53 



124.-BLETIA SHBPHBRDI, Hook. 



Of the four species of Bletia recorded by Grisebach, this is 

 probably the prettiest and at the same time, the one most suitable 

 for Tropical cultivation. The Orchid is a purely terrestrial one and 

 thrives in the ordinary soil of the Garden, and responds freely to the 

 application of stable manure. In the Floral section of the Royal 

 Botanic Gurdens we have a large bed containing some hundreds of 

 this plant which is now (April 18th) in full flower. 



It is probably a somewhat unique feature to see a bed of Orchids 

 in bloom in the open air with over a thousand well expanded flowers 

 at one time. The flowers are however not developed at one season 

 only, but are produced at intervals, though in smaller quantities, 

 at several periods of the year, and the plant consequently serves as 

 well for securing a supplj' of cut flowers as for flower garden 

 decoration. 



125.-SUGAR CANE EXPERIMENTS. 



At the instance of a Committee of the Agricultural Society an 

 experimental plot has been prepared in the Royal Botanic Gardens 

 where it is intended to carry out experiments with various kinds and 

 varieties of Sugar Cane. 



In November last we received from the Botanic Gardens, British 

 Guiana, a consignment of tops taken from some of the best of the 

 seedlings raised at that establishment, in all thirty-nine varieties. 



We have besides these, the Caledonian Queen — and ten varieties 

 of seedlings which Ave received sometime since from Mr. Bovell of 

 Dodds, Barbados. 



It is intended to test the value of these canes in our Trinidad 

 climate and soil, to ascertain whether the result obtained from the 

 various kinds in Barbados and British Guiana, can also be confirmed 

 here — and for this purpose it is proposed to carry on the cultivation 

 and examination of produce on similar lines, as it is being carried out 

 in British Guiana, so that any result obtained may be more directly 

 comparable, than would be possible if operations were carried on, in a 

 different system at each establishment. 



