JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
160 
(Artocarpus integrifolia), growing everywhere in great profusion. 
Another tree frequently cultivated by the natives is the curious 
Cotton Tree (Bombax). Mingled with these round the Singhalese 
huts is the beautiful Banana or Pisang Tree, well deserving the 
name of ‘ Fig of Paradise’ (Musa sapientum). Its beautiful yellow 
fruit, affording excellent nourishment either raw or cooked, is here 
seen in numerous varieties. Magnificent clusters of its gigantic light 
green leaves topping a slender stem from 20 to 30 feet high overhang 
the Singhalese huts, and form their loveliest adornment. Scarcely 
less effective are the arrowy leaves of the Aroidese, especially of the 
Caladium, cultivated for its esculent roots, the same being the case 
with the Manihot, with its lovely clusters of hand-shaped leaves 
(belonging to the Euphorbiaceae).” 
A native garden is thus described :— 
“ The garden of Whist Bungalow has been converted, by the care 
and taste of its proprietor, into a veritable earthly paradise, contain¬ 
ing examples of almost every native plant of importance, and thus 
forming a valuable botanical collection, as well as a fragrant and 
delightful pleasure garden. On the very first morning of my stay, 
as I wandered in rapturous delight under the shade of Palms and 
Pig Trees, Bananas, and Acacias, I gained a very comprehensive 
idea of the flora of the plains. Here the noble Palm in all its variety 
of foliage and fruit rears its stately columns ; Cocoa and Talipat, 
Areca and Borassus, Caryota and Palmyra ; here the Banana spreads 
its great feathery leaves to the wind, and displays its clusters of 
precious golden fruit. As well as various kinds of the common 
Banana (Musa sapientum), a fine example of the Traveller’s Tree of 
Madagascar may here be seen (Urania speciosa). It stands just at 
the division of the principal walk, from which the path to the right 
leads to the bungalow, and that to the left brings us to a magnificent 
specimen of the Banyan or sacred Fig Tree (Ficus bengalensis), forming, 
with its hanging air-roots and numerous stems, a very striking ob¬ 
ject ; beautiful Gothic arches open out among the roots which, pillar- 
wise, support the main structure of the tree. Other trees of various 
groups (Terminalia, Laurels, Myrtles, Ironwood Trees, Breadfruit, dec.) 
are overgrown and intertwined with those lovely creeping and climb¬ 
ing plants which play so important a part in the flora of Ceylon. 
These belong to the most varied families, for in the dense forests of 
this magic island, and under the favourable influences of moisture 
and warmth, a countless multitude of climbing plants strive and 
cling, and grasp their way upward to the light and air. 
“ Among the charms of this most lovely garden must be included 
the large-leaved Calla plants or Aroidere, and the graceful feathery 
Ferns, two groups of plants, which, both by their individual mass 
and by the beauty and size of their development, occupy an impor¬ 
tant place in the lower flora of Ceylon. Scattered among them are 
many of the finest shrubs and flowering plants of the tropics, partly 
indigenous, partly introduced from other tropical regions, especially 
from South America, but all perfectly at home here. Among these 
rises the stately Hibiscus, with great yellow or red flowers; the 
Flame Tree or Acacia, a mass of splendid flame-coloured clusters 
(Cmsalpinia); venerable Tamarinds with their aromatic blossoms ; 
while from every branch hang clinging Convolvuli with gigantic 
bell-shaped flowers, and Aristolochias, yellow and brown. Rubi- 
aceous plants, such as Lilies, Orchids, Ac., bear extraordinarily large 
and beautiful blossoms.” 
Similar interesting descriptions of the fauna and scenery are 
also given, but need not be repeated here. 
WOKK. F01 l THE WEEK.. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Sow Cauliflower seed to raise plants for pricking out into hand- 
lights and frames to secure a supply of heads in early summer. A 
light open situation should be chosen, and the seed not sown too 
thickly, so as to insure a sturdy growth in the seedlings; the soil also 
should be moderately firm. Yeitch’s Extra Early Dwarf Forcing, 
from its preceding other varieties by a fortnight, is very valuable, 
and being of dwarf growth is suitable for planting in pits at a dis¬ 
tance of 15 to 18 inches apart. Frost being excluded, and air admitted 
freely upon all favourable occasions, close heads of pearly whiteness 
may be cut early in May. Early London and Walcheren are ex¬ 
cellent successional varieties. 
