350 BOTANICAL INFORMATION 



Botanic Garden^ Bath, Jamaica, I was agreeably surprised to find one 

 kind so exactly corresponding with the Bast of Cuba, that I had but 

 to place the two side by side to prove that they were identical; and 

 still more was I gratified to find this Bast ticketed as the produce of 

 ''Hibiscus elatus, Linn." ! Mr. Wilson however is not yet aware that he 

 has here detected the Bast of Cuba. Such however it is ; and, if really 

 of commercial value, of which mercantile men are the judges, Jamaica 

 in its present sunken state, might derive advantage from collecting and 

 exporting this substance. Lunan (' Hortus Jamaicensis/ vol. i. p. 468) 

 speaks of the Hibiscus elatus^ under the name of MaJioe or Mountain 

 Mahoe^ as a large tree, havii 



eight in circumference, and frequent in woods. "In some places it is 

 known by the name of Tulip-tree. It is accounted a good timber, and 

 the bark makes excellent ropes." Macfadyen (Flora of Jamaica, vol. i. 

 p. 69) further adds, that the timber of this tree is much prized by 

 cabinet-makers, having, when worked up and polished, the appearance 

 of dark-green variegated marble. 



An intelligent oflficer of the Custom House informs me that the 

 price put upon the Cuba Bast, by the mercantile gentlemen who import 

 it, approaches the rate of 25. 6rf. per lb., and there is a duty of between 

 lOJ. and Is. per lb, ; so that there is no wonder that the imports of 

 this article are diminishing instead of increasing. It would be strange 

 if Jamaica, with an unlimited amount of the tree producing it, cannot 

 afford to supply the English market at a much lower rate ; and it is to 

 be presumed the duty would be avoided in coming from one of our own 

 Colonies. 



Jersey Cabbages. 



Jersey is celebrated for its Cabbages, and for their tall, tree-like 

 character, a peculiarity partly owuig to the custom of the peasantry in 

 removing lower leaves— almost daily — to feed their cows. Thus a cab- 

 bage-garden in Jersey has somewhat the appearance of a little grove of 

 Palms ; 80 that in walking between them you literally walk under their 

 fohage, which forms a crown at the top; and such stems are not unfre- 

 quently ten and twelve, and more, feet long, quite erect, and straight, 

 and are made use of for a great variety of purposes. Planted closely. 



