  to  have  a right  to  expect.  They  may 
serve  the  purpose  of  showing  the  Government  how 
the  little  money  is  expended,  but  beyond,  this  the 
information,  as  a rule,  is  very  meagre,  and  to  the 
general  public  the  details  are  trite  and  dry  to  a 
tedious  degree.  Compared  with  the  periodical  reports 
from  many  a less  favoured  locality  the  documents  are 
decidedly  uuiuteresting.  Take  Jamaica  or  Trinijad 
for  instance,  where  Mr.  Hart  tluovvs  his  whole  heart 
into  his  suoject,  the  result  is  an  iuteresiiiig  and 
instructive  report  read  and  admired  not  only  all 
over  the  West  Indies  but  by  every  lover  of  tropical 
botany  and  practical  planter  in  the  Tropical  World. 
Ill  addiiion  to  this,  Mr.  Hart  edits  a Monthly 
Dulletin  ol  miscelianoous  iniormation,  which  treats 
of  every  product  in  which  tho  planter  is  specially 
interested,  and  chronicles  in  chaeiy  style  the  re- 
sults ot  careful  experiments  in  cultivation. 
Our  Peradeniya  reports  are  rather  too  much  taken 
up  by  complaints  as  to  the  poverty  of  the  soil  and 
peuuriousness  of  the  Government.  More  money, 
more  money,  is  the  cry;  and  yet  they  suggest  that 
it  is  beneath  their  dignity  to  continue  selling  plants 
to  the  public  ! 
While  fully  sympathising  with  tho  talented  Director 
under  present  circumstances,  and  remembering  with 
admiration  the  labours  of  Dr.  Thwaites  and  the  legacies 
left  to  us  by  Gardner  and  Moon,  yet,  looking 
hopefully  as  1 do  to  the  future  possibilities  of  Pera- 
deufya,  1 am  constrained  to  think  that  much  more 
might  be  made  ol  such  a maguificeut  subject  than  we 
have  been  accustomed  to  receive. 
Here  is  a garden  ol  150  acres,  formed  from  the  very 
cream  of  the  Central  Province  in  a moderately  moist, 
forcing  and  delightfully  equable  climate — a garden 
in  which  some  l.UOU  species  of  the  choicest  plants 
on  earth  luxuriate  and  all  this  not  only  rent  free 
but  siiosidised  to  the  extent  of  about  R50,000.  And 
yet  they  complain  ! 
Shades  of  poor  Tom  Edwards,  Dick  and  Duncan, 
what  a paradise  this  would  have  been  for  yon  ! 
1 have  said  that  too  much  of  the  report  is  taken 
up  with  trivial  matters.  Last  year  we  had  the  compiler 
gravely  exercised  over  the  traspass  of  cattie,  though 
such  IS  the  admirable  situation  of  this  Eaeu  that 
the  only  vulnerable  portion  might  be  protected  by  a 
few  bundled  yards  ot  baroed  wire  or  prickly  hccige. 
Last  3 ear  a lew  ambitious  ferns  had  grown  on  tiie 
top  of  the  monument  erected  to  the  memory  of  Mr. 
Gardner,  and  the  removal  of  these  is  thought  worthy 
of  special  notice.  Again,  we  read  that  “ much  labour 
is  annually  expended  upon  the  extensive  tract  of 
these  grounds  known  as  the  Old  Arboretum,  in  weed- 
ing, pruning  and  planting,  but  we  are  unable  to 
make  much  impressions  on  its  wild  character.” 
Would  it  be  too  much  to  expect  that  a few  plots 
might  he  utilized  heie  in  away  to  add  considerably 
to  the  income  of  the  establishment  while  adding  to 
the  interest  of  visitors  V Say  10  acres  of  cacao  of 
sorts ; do.  Liberian  Collee,  do.  Cocoa,  I see  nothing 
derogatory  to  the  dignity  of  even  the  Royal  Botanic 
Gardens  in  this  while  I could  foresee  RIO, 000  profit 
amuially.  Iia  the  Royal  Gardens,  Port  of  Spain,  one 
sees  little  plots  of  remunerative  Cacao,  and  coffee  with 
model  little  appliances  showing  the  planters  and 
others  how'  it  ought  to  bo  done.  Are  weatigether 
aoove  this  sort  of  thing  in  Ceylon  ? Too  proud  to 
eirn  or  too  conceited  to  learn.— Cor. 
INTEKESTING  PLANTING  NOTES. 
