338 
thp:  tropical  agriculturist. 
[Nov.  2,  189C. 
Malta  orange  taken  from  a tree  in  the  habit  of 
bearing  fruit  out  of  season.  The  plant  made  very 
slow  gi'owth  for  many  years,  but  during  the  past 
two  seasons  it  has  made  better  progress  and  novv 
stands  as  a specimen  8 feet  high  and  about  the 
same  in  spread. 
The  fruit  is  much  smaller  than  that  of  the  common 
Malta  blood  orange,  but  deeper  in  colour  and  of 
much  finer  flavour.  Its  slow  rate  of  growth  and 
shy  bearing  habit  is  certainly  not  a recommendation, 
but  when  it  is  worked  on  the  lime  stock  it  may 
prove  as  quick  growing  and  prolific  as  other  varieties 
of  Malta  orange. 
A few  plants  have  been  raised  by  budding  it 
upon  the  common  sour  lime,  and  as  soon  as  ready 
these  will  be  permanently  planted  for  future  ob- 
servation. 
As  most  of  the  varieties  of  oranges  of  recent  intro- 
duction have  been  fully  described  in  former  reports 
there  is  nothing  further  of  general  interest  to  add 
under  the  head  of  this  fruit. 
Peach  (Amyfjdalus  persica) — Seeds  of  a variety  of 
peach  were  presented  to  the  gardens  two  years  ago 
by  a native  gardener  under  the  name  of  Gujarati 
peach.  He  described  it  as  being  a dwarf  bushy  form 
of  the  tree  never  exceeding  a height  of  3 
or  4 feet  when  fully  grown,  and  judging  from  the  pre- 
sent appearance  of  the  plants  his  description  is 
likely  to  prove  correct. 
The  plants  are  now  two  years  old,  and  although  only 
standing  about  one  foot  high  they  flowered  most  pro- 
fusely this  season  and  set  fruit.  The  latter  unfortu- 
nately dropped  before  ripening  owing  to  shifting  the 
plants  from  the  small  sized  pots  they  tvere  in  when 
they  flowered  to  pots  of  larger  size.  I am  therefore 
not  in  a position  to  pass  an  opinion  upon  the  value 
of  the  variety,  but  as  it  is  so  distinct  in  habit  from 
all  other  forms  of  peach  its  progress  will  bo  closely 
observed  and  communicated  in  future  reports. 
There  is  nothing  of  interest  to  place  on  record 
regarding  other  recently  introduced  kinds.  IJidwell's 
early  peach  is  one  of  the  best  of  these,  but  for  gen- 
eral planting  no  variety  is  more  reliable  than  the 
selected  forms  of  the  common  peach  of  this  district. 
Attention  is  therefore  constantly  devoted  to  keeping  up 
a large  stock  of  young  plants  of  the  best  forms  of  these 
for  distribution. 
Peaii  {PiinisconuHimiti). — The  two  varieties  of  pears, 
viz.,  the  “La  Conte”  and  “ Kieffcr,”  introduced  a 
few  years  ago  from  Florida,  again  bore  a small  crop 
of  fruit. 
Mr.  P.  W.  Seers,  who  was  officiating  as  Superinten- 
dent of  the  garden  when  the  fruit  was  in  season,  in 
a note  he  left  behind  him,  states  that  owing  to  the 
attacks  of  hornets,  pilfering  and  other  causes,  he 
was  not  able  to  secure  a single  specimen  of  either 
of  the  varieties  ripened  naturally  upon  the  tree.  The 
fruit  he  tasted  was  gathered  while  hard  and  green 
and  artificially  ripened  under  cover.  In  spite  of  hav- 
ing been  matured  under  such  conditions  he  says  it 
ripened  after  having  been  kept  for  a period  of  ten 
days  to  perfection  and  was  of  very  superior 
quality. 
In  paragi'aph  73  of  the  last  annual  report  I stated 
that  I considered  the  “ La  Conte  ” pear  to  be  one 
of  the  best  introductions  in  the  shape  of  fruits 
secured  by  the  garden  in  recent  years.  The  Kieffer  ” 
variety  had  not  fruited  when  that  report  was 
written,  but  as  Mr.  Seers  considered  the  fruit 
it  produced  last  season  to  be  as  good,  if  not 
better,  than  that  of  the  “ La  Conte,”  both  pears 
are  without  question  a great  advance  upon  the  com- 
mon country  variety  and  both  cannot  be  too  strongly 
recommended  for  general  culture  on  the  plains. 
A fair  stock  of  young  i’a.,18  of  both  varieties  is 
available  for  distribution  grafted  upon  tho  country 
variety  of  pear.  It  has  to  bo  proved  yet  if  tho  latter 
is  tho  best  procurable  stock  for  those  Florida  pears, 
but  as  it  has  a strong  root  and  is  possessed  of 
much  natural  vigour,  I see  no  reason  why  it  should 
not  prove  to  be  as  good  a stock  as  can  bo  found. 
Persimmon  {Dionpi/vos  Kaki.) — This  is  another  of 
the  recently  introduced  fruits  to  which  attention  has 
been  paid  by  the  garden. 
