268 Notices respecting New Books. 



the West Indies, and into Mexico, and followed up with such suC' 

 cess, that the market of Europe wasfor a longtime principally supplied 

 from these countries. A large proportion was furnished by Jamaica, 

 and the remains of Indigo works may now be met with in differ- 

 ent parts of the country. In 1672, according to Edwards, there 

 were 60 Indigo works, producing 50,000 lbs. annually. A tax, how- 

 ever, of 3s. 6d. per lb. having been imposed by the British parlia- 

 ment, the cultivation was soon after, in a great measure, abandoned; 

 and although the duty was soon after removed, and a bounty of 

 sixpence per lb. offered, if imported directly into Great Britain, 

 still it never again became general, and at present, I am not aware 

 that it is produced in any quantity, or that there is a single Indigo 

 work, deserving the name, in the Island. In the East Indies, on the 

 contrary, the cultivation of late years has rapidly increased, so as to 

 supply 3-4ths of the Indigo for the European market. 



*'It is to be hoped, as few articles give a more profitable return for 

 the capital embarked, that its cultivation among us may be resumed, 

 especially as, from the improvements in the manufacture, the un- 

 healthy fermenting process, which was found so fatal to the labourers 

 employed, may now be dispensed with. An attempt was made, 

 some years ago, by the late Mr. Robert Gray, of St. George's, to 

 introduce the cultivation on his own property in that parish ; but he 

 did not succeed, owing to the excessive rains which fall in that dis- 

 trict during almost every period of the year. The like ill success, 

 and from a similar cause, has attended an attempt lately made on 

 Greenwich Hill estate, in Manchioneal. The result would be dif- 

 ferent were a proper choice of climate and soil observed, such as 

 the plains of Vere or Liguanea, where the rains are occasional, and 

 seldom heavy, and the soil light and open. 



<' The medicinal uses of the Indigo are few. A decoction of the 

 root, used as a lotion, effectually destroys vermin, and is very gene- 

 rally employed for that purpose in the country. The juice of the 

 young branches, mixed with honey, is recommended as an applica- 

 for aphthae of the mouth in children : and the Indigo, in powder, 

 sprinkled over foul ulcers, is said to cleanse them. The disease in 

 poultr}^, known by the name of 2jatvSf is cured by the application of 

 a solution of Indigo by means of a rag." 



Mr. Macfadyen's work is executed with great industry and care, 

 and contains every requisite which may justly be expected from a 

 local flora, and certainly merits a place by the side of the best works 

 of this kind. 



The next volume will appear early this year (1838), and on the 

 completion of the work it is proposed to commence a series of illus- 

 trations of such plants as are new or may not have been previously 

 figured. We may remark, that a good map of the island, for illus- 

 trating the geographical distribution of the species, might advanta- 

 geously be added. 



