136 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
chase of the present site known as Castleton Gardens. The 
creation of the gardens was entrusted to Nathaniel Wilson, 
the island horticulturist of that period. The selection of the 
site, despite the fact of its not being near the Colonial Rail- 
road, was very fortunate, inasmuch as it includes the advan- 
tages of natural beauty combined with abundant rainfall. It 
is situated in a deep valley surrounded by lofty mountains, 
through which the mountain stream, called ‘Wag Water,’ 
interruptedly flows. This natural garden presents vegetation 
beyond description, for not only is there a rich fertile soil, 
but its climate is far superior to that of the Hope Gardens. 
The mean temperature is 75° F., the rainfall averages 109 
inches annually, and during the summer months the humidity 
is relatively high. It is from this region that the Garden tree 
ferns were collected. 
‘On Thursday, accompanied by Messrs. Goodwin and Mar- 
tini, I was taken to visit the famous Castleton Gardens, where 
my tree ferns awaited inspection before being shipped to 
Hope Gardens for final crating. The trip by automobile over 
a good macadam road to Castleton is a delightful experience. 
Here one sees the banana plantations bordered with trees of 
Bauhinia variegata, and further along the naturalized trees 
of the bread fruit and Jack fruit, together with innumerable 
vines, such as Abrus precatorius. The black and red seeds 
of this vine are collected by the natives for making necklaces. 
At higher elevations one sees the native tree ferns and the 
massive clumps of bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), their nodding 
plumes in the distance resembling giant tree ferns. We 
passed through the main gate of Castleton Gardens, which 
- is guarded by the giant Cohune palms (Attalea Cohune), 
the enormous plumose leaves rising forty to fifty feet in 
height. Once inside the gate one goes into ecstasy at the won- 
derful combination of exotic and native vegetation. The 
palm collection, for which the gardens are noted, aggregates 
upwards of 180 undeveloped specimens of distinct species, 
some of these being Carludovica palmata, Areca Catechu, 
Attalea Cohune, Elaeis guineensis, Manicaria sacctfera, Mau- 
ritia flexuosa, Maximiliana martiana, Raphia Ruffia, Phytele- 
phas macrocarpa, and Astrocaryum vulgare. The economic 
plants have numerous representatives, notable among which 
are the kola nut, cacao, olive, pineapple, mango, mangosteen, 
