( ) 
Ballardie, IMrs. Grinlintoii, Miss McLaren, and Miss Layard, and Messrs. C. H. Bagot, F. Bayley, D. F. 
Browne, N. G. Campbell, J. Cotton, G. de Saram, J. Ferguson, K. Hamlin, T. C. Huxley, A. J. Kellow, 
R. M. Knight, A. C. Lawrie, G. E. Miller, E. Mortinier, J. Kogan, H. B. Roberts, J. H. Starey, F. H. 
Stephens, E. J. Thwaites, R. Wardrop, J. Wickwar, E. F. Willisford, and J. P. William Bros. 
We have, as usual, distributed from the Gardens, free of charge, large (juantities of plants 
and seeds to public departments, places, and persons throughout the Colony, viz.: — The Queen’s 
House at Colombo, the Pavilion at Kandy, and Queen's Cottage at Nuwara Eliya ; the Municipalities 
of Colombo and Kandy ; the Government Agents of Batticaloa and Ratnapura ; the Assistant Agents 
of Matale and K^g-alla ; the Director of Public Works and the Public Works Officers at Kandy, 
Batticaloa, Jafl’na, Trincomalee, Katugastota, Miliintale, Haldummulla. Dikoya, and Haputale ; the 
Principal Civil Medical Oliicer, Colombo, and the Hospital and Dispensaries at Kandy, Nuwara 
Kliya, Hanguranketa, Kalmunai, and Maturata ; the Assistant Conservators of Forests at Ratnapura 
and Kuruuygala ; the Postmaster, Maskeliya ; the Railway Stations at Nanu-oya, Gampola, Matale, 
Veyangoda, Henaratgoda, Ilunupitiya, and" Katukurnnda ; the “ Happy Valley ” Mission, Haputale ; 
the Agricultural Instructor, Nildandahiuna ; and the Churchyards at Nuwara Eliya and Wattegama. 
I have, under the head of Receipts, given a statement of the estimated value (at our ordinary rates) 
of these gratuitously distributed plants, &c., which ought to be taken into consideration in estimating 
the amount of saleable produce sent out from the Gardens. 
8. — Additions to thk Col liKC'i’ ions. 
As is seen by the following lists, my visit further Plast resulted in the acijuisition of several 
interesting plants, which have been for too long (hssidcnitti in Ceylon. Some of these 1 brought 
back here with me, and others have been since received. 
For the large additions to our collection of orchids we are again mainly indebted to Messrs. 
Sander, of St. Albans. 
The sum at my disposal for the purchase of plants has been expended on a large collection 
of plants (including many roses) from Messrs. Canncll ; a large collection of seeds from Messrs. 
Haage and Schmidt, of Erfurt ; and a further .selection of plants and seeds from Japan from Mr. 
Boehmer, of Yokohama. INIost of these purchases were for Hakgala Garden. (In the following list 
for that Garden the large collection of temperate ferns was purchased from IMessrs. Veitch in 1890, 
hut the consignment sent in that year having nearly all died rn mute. Messrs. Veiteh kindly sent a 
duplicate series during the past year.) 
[Then follows the list of plants acquired.] 
9.— Notes on Economic Plants. 
Tea.— -Am enormous increase ol more than million lb. over last year’s export — much 
cv 0*7 1 11 heen witnessed during 1891, the total export being no less than 
r 11 r 1 ^ ^ greatly increased yiekl has doubtless been largely due to the continuous rain- 
tall of the year. It cannot be regaialed as altogether an unmixed benetit, as there seems to be no 
u *^i # • T^‘'hty has often sulfered from the great difliculty experienced in projierly withering 
the leaf. 1 rices ranged considerably lower than in 1890 for the greater part of the year, the average 
for the whole being estimated at a little less than 1(W. per lb. 
Ihe hitherto extraordinarily rapid progress of the exports from Ceylon may now be expected 
to be considerably less marked ; we have also now reached the point when an extension of existing 
niarkets has become, essential to the industry. It is satisfactory to note that the Australian ports 
took 8, lb. during the year, an increase of nearly three-quarter million lb.; and that to 
Herman and Austrian ports a direct exjiort of 2;17,5}9!> lb. has taken place, showing a commencing 
taste for Ceylon tea on the Euroiiean continent, ft is noted that in England for the first time the 
year showed a larger consumption of Ceylon than of China tea, the figures being roughly 51 
tigainst 49 million lb. 
As a whole, the condition of the plantations I’cmains excellent. In a few places, where 
planting was done on shallow soil in worn-out coffee estates, the bushes have shown a tendency to 
die back when the roots have reached an impervious bed of rock ; but considering the rapidity with 
jvhich whole districts were planted up with this product, it is rather a subject for astonishment 
Hiat so generally high a standard of healthy trees has resulted. I regret to notice that Hehtpeltis 
nas been doing a little damage in some low-country estates, but nowhere has this pest assumed any 
Berious proportions. 
Coffee . — There is no change to repoid in the position of this cultivation in Ceylon. The 
export, 82,824 ewt,, is much the same as in 1890, and the crop, so far as estate coffee is concerned is 
mostly derived from the east of the Island, ’ 
- . _ I am however, since my visit to Java, more than ever of opinion that the cultivation of 
Hibenan coflue in Ceylon was too hastily abandoned, and w'ould be still a profitable one. 
