IN CEYLON. 
45 
feet 6 inches) at 135 years, and 1,828 mm. (6 feet) at the 
age of 200 years. 
The following observations were made on trees growing in 
the Peradeniya Garden :— 
Date of 
Observation. 
August 13, 1900... 
January 1,1901 ... 
July 2, 1901 
August 6, 1902 ... 
August 12, 1903... 
Increase in cir¬ 
cumference in 
three years ... 88 
467 
... 147 
... 370 
468 
... 147 
... 382 
468 
... 156 
... 400 
474 
... 162 
... 430 
496 
... 179 
... 472 
29 
32 
102 
Circumference of Trees in Millimetres. 
Species. 
D. Embryopteris. D. Oardneri. D. Ebenum. D. quæsita. 
mm. mm. mm. mm. 
585 
587 
600 
630 
673 
The selected trees were of unknown age, and, as is shown in 
the first measurements, of widely different dimensions ; it 
is, nevertheless, of interest to know that in trees of the 
selected species the increase in circumference may be from 
29 to 102 mm. in three years’ time. This increase may be due 
to phellogenetic activity as much as that of the vascular 
cambium, but assuming that the increase in circumference is 
due to the production of secondary xylem only, we find that 
that in D. Ebenum is equal only to 62 vessels, or an average 
of one to two vessels along each radius, per month during 
the three years in question. 
Timber. 
The genus Diospyros has obtained its widespread recog¬ 
nition mainly in virtue of the valuable timber yielded by 
several of its species. The term ebony is loosely applied to 
any black heavy wood capable of taking a good polish, and 
from time to time there has been considerable discussion as 
to the exact botanical source of the ebony of the ancients. 
Many plants are known to yield timber which in colour and 
density resembles the real ebony, and botanists have been 
found who assert that the ebony of the ancients was not 
