78 American Horticultural Society. 



President Earle — Prof. Riloy has given us a very valuable and 

 instructing address, for which we, as a Society, are grateful. There 

 are many points in Dr. Riley's address which might, with great 

 propriety, be discussed at length, but I see our time will not admit 

 of such discussion. We have another gentleman of distinction from 

 whom w^e will now hear. Ladies and gentlemen, I have great 

 pleasure in introducing to you Dr. Morris, of Jamaica, Superintend- 

 ent of the Botanic Gardens, who will now address you on the hor- 

 ticulture of that island. 



[The Secretary regrets that he can only give a brief synoposis of this interesting 

 address.] 



Dr. Morris gave a brief description of the West India Islands, of which 

 Jamaica is one of chief importance. The total area of Jamaica is near one 

 hundred thousand square miles; population, 1,750,000. The annual ex- 

 ports amount to 1500,000; imports, $40,000; the revenue about $10,000. 

 Our shipments of fruit are almost entirely to the United States, consequently 

 the imports of lumber and food supplies are mainly from the United States. 

 The States are therefore our debtors. Bananas are cultivated only for food. 

 Good forest land is cut off for a few years' crop of banana; the land is thus ru- 

 ined — the second growth forest is of no use. We utilize the bananas as 

 shade for more valuable sorts planted under them, as cofiee, cocoa, chocolate, 

 etc. It costs $25 per acre to plant and cultivate the banana for the first year; 

 at the end of eighteen months we will probably get $75 per acre in return. 



Oranges are mostly produced on self-sown trees. Oranges thus sown are 

 free from disease, large and sweet, and as good as the best in other countries. 



Cocoanuts are largely grown, and with little trouble. We pick out the 

 largest and heaviest nuts for seed. They arc planted in the nursery, where 

 they are sprouted and then transplanted. In six years they bear from forty 

 to one hundred nuts per annum. It costs us $40 per acre to establish a 

 cocoa grove to the eighth year of culture, when the trees will bear, say fifty 

 nuts on each of fifty trees per acre, the nuts being worth from $40 to $70 per 

 thousand Avhcn green and unhusked. For the American market we have 

 to husk them, when we get more for them. 



Pineapples are grown to a considerable extent in Jamaica. Many varie- 

 ties are grown, some, as the Black Antigua, being indigenous. The sapidilla 

 {Sapotacea') and the cherimoyer (A^wnace.x) are each grown to a considera- 

 ble extent. 



We have many varieties of the Passion flower. Some grow as creepers 

 over arbors and produce very fine, refreshing fruit. 



The Avocado or Alligator Pear, sometimes known as the Servant's Butter, 

 is eaten with cold meats or used in a salad. It has a creamy consistency 

 and nutty flavor, and is greatly admired in the West Indies. It grows on 



