203 



The leaves of the " Timite" [its Trinidad local name] — when ctit 

 and properly cured are used as thatch by the peasantry and even some 

 planters houses are roofed with this material, which, besides being 

 very lasting, secures a delightfully cool interior. 



The spathe presents a peculiar shape, and is composed of fibrous 

 material which is reticulated and so elastic as to stretch from t'wo 

 inches in diameter to over nine inches, and can be worn as a hat or 

 bonnet. It is also used in the woods as a. strainer for coffee, &c., for 

 which purpose it is well suited, as it shape is somewhat like a kitchen 

 jelly-bag or pointed Bonnet-de-nnit. They are sometimes to be 

 found in the curiosity shops of the West Indies. 



202.-THB DATE PALM. 



Phcehix Dactylifera, Linn. 



This palm is perhaps one of the commonest of introduced palms 

 which at present grows in the West Indies, and in nearly every island 

 large trees thirty feet or more in height are to be found, mostly 

 solitary specimens. In the Trinidad garden the system with my pre- 

 decessor appeared to have been to plant in groups as is necessary if 

 fruit is to be produced, on account of the plants being bi-sexual (i.e.) 

 the male and female flowers borne on separate plants. In consequence, 

 fruit has been produced annually for some years past, the seeds have 

 proved fertile, and young plants have been raised. Some years ago 

 there was a Date palm fruiting abundantly in Kingston, Jamaica, 

 owing to the fact that it happened to grow in the neighbourhood of 

 trees of its kind of the opposite sex. It is to be regretted, however, 

 that although the Date palm fruits regularly and abundantly, all the 

 fruit yet seen has been small and of little value, although the trees 

 have been raised from the best of imported table fruits. 



The Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, in a recent issue of the 

 Kew Bulletin, makes note on Mr. Tillson's report of the growth of 

 Dates in Antigua, with regard to this point, and states that the best 

 Dates are only " grown from suckers," and from the character of our 

 seedling produce it is fairly apparent that no " Dates " of economic 

 value will ever be grown in the West Indies unless plants raised from 

 suckers of the best kinds are introduced. As there are thousands of 

 acres of land in the Antillean Archij)elago which would grow the palm 

 well, and possibly in the Bahama Group also, no time should be lost 

 on the endeavour to procure what it is hoped will prove of economic 