Mr.  Seers,  tho  Officiating  Superintendent,  reports 
that  several  trees  bore  a few  fruits  last  season,  but 
unfortunately  with  one  exception  they  all  dropped 
while  in  an  immature  state. 
He  describes  the  specimen  which  attained  to  matu- 
rity as  bearing  a close  resemblance  in  shape  and  colour 
to  an  obtuse  conical  tomato.  Measured  with  a tape 
the  circumference  was  eight  inches,  length  from  base 
upward  four  inches,  and  colour  reddish  orange. 
Sir  Edward  Buck,  Secretary  to  the  Government  of 
India,  llevenue  and  Agricultural  Department,  hap- 
pened to  be  on  a visit  to  the  garden  when  the  matured 
specimen  of  fruit  was  gathered  and  it  was  submitted 
to  him  by  Mr.  Seers  for  an  expression  of  opinion  and 
I believe  he  pronounced  it  to  be  very  good. 
As  several  of  the  trees  are  carrying  good  crops  of 
fruit  this  season  I hope  to  be  in  a position  to  give 
further  information  about  this  fruit  in  the  next  annual 
report, 
A small  stock  of  seedling  plants  are  available  for 
distribution,  but  it  will  be  some  time  hence  before 
the  gardens  can  supply  plants  in  unlimited  quantity. 
Plum  (Pmnus  domestica). — The  varieties  of  plums 
made  mention  of  in  former  reports  as  having  been 
introduced  from  Florida  and  Japan  continue  to  grow 
very  slowly  and  so  far  give  no  promise  of  bearing. 
Unfortunately  they  are  not  planted  in  a position 
for  giving  them  a fair  test.  The  plot  of  ground  they 
occupy  consists  of  good  soil,  but  it  is  much  over- 
shadowed by  other  trees.  It  is  intended  during  the 
current  season  to  plant  a few  plants  of  each  of  the 
new  kinds  in  a more  open  spot  and  note  the  result. 
Vine  ( I'itits  vinifera). — The  vine  plantation  planted 
in  1833  is  making  fair  progress,  but  as  tliis  fruit  bears 
so  poorly  in  this  district,  the  care  and  attention  given 
to  the  plantation  has  only  been  sufli  ient  to  cause 
the  plants  to  furnish  enough  wood  to  meet  tho 
demand  for  plants  and  cuttings  which  is  made  upon  the 
gardens  by  other  districts. 
As  plants  and  cuttings  command  a fair  price,  the 
garden  realizes  more  revenue  and  is  really  doing  more 
good  for  the  country  at  large  by  only  studying  to  meet 
the  demand  for  plants  and  cuttings  than  by  solely 
devoting  its  attention  to  cultivating  the  vine  for  the 
fruit  it  might  yield. 
WiNEBEiuiY  {liiihu.'S  pha-nicolusius). — I regret  having 
to  report  the  total  loss  of  all  the  plants  of  this 
new  fruit. 
In  the  last  two  annual  reports  I noted  its  evident 
dislike  to  the  excess  of  moisture  we  have  in  the 
atmosphere  and  soil  during  the  monsoon  season. 
Four  plants  of  the  original  largo  batch  of  seedlings 
proved  strong  enough  to  last  tlirough  two  rainy 
seasons,  but  the  heavy  rainfall  of  the  past  monsoon 
proved  to  be  more  than  the  plants  could  stand,  so 
tiiey  all  died  oil  from  the  effects  of  damp. 
The  fruit  of  the  wineberry,  tliough  much  praised 
by  the  New  York  seedsman  who  placed  the  seed 
upon  the  market,  is,  1 believe,  of  little  value;  there- 
fore the  total  loss  of  tho  plant  is  of  minor  impor- 
tance. 
Vegetable  and  Fak.m  Cultuue. 
05.  The  leading  standard  varieties  of  summer  and 
winter  season  vegetables  were  grown  on  the  same  scale 
as  in  former  years. 
9(i.  As  vegetables  are  grown  by  this  garden  chiefly 
for  seed,  cultivation  was  largely  confined  to  kinds 
that  have  been  proved  to  give  good  or  fair  re.sults 
from  acclimatized  stock.  It  is  not  claimed  that  the 
latter  is  better  than  imported  seeds  of  the  same  kinds, 
but  by  constant  selection,  it  has  been  found  it  can  be 
kept  up  to  a fair  standard  of  quality,  can  bo  sold 
much  cheaper,  and  in  the  case  of  some  kinds  practi- 
cally gives  as  good  results  as  the  more  expensive  im- 
ported stock;  this  branch  of  garden  woik  is  there- 
fore on  the  whole  of  considerable  economic  useful- 
ness. 
07.  The  list  which  follows  is  a detail  of  the  chief 
kinds  grown  and  weight  of  .seed  harvested  of  each. 
I may  add  that  the  bulk  of  tho  seed  collected  was  dis- 
posed of  by  sale  or  by  free  issue  to  soldiers'  garden. 
Cow  Pea  ( I iijmi  Catiuun  vor). — .•Vlthough  I men- 
tioned this  plant  in  last  year’s  report,  I think  if 
desirable  to  again  draw  attention  to  i(. 
