118 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 



make a beautiful dye. The Moringa-tree grows over the whole island ; 

 the root of it is an excellent substitute for horse-radish ; and the Oil of 

 Ben, which I understand is valuable, is made from the seeds ; but its 

 value here is not appreciated, and no one appears to have sufficient 

 energy or knowledge of the mode of manufacturing it to undertake the 

 process. 



The "air-plants," with which doubtless you are familiar, grow abun- 

 dantly here. 



A very ingenious man in Montserrat,' a Mr. Burke, has invented a 

 machine for cleaning fibre. I could send you a sample of the Banana, 

 Plantain, Aloe, Pine-apple, Snake Grass, and other fibres, but I dare say 

 you have specimens in your Museum. 



We have not got the " Chinese Grass-cloth," and I should be very 

 thankful for a plant or two when you are sending a Ward's case. 



Walnut-trees have grown here, but there are none at present. The 

 Nutmeg and the Almond succeed well. 



We produce a large quantity of both Arrowroot and Tous-les-mois. 



The latter is the root of a plant somewhat like the common Indian 



Shot, but not that species 5 it is much larger, and bears a bright red 



flower. I will send you by the next steamer a small sample of 25 lbs. 



of our Tous-les-mois, so as to enable you to form an opinion as to the 

 quality. 



English vegetables grow well here on the mountains, at an elevation 

 of 500 or 600 feet. Peas, Beans, Kidney-beans, Spinach, Turnips, 

 Carrots, Lettuce, Cabbage, Eadishes, and some others, the seeds of 

 which I got out the other day, are all doing well; but I got out at the 

 same time some bundles of Strawberry plants, packed in gutta-percha, 

 and they were too far gone, and have died. Perhaps you could send 

 me a few plants in the case you kindly promise. 



Mr. Seymour, who has just been appointed to Honduras, is at pre- 

 sent on a visit here. He leaves for his new government in a few weeks. 

 He desires me to say, that if you would wish for any of the vegetable 

 productions of Centeal America, he will be very happy to supply you 

 with them. 



The Koyal Mail steamers touch here, so we shall find no difficulty 

 in carrying on our exchange of plants, etc. If you will let me know 

 by the mail before you send a - Ward's Case/ I will have a careful 

 boat in waiting to receive it." 



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