162 



article ? It is fairly clear that up to tlie present Trinidad has 

 not pnt a highly flavoured article on the market, but if ever she 

 does, it is more than probable she will get prices in accordance 

 with quality, not at first perhaps — but a good article ahvays meets 

 its market sooner or later, and there appears to be no good reason 

 why Trinidad Rum should form the exception. 



It remains to be seen however whether the pure culture of No. 

 18 yeast will act in the same way in Triniiad upon a "wort" or 

 " Avash " made up on the lines of the Jamaica process, or whether 

 there are ferments present here which will not allow of the growths 

 of the special Jamaica ferments. For instance, unless the sponta- 

 neous 48 hours ferment grows and alcholizes the Trinidad wash, 

 there is the greatest danger of viscous ferments monopolizing the 

 charge of the vats, and in a few hours the sugar solution may be nothing 

 more than a pasty mass. The ferment spoken of is one of very fast 

 growth, forming in 48 hours the maximum amount of alchohol which 

 it is possible to obtain. It is also one which by cultivation in cane 

 juice can be brought to do its work even more quickly than 48 hours 

 for it has been found that by using a setting of it on new material 

 that a rapid fermentation at once begin, and in 3 hours wash is in a 

 state of rapid fermentation. It is a bottom yeast, almost white, with 

 a resemblance to some of the figured forms of Saccharomyces cerevisice 

 but with cells apparently much more circular than in any of the 

 recognised forms, and will probably on being examined by an expert 

 turn out to be a new species of that genus. 



188.-TRINIDAD ORCHIDS. 



It is projoosed from time to time to give notes on the various 

 orchids which are natives of Trinidad, with a view of ultimately 

 compiling a small pamphlet for the use of visitors to the Island, who 

 come in 3'early increasing numbers, and make lai'ge demands upon 

 our time for the purpose of ascertaining wliat arc the most suitable 

 orchids to take away to Europe or America. 



Now if a visitor has the appliances at his command for maintaining 

 a high temperature with plenty of moisture all the year round, he may 

 take home and grow a considerable number of the native species in 

 comparative safety and with no little success; but if he has only a 

 greenhouse or the heat of a parlour, in which to place them, he had 

 better leave them alone, and save his time, his moiaey, and his trouble ; 

 for most assuredly they will not thrive under such conditions. I 

 know there are persons who will give different advice to this, but I 



