92 



several of them were also obtained ; the most remarkable of them 

 is a fan-thatch species, presumably of the genus Thrinax, abun- 

 dant in the woods covering the limestone hills about Hollymount, 

 which reaches a height of 50 feet with a trunk only about 6 

 inches in diameter; its flowers and fruit are unknown to botanists 

 and are apparently produced only sparingly and at long intervals; 

 examination of several hundred trees failed to reveal them, and 

 other botanists have had a like experience, but the old fruit-stalks 

 seen on several trees prove that they do occur at times. 



Another very interesting species of Thrinax grows in great 

 quantities at the mouth of Priestman's River at the extreme north- 

 eastern part of the island ; this is a small tree, none seen by us 

 being over 15 feet high, having large clusters of stalked milk- 

 white fruits nearly half an inch in diameter. 



The largest native palm on the island is the cabbage-palm, the 

 trunk of which sometimes reaches a height of 100 feet ; the royal- 

 palms of Cuba and Porto Rico do not grow naturally in Jamaica 

 but are freely planted for ornament. In order to study the plants 

 of the wettest part of the island we traversed the region from Port 

 Antonio eastward to Priestman's River, fortunately on a day with 

 insignificant rainfall ; this brought us to a view of the John Crow 

 Mountains, the other region which 1 have referred to as least 

 known botanically, but we did not get within five or six miles of 

 the range : inquiries indicate that the pack-train method will be 

 the only satisfactory way of exploring them. 



Parts of several days were spent at the public gardens at Hope, 

 in studying the plantations and herbarium ; Mr. Harris very oblig- 

 ingly gave us great assistance here, allowing us to prepare and 

 pack all our collections, and arranging for their shipment ; and to 

 this cooperation much of the success of the expedition is due. 



In addition to its function as a public garden and park, Hope is 

 a very important centre of botanical and horticultural investiga- 

 tion, serving also as an agricultural experiment station. 



The public garden at Castleton located near the centre of the 

 island was also visited and the plantations studied with much 

 interest and profit ; this is a very wet region, permitting the growth 

 of very many plants not adapted to the much drier climate at 

 Hope ; and a very notable collection of economic tropical trees 

 from all parts of the world has been brought together here, includ- 

 ing probably the most complete series of palms to be found any- 

 where in America, all in fine condition. 



The collections of prepared specimens and of living plants 

 made during the expedition include about 1,600 numbers, aggre- 

 gating some 5,000 specimens, and are an important addition to 

 our representation of West Indian species, the duplicates being 

 available for exchanges ; some valuable plants from the gardens 

 at Hope and at Cinchona were also obtained. 



Our thanks are gratefully tendered to His Excellency, Sir Alexan- 

 der Swettenham, Governor of Jamaica, to the Hon. William Faw- 

 cett, Director of Public Gardens and Plantations, and to Mr. Wil- 

 liam Harris, Superintendent of Public Gardens and Plantations. 



