132 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
hundreds upon mountain sides in the Central Andes, but 
transportation cost from there was prohibitive. It was for 
this purpose that my route home was directed by way of 
the West Indies instead of the shorter route via Guatemalan 
ports for New Orleans. Upon explaining my mission to 
Director Cousins, together with my desire to leave Kingston 
for New York by the end of the week, he immediately tele- 
graphed to the Castleton Gardens to send men to collect the 
native tree fern (Cyathea serra). Not having to superintend 
personally the collection of these ferns my time was used to 
better advantage in studying the wonderful plant collections 
at the Hope Gardens under the guidance of Superintendent 
Downes. 
““The Hope Botanic Gardens is situated in the Ligeuane 
Plain, about seven miles from Kingston, at the base of the 
hilly country. It is reached either by automobile, coach, or 
trolley-car, from the center of the capital. The average 
annual rainfall at Hope is only 51.5 inches, but by the free 
use of the hose the gardens present a wealth of tropical vege- 
tation. The gardens were started as a nursery and govern- 
ment experimental garden, later developing into botanie gar- 
dens. There are approximately six acres of lawns and three 
-and a half acres of ornamental border plantations, besides a 
fernery and orchid garden. In addition there is a green- 
house in which the shade- and moisture-loving plants are 
grown, including begonias of the Lorraine type, gloxinias, 
achimenes, fancy-leaved caladiums, ete. Experimental 
grounds are also set aside for the selection and breeding of 
pineapples, mangoes, ete. One of the most notable mango 
introductions is the Bombay, a variety from India, possess- 
ing a very large stringless fruit. This variety is being propa- 
gated very extensively by inarching. 
SPECIMEN TREES AND CLIMBERS 
‘*The plant collection not only includes the native, but also 
the most interesting, economic and decorative plants from all 
parts of the tropical world. It is a revelation to see many 
plants represented in our greenhouses at home grown here 
under natural conditions and often towering 75-100 feet in 
height. Of particular interest were the sausage tree (Kigelia 
pinnata) bearing brownish pendant flowers and sausage- or 
eucumber-like fruit varying from two inches to two feet in 
length, depending upon the age, and the cacao (Theobroma 
