126 On the Flora and Fauna of Santa Cruz. 



Baron Eggers informs me, that tlie year 1873 was an uncom- 

 monly dry one, as had been, also, 1872, and as was 1874. The 

 elfect of the dronght was, he says, very plainly to be seen, but 

 since, there have been not less than three or four very wet 

 years, and the island at present (March, 1880) is as green as 

 ever. 



Baron Eggers remarks : — '* There can be no doubt that, com- 

 pared with St. Thomas, Santa Cruz is more favored with moisture 

 than the reverse ; its. forests are still of some extent, and trees 

 are not removed in the latter as in former times, when the land 

 was continually cleared more and more to satisfy the increasing- 

 demand for sugar." 



At the end of last century, he says, there were 27,000 acres in 

 cane cultivation, now there are only 17,000. The difference of 

 10,000 acres- is again overgrown with trees, shrubs, grass, etc. 



The so-called desiccation of the island of Santa Cruz can, in 

 fact, be no more accepted than the conflagration caused by the 

 French colonists, as sufficient sensibly to affect its flora or 

 fauna. 



