There is no doubt, however, that there is too much wood in Ceylon; it
prevents the free circulation of air, and promotes dampness, malaria,
and consequently fevers and dysentery, the latter disease being the
scourge of the colony. The low country is accordingly decidedly
unhealthy.
This vast amount of forest and jungle is a great impediment to the
enjoyment of travelling. The heat in the narrow paths cut through dense
jungles is extreme; and after a journey of seventy or eighty miles
through this style of country the eye scans the wild plains and
mountains with delight. Some districts, however, are perfectly devoid of
trees, and form a succession of undulating downs of short grass. Other
parts, again, although devoid of heavy timber, are covered with dense
thorny jungles, especially the country adjoining the sea-coast, which is
generally of a uniform character round the whole island, being
interspersed with sand plains producing a short grass.
Much has been said by some authors of the "capabilities" of Ceylon; but
however enticing the description of these capabilities may have been,
the proof has been decidedly in opposition to the theory. Few countries
exist with such an immense proportion of bad soil. There are no minerals
except iron, no limestone except dolomite, no other rocks than quartz
and gneiss. The natural pastures are poor; the timber of the forests is
the only natural production of any value, with the exception of
cinnamon. Sugar estates do not answer, and coffee requires an expensive
system of cultivation by frequent manuring. In fact, the soil is
wretched; so bad that the natives, by felling the forest and burning the
timber upon the ground, can only produce one crop of some poor grain;
the land is then exhausted, and upon its consequent desertion it gives
birth to an impenetrable mass of low jungle, comprising every thorn that
can be conceived. This deserted land, fallen again into the hand of
Nature, forms the jungle of Ceylon; and as native cultivation has thus
continued for some thousand years, the immense tract of country now in
this impenetrable state is easily accounted for. The forests vary in
appearance; some are perfectly free from underwood, being composed of
enormous trees, whose branches effectually exclude the rays of the sun;
but they generally consist of large trees, which tower above a thick,
and for the most part thorny, underwood, difficult to penetrate.
The features of Ceylon scenery may, therefore, be divided as follows:-
Natural forest, extending over the greater portion. Thorny jungle,
extending over a large portion.
Flat plains and thorny jungles, in the vicinity of the coast.
Open down country, extending over a small portion of the interior.
Open park country, extending over the greater portion of the Veddah
district.
