[Vol. 2 



212 ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 



1 



of the plants were removed thence from St. Vincent. The St. 

 Vincent Garden was restored in 1890 and now, fortunately, 

 there is a botanic garden or station in every West Indian 

 island of importance. These serve as centers for the distri- 

 bution of economic plants and of scientific information, and 

 have also become gardens of peculiar charm for the refresh- 

 ment and recreation of the inhabitants. 



The gardens of the East, however, are preeminent among 

 tropical botanic gardens owing to the vastness of the territory 

 over which they exercise their influence. Foremost among 

 these, after Buitenzorg, is the Calcutta Botanic Garden, 

 founded in 1786 on the suggestion of Lieut. Col. Robert Kyd. 



This garden was intended to be the source of botanical in- 

 formation for the possessions of the East India Company, 

 and also the center to which exotic plants of economic interest 



could be imported for experimental cultivation and thence 

 distributed. 



It was hoped at first that the spices which rendered the 

 trade of the East India Company with the Moluccas, etc., so 

 lucrative, might be cultivated in Bengal, and Kyd's earliest 

 efforts were directed to the introduction of cloves, nutmegs, 

 cinnamon, and pepper vines, but the climate of northern India 

 proved unsuitable. Much was attempted and, despite numer- 

 ous failures, much accomplished in the way of new introduc- 

 tions in the early days, the failures possibly being as import- 

 ant as successes since it was soon evident what could or could 

 not be grown in Bengal. The Calcutta Gardens, however, 

 despite the failure in their original intention, have under their 

 distinguished superintendents achieved notable results. The 

 introduction of tea to India — one of Kyd's original ideas 

 was mainly carried out through the instrumentality of the 

 Gardens, and potato growing, the introduction of mahogany, 

 jute, sugar-cane, and the improvement of Indian cotton culti- 

 vation, may be counted among its many benefits to the people 

 of India. 



1 King, George. Guide to the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. 1895. 



