338 - Vegetable# o f Ceylon-: £
and acts: very, powerfully -on „the inMst-it^s^'both- upwards, and
downwards..
Ambergris and .-coral - arei -wfourid Jbepef |%e,-;datt4M in sabuhd-
ahee-,
Cum-Lite, is- .found in great 'p l e n t y a plant whimsgfdws
I n ..abundanqe.\ in ^ f f ^ n t psawbpitei thtoughout^jtbe; -is%^. It;
is dissolved- in 'spirits jof wine, : and then employed in lacquering!
q„
The " sugar-cane has1 been- introduced into^the is la n d a iBa^planfl
tations Of it are found, in the neighbourhood of Caltura. Some,
rum is made, from it, and the natives are t .n 1 of-.elrewing the-
pulp:. ; , | | | | ' : | | .
But the. most remarkable plant which Ceylon produces is the
nepenthes, known among the CingtesO by-rtheg ^ ^ ^ ^ offiBachtra.
Itirife : a S d T : e a |l e d penis plant (
■Iglfofo- > ajgjj narrow-, and ; from,- their - endsTim jh s «^Uopfe tendril,
which terminates in a ^ng-cylindrical tube, closed at the extremity
by valve. -This^ tube,- while „grpwieg; and in full vbj
20ur,liseeHas like a blown bladder, and contains ■O’- ■ M p' jpgitfiin it about,
a wine glass, o f pure limpid water- There'
of any passage for the entrance of this: water; but the general
way o f . accounting for the phenomenon1.||r_r that‘s it t is ^formed,
by,' thpifdew soaking; through- the - valve. Sho^iy'/qfte'r ^being
pfulled, the head, from the pressure,*of the water inside, bursty
and the copt soon withers away; but as long as it „is* fxQpJtQ,
retain the water, it. remains round, defended, apd in .fall Vigour.
The seeds are small and black, not unlike -thole*of the
tulip. |
The. flowers of Ceylon, though.not numerous, nor much, air-
tended to by the natives, have a most rich and'exquisite scent.
Iotó#faJteaify-anató&|te^S #> ts^e » rf^e stin à n ^ which is worp
I hy the laches óf Ceylon-, both 0.11.1 apepimt of its ' odour, and
' ' % ornamental appearance of its beautiful white flowers. The
sçdit cis too powerful for an European, bu t is highly esteemed
among Mie natives;
The .champaca produces ■ flowers „of ai most élégant saffron- colour,
with which the native women, adorn their hair, ^dsfpioduheïa
fine ( contrast, t© its glossy? jet. They', are; :alsdh accustomed to
strew, it Over fcheir beds' and furniture.
• ' 4® ' the chief food of the natives consists: of rice, so their
principal labour consists in : thëî estivation, o£i jit. It'is-sown
chie% :.iu the level lands towards .the southwest,,©f the island.
] n the interior,plittle in proportion -is sown, owing to the woods'
UÉd the steep nature of the iloefâsfam ch ich i the rige
froha 'being 'properly 'fli^ded iTfenmuner o f -euMiating itnlsi
ab followsr ^around thé !Æeitis 1 intended :tfo» i htowceptiod öf.*l i é
«ce.pmall 1 embankments safe 'rPised' to 'th e height taf ahöuh th p ê
t©' retain the' water, whidli bçing then« xlèt *m, upori the
grounds lévelled <on purpose, soon completely inundates them.
As soon as thd'.uelds begin again to get dry, buffalèos are; ih*
‘« i p them: over, or they are turned : up with a
sbrt Ôffligteplough, whidi-I haveialreadyVdçsàiirbed fn a for-
Hiei^ p a ftfofl^his .wbrkp - The ground, -thus fprepare^ifloéèS like
one large trâtet^of mud-; and >in this; state it deceives, .the. rice,
whitehs thas pre^Ously hëen ^stéepéd1 in' water miked with the
lime .of-.buirnt shells: ^The skil ls hftgrwards: l^srellei, and; pre--
ventod »from» -cakingv into lumps by a sort of.:harrow .or rake,
which consists isimply iof. a piece of hoard fixed , to- a pole, and
drawn èdgèwise >alongmki
As -the'ric«3 will ndt thrive .without tlie ground being com-
X x