gi6 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[June 2, 1884. 



THE KEW GARDENS REPORT FOR 1SS2. 



The magnificent collections ot plants, vegetable pro. 

 ducts, pictures, &o., at the Royal Gardens over which 

 Sir Joseph Hooker so ably presides are becoming 

 more and more attractive and are better appreciated 

 as the people become better educated. The number 

 of visitors in 1882 was enormously larger than on 

 any previous occasion, having reached 1, 24'!, 167 or 

 close on IJ million. Ou iVhit Monday the admissions 

 approximated to 100,000, the exact number being 

 95,300. As not merely enjoyment but education of 

 the most valuable kind must result from visits to 

 this grand institution, we can but hope it will in- 

 crease ill popularity year by year. It is a good sign 

 that the amount of damage done to the plants last 

 year was practically nil. The various oiEces scattered 

 over the Gardens have been connected by telephone, 



and w are glad to observe that 



The lessons given to the young gardeners in the even- 

 ing twice a week through about nine months in the 

 year hy members of the staff (assisted in the cases of 

 elementary physics and chemistry by Mr. J. P. Harris, 

 B. Sc, P.O.S.), have been well attended, and continue to 

 give satisfactory results. 



Interesting details are given of the reformation of 

 the Botanic Garden, the formation of a Kock Garden, 

 a Wild Garden, &c. Kew is specially rich in palms, 

 as the foUowiug quotation shows : — 



The elaboration of the order palma for the Genera 

 Plantarwm, published by Jlr. Bentham and myself, has 

 led me to a critical examiuation of the species of palms 

 in cultivation at Kew. This proves to be of somewhat 

 unexpected richness, a fact which, however, need scarcely 

 perhaps be matter of surprise, seeing that for many 

 years past, in fact since the existence of the Gardens 

 as a public establishment, no pains have been spared to 

 ol>tain seeds of these attractive plants for the cultiv- 

 ation of which Kew possesses peculiar facilities from our 

 numerous correspondents in all parts of the world. 



In Appendix II. I have given a classified list of palms, 

 420 in number, at present cultivated in the Boyal 

 Gardens. 



The compilation of an accurate catalogue of palms 

 under cultivation is a matter of great difficulty ; owing, 

 partly to the impossibility of determining them till they 

 flower, and partly to the practice that prevails in the 

 nursery-trade of attaching provisional names to seedlings 

 of palms which, though unrecognizable both as to genus 

 and species when in that state, are as full-grown plants 

 well known under older names. 



The Kew collection of palms is the oldest of anv note, 

 it was eclipsed altogether between the years 1S20 and 

 1845 by the famous collection of the bro'tlirrs Loddiges 

 at Hackney, which in the latter year contained upwards 

 of 200 kinds, but which was dispersed shortly after- 

 wards. 



Now it has but two rivals, a European and Asiatic 

 one, namely, the maguiticent collection made chiefly by 

 Herr Wendland in the Botanical Garden at Herrenhausen, 

 Hanover ; and the Balmetum of the unrivalled tropical 

 gardens at Buitenzorg in Java. The Koyal Botanical 

 Garden at Calcutta would doubtless hold rank with 

 these, were it not for the destructive cyclones which 

 have on several occasions decimated its contents, and 

 especially struck down its palms. 



The reference made to the Buitenzorg Gardens is 

 well-merited. AVe have specially a vivid recollec- 

 tion of a scarlet-stemmed palm, exceedingly beautiful 

 in form as well as colour. Kew furnishes the classes 

 at South Kensington and students of botany in con- 

 nection with London Univeisity, with needful 

 specimens. Many tine (dd trees were destroyed by 

 the cyclone of October 1881, which are beini; replaced 

 and the Pinetuin i* being made coiijpl.-t>'. After re- 



ferences to leguminous and other collections, it ia 

 stated that the collection in the Arboretum is now 

 by far the richest that exists and is 

 annually exciting gi-eater interest amongst planters, forest- 

 ers, nurserymen, and especially amongst gentlemen desir- 

 ous of rendering their parks and pleasure groimds in- 

 structive as well as ornamental. 



