PREFACE. 



AT the close of last year, at the invitation of the Government,.! 

 paid a short visit to the Colony of British Honduras. 



The general results, as regards its flora and economic pro- 

 ductions, are contained in the following pages. Owing to the 

 facilities placed at my disposal, and the valuable assistance 

 kindly accorded to me both officially and privately, I was enabled 

 during my stay to travel over nearly one thousand miles of the 

 country, and to see most of its salient features. 



The account given of the indigenous plants of the colony is, 

 however, by no means complete ; indeed, in my anxiety to deal 

 chiefly with those of economic value, I have omitted many of 

 purely botanical interest, trusting that a systematic and ex- 

 haustive examination of the flora of British Honduras will, at no 

 distant date, be undertaken under the auspices of Government. 

 This little work, has, therefore, no pretensions, beyond being an 

 attempt to give some account of the resources of the colony, 

 and to supply a few practical hints to those who are, or about 

 to be, engaged in developing them. 



In England, little is known of British Honduras, and that 

 little not of a very flattering character. 



Its climate has been maligned, its resources only partially 

 acknowledged, and the somewhat unsavoury reputation of 

 Spanish Honduras has been extended to this little country, 

 " which has afforded one of the most remarkable instances of 

 British enterprise and energy." 



