r. 
.(  5 ) 
4.— Henaratgoda  Garden. 
The  Arachchi  in  charge,  Mr.  S.  de  Silva,  is  justifying  his  recent  promotion  from  Anuradha- 
pura,  and  is  carrying  on  his  new  duties  with  energy  and  intelligence.  Cattle  trespass  is  still  a 
great  trouble  here,  and  it  is  olwious  that  nothing  but  a good  barbed-wire  fence  will  i>e  of  effective 
use.  I hoped  to  have  been  able  to  secure  the  fencing  both  for  tins  and  I'or  Annradha])ura  Garden 
this  year,  ami  when  in  London  obtained  an  estimate  ui  the  cost.  This,  however,  readied  Ceylon 
too  late  for  consideration,  to  my  great  regret.  Early  in  the  year  an  attempt  was  made  by  a 
neighbouring  headman  to  establish  a cart  road  through  the  Garden,  which  was  however  promptly 
suppressed  by  the  Government  Agent. 
There  are  so  many  interesting  economic  plants  in  this  Garden  that  labels  are  much  wanted, 
but  permanent  ones  are  expensive,  and  our  scanty  vote  will  not  bear  the  cost. 
Mr.  Nock  reports  on  the  Garden  as  follows  : — 
The  garden  has  been  kept  in  very  fair  order,  but  with  so  small  a labour  force  it  is  quite  impracticable  to 
maintain  it  in  anything  like  such  condition  as  it  should  be  Real  cultivation  is  practically  at  a standstill  for  the 
want  of  a good  supply  of  manure,  without  which  it  is  impossible  to  do  much  in  the  way  of  impi’oving  the  growth 
of  the  different  plants  under  trial. 
Paths.— Th.Q  old  paths  have  been  improved  by  being  widened  and  having  new  turf  verges  laid  down. 
One  hundred  and  ten  yards  of  a new  path  were  made  from  the  nursery  leading  towards  the  double  cocoanut.  Another 
I great  improvement  has  been  in  cutting  down  the  jungle  near  the  boundary  line  and  laying  out  a drive  from  the 
I bridge  at  the  entrance,  the  distance  being  675  yards,  and  the  width  of  drive  10  ft.  This  when  finished  and 
I gravelled,  besides  opening  up  the  garden,  will  be  a great  comfort  and  convenience  for  visitors. 
Nurseries. — All  the  old  and  useless  plants  have  been  gr.ubbed  up  and  twenty -four  new  beds  made.  These 
have  been  stocked  with  a fresh  batch  of  cuttings  and  seedlings  of  ornamental  flowering  shrubs  and  palms  and  useful 
plants. 
Fernery. — This  has  been  much  improved  by  the  addition  of  four  beds,  and  the  replanting  and  filling  in  with 
new  plants,  and  though  small  has  become  a pretty  and  interesting  part  of  the  garden.  * 
I Borders  and  Flower  Beds. — The  plants  in  these  have  been  pruned,  and  what  manure  can  be  spared  has  been 
j forked  in  among  them.  New  plants  and  supplies  have  been  set  out  at  various  times  during  the  year.  A new  bed 
has  been  made  on  the  lawn  opposite  the  entrance  gates  and  planted  with  showy  foliage  plants.  These  are  all 
doing  well,  and  the  appearance  of  this  part  of  the  garden  is  very  much  improved. 
I Double  Cocoanut. — The  young  plant  is  very  vigorous  and  healthy,  and  it  is  interesting  to  see  how  each 
I year  a larger  and  stronger  leaf  is  sent  up.  There  are  now  ten  leaves  on  it,  varying  in  age  from  one  to  ten  years  ; 
the  longest  is  17  ft. 
I Conservatory. — The  old  decayed  coir  matting  and  roof-timber  of  this  structure  have  been  renewed.  All  the 
I plants  have  been  re-potted,  and  they  and  the  building  are  now  in  good  order. 
Visitor's  Shed. — This  shelter  is  a wretched  little  place,  and  in  a very  bad  state.  It  should  be  replaced  by  a 
more  sightly,  useful,  and  permanent  building. 
Visitors. — The  number  of  persons  who  visited  the  gardens  during  the  year  was  124,  being  an  increase  of  59, 
or  nearly  double  that  of  last  year,  which  was  65. 
Weather. — The  first  three  months  of  the  year  were  very  dry,  especially  February,  when  the  rainfall  was  1'57  in., 
which  fell  oji  three  days  only.  July  and  August  were  also  very  dry  months,  showing  together  a fall  of  only  2‘92 
in.  On  the  other  hand,  the  second  and  last  quarters  were  noticeable  for  heavy  rainfall.  The  quarter  ending 
June  30  gave  38  81  in.  on  forty-seven  days,  and  the  last  quarter  47‘94  in.  on  fifty-four  days.  October  being  an 
unusually  wet  month,  no  less  than  35'32  in.  failing  on  twenty-seven  days. 
The  total  rainfall  for  the  year  was  14'06  in.  above  the  average  for  the  last  four  years,  but  the  number  of 
days  on  which  rain  fell  was  only  five  above  the  average. 
The  following  table  gives  a monthly  record  of  the  rainfall,  and  the  number  of  days  on  which  it  fell : — 
Fall. 
Days. 
Fall. 
Days. 
Inches. 
Inches.* 
J anuary 
3-83 
7 
July 
1-02 
7 
February 
L57 
3 
August 
1-92 
...  13 
March 
2-88 
7 
September 
4-74 
...  16 
April 
...  13-38 
...  17 
October 
...  35-32 
...  27 
May 
...‘  10-.53 
...  18 
November 
6-67 
...  14 
June 
...  14-90 
...  12 
December 
5-95 
...  13 
Total,  102-7  in.  on  154  days. 
' 5.— Anuradhapura  Garden. 
I -was  not  myself  able  to  visit  this  Garden  during  the  year,  but  Mr.  Nock,  who  was  there  in 
August,  has  given  a full  account  of  its  condition.  • This  gives  me  much  concern,  and  it  is  indeed 
becoming  a que.stion  with  me  whether  t’  e attempt  to  keep  up  this  Garden  any  longer  is  worth  making. 
The  utter  want  of  S5uupathy  on  the  part  of  all  the  jteople,  the  indifference  and  even  opposition 
of  some  officials,  the  ver}"  scanty  funds  (which  render  it  impossible  to  effect  any  improvements, 
purchase  manure,  and  properly  house  the  coolies),  and  the  distance  from  headquarters  involving  great 
expense  and  difficulty  in  transport,  all  tend  to  make  me  think  that  there  is  little  to  be  done  on  the 
present  lines,  and  to  contemplate  abandoning  the  attempt.  It  was  in  1883  that  I opened  this  Garden, 