The Arracacha, a s-ubstitute for the ijotato, has, it 

 appears, succeeded well in the mountains of Jamaica, 

 and Mr. Morris speaks highly of it. Cacao jdanta 

 sent to l<'iji from Kew, Java and Trinidad are flourish- 

 ing. Id quoting what is sa'd about a new species 

 of papa^^, w^e may say that this fruit, so little in 

 repute lor desert in Ceylon, ia a favourite in Queens- 

 land. As a remedy for indigestion, it is understood to 

 be valuable. 



Cabica Candamaeoensis.— Of this species of papaw (the 

 fruit of which first ripened at Kew in 1875, see Report, 

 p. 4), a largo nmuber of plants have been raised from 

 seeds produced in the Economic House at Kew. They were 

 distributed during the year-, the principal recipients being 

 the Botanic Gardens of Calcutta, Ceylon, Fiji and Madras. 

 Information is given respecting cuprea and the true 

 cinchonss, the hard Carthagena kind seeming to flourish 

 in Jamaca. In Ceylon where the sugarcane is grown 

 mainly for eating purposes, it seems to us that the 

 elephant cane thus noticed would be valuable : — 



Mr. Morris reports, December 31st, 1881 :— " This cane 

 which was introduced last year from the Eoyal Gardens, 

 Kew, has been propagated \vith great success. It is now 

 well established at the Hope plantation and is of a most 

 promising character, more especially for moist districts. 

 As showing what may be done in propagating plants of this 

 character, it may be mentioned that this cane, of which 

 only two small plants were received 12 months ago, is now 

 being distributed amongst planters by thousands at a time. 

 As it has been taken up by the most intelligent and enter- 

 prizing planters, its value as a cultivated caue in Jamaica 

 will soon be known. For eating pm-poses it is already a 

 favourite among the peasantry ; and I have no doubt that 

 its yield under cultivation will prove it to be, for certain 

 districts, of a valuable character. A block established at 

 the Hope in June last, in ordinary soil, had canes in Oct. 

 S feet loog, with joints 7 inches in length and with a cir- 

 cumference of 6 inches." 



The Euralyphis c'driodora ought to be a favourite 

 garden-plant in Ceylon. It is tints noticed :— 



EucALYPTt-s CiTEiODOEA,— i?«i^ffZ. — I quotc f rom the pro- 

 ceedings ot the Agri.Hcrticulturail Society of India, January 

 5th, 1883 : — " Eucalyptus citriodora has taken very kindly 

 to Bengal, ami being sweeter scented th&n Aloi/sia citriodora 

 sweet-scented Verbena, besides growing to a good size, 

 ought to make it a very popularplant, and one that no house 

 should be without." 



Jamaica.— Mr. Morris reports: — " One of the best trees 

 for the plains here is I-:, citriodora^ You can safely re- 

 commend this for warm climates, ns foliage, as its name 

 denotes, is beautifully fragrant, the tree itself is fast 

 growing and hardy." 



Fodder plants including the Mesquit beau, salt bush- 

 sheep bush and '''aijaste are noticed. Respecting 

 rubber trees, information is quoted from "the ex- 

 tremely useful publication, the Tropical Jgricult- 

 tiri.-it," and there are large quotations from Dr. 

 Trimen's reports. The leallessness of trees of Mani-. 

 hot Qla-Jovii in Natal "appeared to surprize Mr; 

 Scott Blacklaw who called here a shnrt time ago , 

 he has gone, I believe, to the Transvaal." This 

 accounts for our not receiving the promised letters 

 from Brazil. Liberian coffee is dong will iu Fiji 

 (barring leaf-disease), Nat.il and Q.u'ensland ; but 

 Mr. Wood wrote from Natal ; — 



" The berries do not seem to ripen as they ought, and 

 remain upon the trees au long, that the monkeys, with 

 which the adjoining bush abounds, usually forest.'ill us in 

 gatherhig the fruit," 



