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" The Botanic Station "was established subsequent to a tour of 

 the West Indies by Mr. (now Sir) Daniel Morris in 1886 in con- 

 nexion with a scheme for establishing Botanic Stations in the 

 smaller islands with the view of encouraging a diversified system 

 of cultural industries, 



M In April, 1886, the people of St. Lucia addressed a memorial 

 to the Secretary of State showing that since the settlement of the 

 island the inhabitants had devoted themselves to the cultivation 

 of sugar-cane almost exclusively ; that causes had lately come 

 into operation which tended to reduce the price of sugar 

 below its cost of production ; that the people of St. Lucia were 

 eager to take up other economic crops, the cultivation of which 

 offered reasonable prospect of profit ; and that it was their firm 

 conviction that other means of existence should be brought within 

 reach of the people in order to lay the foundation of a more solid 

 future prosperity, 



"In October, 1886, the late Mr. John Gray, of Jamaica [for- 

 merly Head Gardener to the Right Honourable the Earl of 

 Brownlow], was appointed Curator to undertake the work of 

 establishing a Botanic Station. This was begun in February, 

 1887, on a site to the north of the Protestant Church, finally 

 selected after an inspection of several others by the Curator and 

 an advisory Committee appointed by the Administrator. The 

 greater portion of the site selected was a swamp, across which it 

 was almost impossible to pass from the Darling Road to the 

 4 Chausses,' and which contained many years' accumulations of 

 refuse. Lying as it did to windward of the town, it constituted a 

 serious menance to the public health of Castries. 



"Sir Daniel Morris, who had continued to take a deep interest 

 in the foundation of a garden at Castries, visited and reported upon 

 it in December, 1890. 



The work of reclaiming and draining the swamp and laying 

 out and planting the grounds was gradually and successfully 

 carried on for several years by Mr. Gray, but his health -was 

 seriously affected by the insanitary condition of the locality in 

 which he laboured, and, after repeated attacks of illness, he died 

 in January, 1895. 



"In July, 1895, Mr. J. C. Moore, then in the employ of the 

 Royal Gardens, Kew, was appointed Curator of the station. The 

 reclamation of the remaining portion of the swamp in the 

 northern part of the station was completed in 1897, and the work 

 of draining, laying out walks and lawns, and ornamenting this 

 part of the grounds with suitable plants was completed in 1904. 

 It was not, however, until after the establishment of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture under Sir Daniel Morris, in 1898, that 

 many much needed improvements in the station, including water 

 supply, fencing, buildings, better nursery accommodation, per- 

 manent labels for the plant collection, etc., etc., became possible. 



*• The area of the station is about 1\ acres, and although com- 

 paratively small, contains an interesting collection of plants, and 

 is a very popular place of resort for visitors and residents. It has 

 also done, and continues to do, good work in rendering assistance 

 to the planting community by raising economic plants and dis- 

 tributing them, with information as to their cultivation. 



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