Lettuce seed should now be sown to raise plants for placing out 
in late summer or early autumn to give a supply of heads for salads 
in spring and early summer. Stanstead Park and Hardy White 
Dutch are the best of the Cabbage varieties, and the Cos varieties 
[ August 17, 1882. 
Hick’s Hardy White, and Bath or Brown Black-seeded, are preferable. 
If these can be sown where they are to remain it will be an advan¬ 
tage, sowing in drills about a foot apart, and thinning to about 
6 inches for the Cabbage sorts and 9 inches for the Cos, so as to 
allow of every alternate plant being drawn for early use. A mode¬ 
rately sheltered border should be chosen, and the soil should be 
rich, and where light made moderately firm, which will check the 
tendency to a gross growth, keeping the plants sturdy and better 
able to withstand severe weather. The thinnings will be available 
for planting out later on as suitable positions become vacant. 
Radishes for winter use may now be sown, China Hose being pro¬ 
bably the best, but Black Spanish and Californian Mammoth are 
excellent. The seed should be sown in rich light soil in a sheltered 
position, and not too thickly, as when grown well they form large 
roots, which are crisp, tender, and good in winter, keeping satis¬ 
factorily in damp sand when the weather precludes their being had 
from the open ground. Radishes of the summer kinds should be 
sown at intervals of about three weeks to have them in good 
condition. 
Continue to plant Lettuces and Endive, and where the latter is in 
demand provision must be made accordingly by placing out a good 
breadth from the main crop or July sowing. A last sowing can be 
made at once where it is in request in spring, transplanting to the 
foot of south walls next month or into pits. Tie up Cos Lettuces 
and water copiously in dry weather, so as to have them crisp and 
well blanched. 
Early Celery will need earthing up, watering if necessary before 
doing so, keeping the soil from the centre of the plants by drawing 
the leaves together, and firming the soil well about the heads. 
Later plants should have very moderate earthings, as they grow best 
without much soil over the roots, and should be well supplied with 
water or liquid manure. Any likely deficiency in the supply of 
green vegetables in winter and spring should be provided against 
at once by planting Borecoles, Coleworts, ifcc. Cauliflower plants 
ma y yet be placed out, choosing a sheltered situation, and if the 
autumn be favourable useful heads will be obtained, and for lifting 
to continue the supply in frames after the supply is stopped outside 
by severe weather. Late Peas and Dwarf and Runner Beans will 
need plentiful supplies of water in dry weather, and the pods should 
be picked as they become fit for use. 
Keep weeds well under by frequently stirring the soil between 
growing crops, and where this is not practicable their removal by 
hand must be attended to in good time. Rubbish will now accumu¬ 
late rapidly, and should be thrown into a heap and mixed with a 
little lime and a sprinkling of salt. This is very valuable as manure 
for many crops. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—Some of the leaves of the trees in the 
earliest forced house will be beginning to change and fall, which 
should not be accelerated, as is sometimes done, by brushing over the 
trees ; but, on the other hand, endeavour by occasional syringing to 
keep the leaves healthy until they fall naturally. The roof lights 
being withdrawn the wind will bring the leaves down quite as fast as 
they mature ; and the foliage having fallen is not, as is too often 
concluded, a sign of the maturity of the wood, but rather indicative 
of the ripening of the foliage being accelerated by a deficiency of 
moisture at the roots and the presence of insects. The continuance 
of the leaves on the trees will tend to prevent the premature swelling 
of the buds. 
In the house started early in the year, and from which the fruit 
was removed in June or early July, the trees will now have the wood 
ripened and the buds well plumped, in which case the roof lights 
should be removed ; but if the trees are very vigorous the lights must 
not be removed so soon by three weeks or a month as is necessary 
for older trees having less vigorous wood : but as long as the lights 
are kept over them full ventilation must be given day and night. 
Any trees that are unduly vigorous and do not set their fruit well 
should have the root-action checked by judiciously shortening the 
roots as advised in this calendar for July 20th. The Peach scale 
sometimes attack the trees about the ripening period, and as the 
