268 
XXV.—MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 
Mr. G. Dear.—In December last Mr. G. Dear retired under 
the age limit, after a service of upwards of thirty-eight years at 
Kew. Mr. Dear entered Kew on July 7th, 1884, and after serving 
successively as a gardener and as Seed Collector, he was appointed 
Storekeeper on the Ist May, 1893. The duties of Storekeeper 
occupied only a portion of Mr. Dear’s time, the remainder being 
spent in clerical work in the Curator’s office. The conscientious 
manner in which Mr. Dear discharged his duties as Storekeeper is 
known to many generations of Kew men, while his work in 
the Curator’s office was invariably marked by accuracy and good 
judgment. 
Fruit Cultivation in Trinidad and Tohago.*—One of the chief 
difficulties experienced in the tropics is the supply of fresh fruit 
and vegetables. Although many tropical stations have now 
been established for several decades it is astonishing to find 
that the cultivation, improvement and introduction of fruits 
has received such scant attention that in many tropical Colonies 
it is difficult to obtain even bananas and pawpaws at certain 
times of the year. That market gardening in the tropics is 
hardly a sufficiently important commercial industry to attract 
the Europeans is partly the reason of its neglect, but the increasing 
demand for fruit in the evergrowing centres of population makes 
it almost imperative for local authorities to begin to take an 
active interest in its supply. The attempt of the Trinidad 
Agricultural Society to arouse the interest of the small holder 
has resulted in the publication of a treatise on the cultivation 
_of the principal fruits suitable to the country, the general treat- 
ment, diseases and working costs being given with each crop. 
More than that, however, the Preface states the practical steps 
being taken to interest individuals in the venture. This consists 
not only in selling good stock at a low price but in assuring 
a market to the planter. 
“Tt is felt that the immediate market can be obtained by 
developing a local trade on similar lines to that which has been 
developed during the last five years in ‘ground provisions ’ 
(yams, sweet potatoes, tannias, corn, peas, &c.). Prior to 1917 
there was little inducement for anyone to grow ground provisions, 
unless he was prepared to sell in the local markets, which usually 
meant sending someone personally to dispose of the peor: 
The opening of the Government Ground Provisions Depét in 
Port-of-Spain, and subsequently one in Tobago, has changed that, 
and produce can be consigned by rail or steamer and full cash 
value received by return. The business has grown from one 
of £1,615 receipts in the first twelve months to over £12, 000 
in 1921. The Department of Agriculture is opening early in 
-_* Fruit Cultivation in Trinidad and Tobago. The Agricultural Society 
of Trinidad, Nov. 1922, pp. 91. 17 plates and figs. Is. 