(finite  a severe  drought,  is  again  the  report  from 
most  of  tlie  uii  c.onntry  districts  this  week,  to  the 
aiiNiety  and  diseomlitiire  of  all  wdio  risked  idanlim' 
with  the  first  April  rains.  In  Balangoda  for  instance 
tlie  iilants  are  .said  to  look  soniewdiat  shaky. 
Here  too  the  wind  has  already  began  to  blow  so 
sirongly  (hat  one  feels  thankful  for  the  precau- 
iion  ot  slieltcr  belts.  On  the  upper  ridges  of  this 
district  iiarlicnlarly,  the  Soutli-Wcst  i.s  ushered 
in  with  huriicane  force,  reminding  one  of 
M'ilson's  bungalow— the  New'  Galway  of  today 
and  poor  Janies  Wyllie  wdio,  on  being  asked  by 
his  \’.A.  on  tlie  morning  after  a terrific  ni»lit 
wliat  he  thought  of  it  reidied  “ On  .siicl'i 
nights  as  these  1 simidy  cover  my  liead  with  the 
lilaiikets  and  thank  God  I am  not  the  proprietor.” 
Wliat  a change  wlien  we  got  over  the  ridge  into 
Dikoya  ! Here  it  has  also  been  dry  durin<>'  the 
w-eek,  but  no  wind  to  speak  of  and  plenty  iTusli. 
Enrtlier  down  the  A'aUey  into  Ambegamuwa  proper', 
all  is  now  dam])  and  dreary  the  thick  mists  drift- 
ing up  from  Kelani,  and  tlie  Hush  somewdiat 
checked  for  want  of  sunshine. 
Upper  Dinibula  reports  fine  weather  and  first- 
rate  ilnsh,  tlie  total  rainfall  for  the  week  beiim 
only  T3  and  the  mean  temperature  70'A  Coolies 
come  dropping  in  from  the  coast  but  not  in  sueb 
numbers  as  to  meet  requirements  and  by  no 
means  in  iiroiiortion  to  tbe  advaiice.s  sent.  Plan- 
ters are  beginning  to  [mil  long  faces  over  this 
labour  question. 
The  “ Perlie  Kanin  ” coolie  has  cropped  up  in 
Matale  East  and  threatened  to  assault  the  mana- 
ger of  Dangkande  estate  who  very  properly' ran 
tlie  ra.scal  in.  The  marvel  is  that  Laurie  could 
restrain  himself. 
Like  Balangoda  this  district  of  Matale  East  has 
begun  its  annual  blow.  And  in  this  respect  the 
locality  of  Moncrietl'  can  give  odds  against  most 
places  and  yet  look  at  the  tea  giving  60U  lb. 
per  acre  all  round  ! Those  w ho  doubt  that  there 
is  vigour  in  the  soil  of  this  famous  old  district 
should  sec  the  Grevillea  trees  planted  a year  ao'o 
now  15  feet  in  lieigiit.  ° 
Better  than  Klang  moss  pots  tliis,— tliomdi  bv 
the  w ay  peat  w'as  the  only  cliectual  cure'’  ever 
found  for  jiotato  blight.  Migiit  it  not  also  with- 
stand the  nearly  allied  leaf  bliglu  'l~Cor. 
\\-  • XI  , 1st. 
W e are  now  passing  tlirongb,  that  interval  of 
weather,  wlueli  iirecedes  the  big  Eouth-West 
Monsoon.  “ The  rain  it  raineth  every  dav  ” 
acconi])auied  by  lightning  and  thunder.  Yesterday 
at  early  morn,  1 roamed  over  some  of  the 
high  pateiias  about  here ; the  Monaragalla  raiu^e 
ol  mils  wore  a veil  of  deep  blue;  the  hills  of 
the  Bmteiine  low'  lands  were  dark  looking  with 
misty  clouds  between  them,  not  a breach  of 
wind  refreshed  the  mountain  climber.  Above  were 
long  broan  streaks  of  sky  blue,  with  fleecy  clouds 
but  no  movement  of  any  kind  above  me  or  below’ 
The  very  birds  forgot  to  warbling  nature  wa.s 
in  a dreamy  mood,  and  one  could  not  heln 
contrasting  the  festive  scene  in  country  lanes- 
in  the  old  c.mntry  on  a fine  May  rnornino-  and 
the  fragrance  of  the  liedgei'ow'  hawtJioriie’,  and 
