ab," which thrives
at an elevation of three or four thousand feet. It is bush-like in form,
and trimmed to within three feet of the ground, both for the purpose of
throwing down the strength of the growth into the berry, and for the
convenience of picking. There are other sorts of coffee raised, but this
has formed the staple of the island. Experiments are being tried with
several other kinds just now, cuttings growing with good promise in
nurseries, which were brought from the West Indies and South America.
Curious facts suggest themselves in this connection. The grape-vines of
France, which have developed blight, transferred to California, take on
fresh life and flourish. Those of the latter State, which show symptoms
of exhausted life, renew their productiveness when in the soil of
Europe. The same result relating to coffee is hoped for in Ceylon: with
an exchange of seed, plentiful crops are confidently anticipated, a
matter in which commerce is much interested.

Realizing that the coffee crop is still in an experimental condition,
some of the planters are giving their attention to the cinchona, which
thrives greatly at Ceylon, even flourishing at elevations where coffee
naturally dies out. The seeds of the cinchona are planted in nurseries,
and when six months old are transplanted into prepared fields, where
they make rapid growth. They do not begin to yield until the tree is
eight years old. The earnestness with which the planters have generally
adopted this idea must, if successful, as it seems sure to be, lead to
very decided results when the crop becomes available for the markets of
the world.

Banana groves and orchards bending under the weight of the rich
nutritious fruit, tall cocoanut-trees with half a ton of ripening nuts
in every tuft top, ant-hills nearly as high as native houses, rippling
cascades, small rivers winding through the green valleys, tall
flamingoes presiding over tiny lakes, and flowers of every hue and
shape, together with birds such as one gazes at with curiosity in
northern museums, all crowded upon our vision on this trip inland. No
one should fail to visit Kandy who lands at Colombo, there is so much to
see and to marvel at. Ceylon is a very Gan-Eden, the fairest known
example of tropical luxuriance in all its natural features, its
vegetable and animal kingdoms, its fruits, flowers, and scenery. In
point of location the island is also greatly favored. It is fortunately
situated outsi