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hard and stored it — it would keep for twelve months. It was a 

 usual custom, and although they had not the advantages of the 

 settlers in Jamaica by any means, they were not subject to famine. 

 This bread could be used at any time someting after the manner 

 of ship's biscuit. Some members thought that as cassava could 

 be kept in the ground through dry weather, almost as well as 

 farine could be kept, it was largely a matter of improvidence ; 

 although the people stored farine or cassava bread, probably they 

 would not be able to keep it long enough. 



As the Governor had arranged to visit St. Elizabeth, nothing 

 definite was clone in this connexion meantime. 



The following reports from the Director of Public Gardens were 

 submitted : — 



1. Instructors. 



2. Hope Experiment Station. 



3. Special reports from Mr. Cradwick as follows : — 



Cocoa — I. Asking leave of the Board to visit Mr. Roberts' cocoa 

 at Bog Walk, and Mr. Calder's at Worthy Park to enquire into the 

 supposed immunity of the red podded Forastero Cocoa from 

 fungus pests, which often ruined the crop of the yellow podded 

 trees ; also that the taking of the cocoa seeds or plants from the 

 eastern end of the Island, that is, anywhere east of Porus, to the 

 western end of the Island might be prohibited, as there was no 

 trouble from fungus pests in the west end, and it would be a 

 thousand pities to introduce any disease in the Criollo plantations 

 which the people were establishing there. 



The authority asked for to visit cocoa plantations in St. 

 Catherine was given, providing it did not interfere with any made- 

 up itinerary. 



The Acting Director of Public Gardens stated that it would not 

 be possible for the gardens to stop issuing plants to anyone who 

 wished them in the western part of the Island ; and at any rate 

 there was no sign of disease in any plants issued from the 

 gardens. 



2. Stating that it had been brought to his attention that the 

 smoking of Gunjah was much on the increase on the northside 

 of Jamaica, not only among the coolies but also to a very large 

 extent among the Creole labouring class, and whether the Govern- 

 ment could be asked to take any steps to prevent the spread of 

 this evil. 



After discussion on the subject, in which the Chairman stated 

 his experince in Trinidad, it was decided that it would not be 

 advisable to recommend any legislation on the subject. 



Tobacco — The Acting Director of Public Gardens reported that 

 a tobacco merchant who had a business in Havana and New York 

 City was now in Jamaica, stated that a great deal of the tobacco 

 which he had seen here was quite suitable for wrappers, and he 

 was prepared to buy all that he could get. The Acting Director 

 stated that the tobacco from last year's experiments at Hope 

 which had been offered in vain to local merchants and also the 

 present season's crop had been bought by this merchant. The 



