Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 5]
Journal for the Month of September 1817
B.G. Cattura This month I brought a few Jungle plants from Dieval Kandy the distance of 15 miles up the River Cattura. among them is I think a new species of Begonia the Wanna Raja Cingalese and some rare Epidendrons, aware of the difficulty of sending plants in Boxes to England, I have contrived the following method. I choose the largest Coconuts that have been in the Godowns for two or three weeks, and with a sharp knife cut as large a hole as the size of the nut will admit of taking care to have the shell broken to pieces that the water may not injure the roots of the Plants, then put a handle to them of split Rottan on purpose to hang them up the same way as a Lamp, planted the Epidendrons, in the shells with the bark of the trees that they were found growing upon, and hung them up in my Bungaloe. I brought some young trees of the Ficus elastica salix Babylonica or weeping willow and Cynometra caulifora a fine fruit from the Colombo Gardens of which I intend to form a large plantation of them together with some choice fruit.
B.G. Slave Island Near the latter end of this Month the south west wind blew with great violence accompanied by a great deal of rain it blighted the leaves of many plants and crushed several great trees in order to be more protected against its ill effect in future strengthened the hedge around that part which received the greatest damage by planting several more sea Pomgranates Demba and the common green and yellow Bamboo For some time past employed a soldier of the 73rd. Regiment to instruct the Coolies to mow short grass and now one of them every morning cuts grass by himself very well, and promises to be a good mower -
G.G. Fort Colombo, Here the Endive and Lettuce runs to seed much sooner than in the other Gardens planted a piece of ground (well manured) with Brinjals and Bandicas & planted the Celery in ridges etc.