, 1891-06-17
CULTIVATION OF ECONOMIC PLANTS
SUITED TO WEST INDIAN REQUIRE
MENTS.
Cd Lecture delirered By Mr.. Morris IN Bar
bados 18TH February

Pursuant to announcement, a large number
Of Ladies and Gentlemen assembled at 2 o'clock
this afternoon in the Council Chamber. Pub
lie Buildings, for the purpose of listening to
a Lecture delivered by d.. Morris, Esqr. AS
sistant Director Of the Royal Gardens at Kew,
on the subject Of "the cultivation of Economic
plants suited to West Indian requirements.
Besides His Excellency Sir Walter Sendall,
who presided, there were present Lady SEN
dali, Miss Grey, and staff Of MistresScs of
Queens College and other ladies; the Ri.
Hon'ble the Earl of Donoughmore, His Excel
lency the Governor of st. Thomas Danish
West Indies); Colonel Washington Ewes,
Collin Gillespie Esqr of London, Mr.. Webster
M. ?. and other members of the Imperial
Parliament; Hon. George G. Pile, President
of the Legislative Council, Hon. H. A. Bo-
veil, Q. c., (Atty. Genl.) Hon bles B. c.. Howell,
w. 7. Leacock and W. K. Chandler, members
of the Legislative Council; Hon. c.. A. King
Hartman, Acting Colonial Secretary; DR.. Phil
lips, Mr.. Chas. Y. Cottle, and other members
Of tho House of Assembly; Prof. d'Alberquer-
que, Island Professor of Chemistry; Mr.. j. Il.
Bowel, Superintendent of Botanical Station
at Dodds, Nj. Hancock of ~Codrington College;
as well as a large number of the influential and
leading Merchants, Planters, and Doctors of
the Island. The Hon. G. c. Pile, precisely
at 2 o'clock, announced that His EXcellency
the Governor had kindly consented to take the
chair.
Sir Walter Sendall theroupon rose, and adj
dressing the meeting, said, that inasmuch as
Mr.. MoIris's time was very limited, he having
to 80 by steamer this afternoon he would not oc-
cppy much Of his time in introducing him to
the meeting. Mr.. Morris was SO we'll known
throughout the whole Of the West Indies, that
he need only mention his name and leave him
to dispose of them himself. He would now call
upon Mr.. Morris to deliver the Lecture which
he had so kindly come forward to do.
Mr.. Morris (WhO on rising was greeted with
cheers thereupon addressed the meeting. He
said: Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen,
i consider it q very great honour to be ask
ed to address an audience in Barbados. |
have been sent out by the Colonial Office to
visit several of the Islands in the West Indies
in connection with botanical matters. | have
been very glad while d~ischarging the official
duties connected with my mission, to address
one or two audiences in the other islands in
connection with what are called supplemental
industries. The chief object that have in
coming before an audience in Barbados is this.
Just at the present time it is contemplated
making further experiments in sugar and the
sugar cane, and it will be,desirable for me to
say a few words with regard to the expert
ments which have already taken place, and
the results that are likely to accrue to the
island if these experiments are carried further
on, and more deliberately, than they are at
present. But before discussing that question
! must first of all congratulate the Island Of
Barbados on the very excellent show that they
have made at the Jamaica Exhibition. The Bar
bados Court at the Jamaica Exhibition is as
every one that saw it would admit, one of the
very ~prettiest there. (Cheers.) The speci-
mems sent were in excellent order, they were
nicely put up, and on the whole the effect Of
the Barbados Court was most pleasing and sa-
tisfactory; (cheers) and l think that those WHO
took part in the arrangements for representing
Barbados at the Jamaica Exhibition may be con-
graduated on the thorough success which has
attended their efforts. (Renewed oheers) ]
would also say this; that the Commissioner
appointed-Mr. Roxburgh in Jamaica, apd Mr.
Lawrence who came from Barbados to make
the necessary arrangements there-have been
most successful in arranging the Court and II
drawing attention to it; in fact if any one were
to 20 to the Jamaica Exhibition and see thu
beautiful specimens arranged there, they would
certainly think that Barbados was one OF thu
most productive islands, not merely IN the Yves
Indies, butin the world. Cheers Of course We
know very well that your staple industry here
is sugar, and therefore sugar takes the most