CEYLON BOTANIC GARDENS. 
13 
The tea industry, as well as others, having been troubled 
with attacks of disease due to insects or fungi, the need of 
having scientific help in the prevention and cure of such 
troubles has been realized, and met by the appointment of an 
Entomologist in 1899, Mr. E. E. Green, and of a Mycologist 
in 1900, Mr. J. B. Carruthers. The latter officer also acts as 
Assistant Director, taking charge of the whole Department in 
the absence of the Director, and taking charge at all times of 
certain branches of the economic work. A small annual vote 
also provides for an Assistant (appointed for a period not 
exceeding three years) for special investigations. The first 
worker under this scheme was Mr. J. Parkin, who made a 
very thorough investigation into the treatment of latex for 
the preparation of indiarubber ; the present Assistant, Mr. H. 
Wright, is occupied among other things with various ques- 
ti ons bearing on the Forestry of the i sland, such as the sources 
of the ebony and other Diospyros timbers, and the formation 
» 
of rings of growth in tropical timbers. Another important 
appointment made in 1900 is that of Mr. M. K. Bamber as 
Agricultural Chemist to the Department. Mr. Bamber has 
so far been chiefly engaged in work on citronella oil, tobacco, 
and camphor, the first two with the view of aiding established 
industries, the last with that of aiding the establishment of 
a new one. 
The appointment of so many scientific officers of course 
involved the construction of a proper laboratory, the more so 
as the stream of scientific visitors from abroad was now 
reaching considerable proportions. In 1896 and 1897 there 
was only one visitor, but in 1898 the number rose to five, and 
in 1899 to six. A new building, lying to the north of the 
herbariupi, was commenced in 1899, and is now complete. 
It contains rooms for general morphological, physiological, 
chemical, economic, and photographic work, and has accom- 
modation for eleven or twelve workers. Visitors from abroad 
are cordially welcomed, and every facility provided for their 
work. A resthouse is now being erected opposite the 
