106 BRITISH HONDURAS. 



mentioned, are found in considerable numbers in the backwoods 

 of the colony. 



Whether it will prove advantageous to cultivate this spice 

 in British Honduras remains to be seen. -In Jamaica, the 

 present system of establishing a pimento walk, is to allow a 

 piece of land in the neighbourhood of pimento-trees to become 

 Overgrown with bush, which, in the course of time, is found to 

 contain numerous pimento seedlings, grown from seeds devoured 

 by birds and deposited there. When the plants are a certain 

 size the bush is cleared, and the pimento-trees allowed to grow up. 



With so many and so profitable objects, already at hand, I 

 believe it is not advisable at present to take up this industry. 

 It is strange that although pimento-trees grow in many other 

 places besides Jamaica, the whole of the supply for the world's 

 markets is obtained from this one island. 



The demand for pimento, which is- said to be used chiefly. 

 in the preparation of Russian leather, or, more probably, in the 

 manufacture of liqueurs and cordials, would appear to be not 

 increasing, and in some years the prices obtained are so low 

 that they will not cover the cost of picking -the crop. 



cinnamon and camphor. These plants, essentially East Indian, 

 have not yet been cultivated in the West Indies on a commercial 

 scale. 



The tree yielding cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) is. 

 thoroughly naturalised in Jamaica, where the bark is in general 

 use amongst the peasantry, as a stomachic and a condiment. 



It is -not, however, exported, and it is doubtful whether it 

 can be prepared by unskilled labour, so as to obtain remunera- 

 tive prices. 



The tree yielding camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) is fast 

 growing, and likely to do well in British Honduras. It is already 

 plentiful in many parts of the West Indies. 



