254 
VEGETATION OV CEYLON. 
narrow-minded selfish policy, that if a man 
had more than his share of good luck might 
make him almost a pensioner on the respect- 
able Floral Societies hut for the wholesome 
law which precludes a man from profiting by 
ill-nature and monopoly. There was a time 
when a carnation called the Queen of Hearts 
was monopolized. Its immediate effect was 
to mark a stand of carnations, and enable 
the judges to know as well as if the name had 
been on it who the stand belonged to,; but 
another effect was, that those who fancied it 
a great, flower, and would have bought it at a 
high price, were unable to procure it, and 
half inclined to leave off showing. The Me- 
tropolitan Society soon spoiled the specula- 
tion in monopoly, and decided that no flower 
of any description should be shown in a stand 
of named varieties, unless it were regularly 
sold out to anybody who would buy it. The 
effect was excellent; the Queen of Hearts 
was soon among the florists : and that is how 
it should be. The proposition to keep all 
the advantages in the raiser's hands, that 
he might beat everybody until some one raised 
a flower as good, is unworthy of any true 
friend of society, and could only be expected 
from a selfish school-boy. — G. 
VEGETATION OF CEYLON. 
Ceylon, which has been denominated the 
Malta of the Indian ocean, is among the richest 
islands of the world, with regard to vegetation. 
We sometimes find that the value of a region 
is deteriorated by the beautiful forms into 
which nature has there moulded herself, and 
that a country presenting nothing but mono- 
tony to the eye is more desirable for the 
settler than one offering attraction to the tra- 
veller, the painter, and those who enjoy the 
prospect of varied and magnificent scenery. 
This is not the case in Ceylon, whose natural 
wealth is as great as its beauty is rare. The 
lofty ridges which cover one of its divisions, 
the hilly country which forms anothei", and the 
level region which constitutes a third, are all 
covered, more or less luxuriantly, with vege- 
tation which, whether it assumes the form of 
a forest, or of a meadow, or of crops, or coffee 
gardens, or cinnamon plantations, or orchards, 
or wild jungle, or cultivated fields, or even the 
turfy banks of a stream, contributes to enhance 
the value, as well as the beauty, of this island, 
which, containing a superficial area of nearly 
twenty-five thousand miles, possessing a salu- 
brious climate, many natural advantages for 
commerce and agriculture, and gradually rising 
in prosperity as it is, may be numbered among 
the finest colonies of England. 
If we count the various indigenous plants 
which flourish in Ceylon, their variety and 
number will at once prevent the reader from 
expecting a full description in detail of the 
vegetation of this island. It will be sufficient 
here to indicate the abundance of the diffe- 
rent species, the luxuriant plenty in which 
they grow, to point out a few peculiar kinds, 
and some remarkable features in their culti- 
vation, and to afford a general idea of the 
aspect of Ceylon, considered with regard to 
this subject. 
Of the first class, Monandria, we reckon, 
according to theLinnzean arrangement, twenty- 
two indigenous plants, among which the Alu- 
gas tGlobba racemosa) is distinguished by 
its fine yellow flowers, which glitter like gold 
from amid the mass of green in which they 
are often found. This is a deciduous, herba- 
ceous plant, perennial, and serving as a striking 
adornment to the garden. 
Of the second class, Diandric/,, we count 
more than fifty, among which the Jasminum 
zeylanicum is remarkable. It differs from 
its English relative in the disposition of its 
leaves and flowers. The deep green which 
hangs about its light climbing stems, which 
attain a height of six feet, and the pure white 
of its blossoms, render it exceedingly pretty. 
But if we were to attempt selecting any from 
these numerous plants for particular remark, 
it would be difficult to avoid passing beyond 
our limits, especially as our object is now 
merely to call attention to the] number of the 
indigenous plants. 
Of the third class, Triandria, there are 
nearly a hundred, some of which have as 
many as five varieties. The native names 
are mostly as uncouth as can be imagined. 
Some of these plants are interesting and beau- 
tiful, whilst others present little attraction. 
Of the fourth class, Tetrandria, we find 
about seventy, the native names of some of 
which we cannot determine. 
Of the fifth class, Pentandria, there exist 
about a hundred and ninety, among which 
several are very curious and beautiful. Among 
these are the Heen-wel-Kudalu, whose many- 
flowered peduncles are singularly refreshing 
to look upon: Lahaya corymbosa, a curious 
shrub, with delicate white flowers ; and a plant, 
eight feet in height, with curious green flowers, 
which flourishes in abundance, but of which 
we do not know the native name. There is 
another plant of this class, the Tamarix in- 
dicia, very beautiful, but with roots from 
which a deadly poison is prepared. 
Of the sixth class, Iiexandria, we cannot 
exactly define the number, since their variety 
