Foreign Notices : — West Indies. 211 



"b 



Among them are two specimens of cedar | one inscribed Cedro amargo, or 

 Bitter cedar, and the other Cedro dulce, or Sweet cedar ; both of the colour 

 of new mahogany, and both exhaling the cedar odour strongly : their resem- 

 blance is such, that, but for the difference of name, I should have concluded 

 them to be taken from the same tree. Whether the specimens are the produce 

 of a Pinus ./uniperus, or what, I cannot say. They do not appear to me to 

 resemble the timber of any of the bignonias, several of which are vulgarly deno- 

 minated cedars ; as the B. leucoxylon, or white wood, and B. pentaphylla; both 

 of which are called white cedar in our English islands ; but the timber of which 

 is white, and of a totally different grain and texture, as well as destitute of 

 smell ; while the specimens sent have not only the red colour, but the grain 

 and peculiar odour, of the Bermuda cedar. One of the other specimens re- 

 sembles satin wood ; and one or two others, which probably come from some 

 of the species of Brownz'a, the timber of which is known in this country under 

 the name of zebra wood, appear as handsome as rose wood, and are close 

 grained and heavy. Should an opportunity of private conveyance offer, I shall 

 cut off a piece from each specimen, and send it to you, accompanied by its local 

 name. Upon referring again to the specimens, Ifind a considerable difference 

 in colour and grain between the Cedro dulce and the Cedro amargo; and 

 neither are so red as the Bermuda cedar : the smell of the former, also, is 

 fainter, and its colour paler, than those of the latter. The wood resembling rose 

 wood is labelled Chacarandan ; and, from its weight, its-specific gravity must 

 be considerable. 



Besides these. Sir Robert has sent me six seeds of the wax tree of Guayana, 

 accompanied by nearly six inches of a candle made from the wax. Enclosed you 

 will find two of these seeds accompanied by some of the wax (as it is called, 

 although evidently a resinous substance, and not sebaceous), which I took off 

 the upper part of the candle. Should you desire more, I shall gladly send it to 

 you. Sir Robert says the tree producing it is called by the Indians Cuajo ; 

 the j aspirated, like ho. He says it is a large and shady tree, but professes him- 

 self ignorant as to the manner in which the wax is obtained. I hope you will 

 be able to make the seeds vegetate, and that you will succeed in determining 

 what the tree is. Party spirit runs so high here, that I fear I shall be unable 

 to execute your commission. I have tried two different quarters, but, as yet, 

 without effect. — W. Hamilton. Plymouth, Afril 15. 1835. 



WEST INDIES. 



The Practicability of cultivating Wheat, and other Articles of Agricultural Pro- 

 duce, at certaiji Elevations, in the West Indies. — The problem of the practica- 

 bility of cultivating wheat at certain elevations in the West Indies, which vulgar 

 opinion absolutely denied, and which the remarks of Humboldt rendered at least 

 questionable, is now solved, as far, at least, as Jamaica is concerned, in the 

 most satisfactory manner; and I think I may be allowed to anticipate the day 

 when wheat will be added to our other imports from that fine colony, and tend 

 materially to the advantage both of the parent state and the inhabitants of the 

 island. Dr. Bancroft's information on this subject is as follows : — 



" Victoria Wheat. The Jamaica Society have received samples, from three 

 or four different places, of the wheat-produced there, all of which appear to 

 be of a favourable sort. First, from the mountains of St. Ann's, where the seed 

 had been sown in the latter end of Januar}', and tlie corn was ripe the latter 

 end of April. In another part of the same district, the dates of sowing differed 

 from the above, but the wheat ripened in nearly the same period. Secondly, from 

 the mountains of St. Andrew's: on one property (Fair Hill), the sowing and 

 the ripening happened at the same dates as in the first-mentioned case. Of this 

 corn, one grain produced 28 ears, containing 1500 grains. Notwithstanding 

 this apparent success, the proprietor of the place thinks it unlikely that planters 

 would grow Victoria wheat in preference to the great corn, as it is called here 



