, 1888-06-30

records. What is called Otanelto cane,
also known as the Bourbon cane, was
introduced to the English islands at the
end of the last and tie beginning OF the
present century. Captain Bligh brought
the sugar-cane and bread fruit from the
Pacific in His Majesty's ships in 1896.
These and other plants on arrival were
carefully tended, and distributed from the
Jamaica Botanic Gardens by Wiles, a
gardener selected by Sir Joseph Banks.
The introduction of coffee to the West
Indies we owe to the French. LogwOOd
was brought from British Honduras to
Jamaica by DR.. Barham, a bOtanist, in
1715. The export of lOgwOod from this
island now exceeds that of British
Honduras, and amounts to 100000,
annually. DR.. Clarke, the first island
botanist, brought with him to Jamaica the
jujube tree and the camphor tree. The
first mango plants we're brought by Lord
Rodney /; while DR.. Marten in 1888 intro.
duced the Glove and black-pepper. la
maica ginger had it's origin i'll the East
Indies. Cacao is indigenous to none of
the islands and i'll Jamaica, at least, owes
it's recent increase in culture to the action
of the Botanical Gardens. The first seeds
and plants of cinchona and tea cultiva-
ted in Jamaica were sent out from Kew.
Numerous fibre plants, cardamOms, pep
peTS, india rubberS and spices have been
supplied to the islands through the instru-
mentality of Kew and distributed by tho
local gardens. The records of these and
similar introductions are easily accessi-
BILE. They are mentioned here for the
purpose of indicating the important part
which plants generally have taken in es-
tablishing successful industries in the
West Indies.
With the exception of pimento and
som timber and dye woods, it may be
generally assumed that all the industrial
plants of the West Indies, as we know
them at present, have been brought from
other colonies. Hence we realize the use
full character of the duties assigned to the
Botanic Gardens, especially charged with
the work of Introducing and distributing
such plants. Ii is only by such means
that the islands can be supplied with the
best sorts and kinds of plants suited to
their circumstances, and they can be so
equipped as to hold their own amidst the
keen competition of other countries.
The Paper from which the above ex-
tract is taken proves COnclusively that
the West Indies, instead Of being ''play-
ed OUT have only been ~''tapped0 and may
no ndu6 W CuIlNG d6 Cucy u6F0A OllLNCu OO-
fore. Mr.. Morris says that in the Blue
Mountain districts of Jamaica "there are
more than 100, 900 acres admirably adap-
ted for the growth of tea, coffee and chin
chOna; while further West there are
100000 acres suited for the cultivation of
oranges, cocoa, spices, and fibre plants.
The high lands of st. Lucia, and DOmin-
lea are as innocent Of cultivation as they
were four hundred years ago at the time
of their discovery When we consider
what has been done with and of All infe-
riOr quality in other parts of the world
we can look forward to a prosperous flu
ture for these islands. Mr.. Morris
says cit should be remembered that
the vast tea industry of CeylOn, now
worth 0 100000, annually, has been esta-
blished for the most part on ex hausted
coffee lands. The Sisal hemp industry of
Yucatan, of the annual value of nearly a
million sterling, exists under such condi.
tiOns of aridity and s~terility Of soil as are
found in few of the West India Islands,
Barbados Tao Pager.