" the Natural Order Apocynese the coagulated milk from 

 " several species of which lias been known for a considerable 

 " time to form an elastic, or rather plastic substance when fresh, 

 " but upon drying it becomes brittle and friable, and frequently 

 " breaks up into fine powder. So long ago as the great Exhibi- 

 " tion in 1862 the coagulated milk of Tabernaemontana utilis 

 " was shown as a probable substitute for Gutta Percha. A por- 

 " tion of this sample is contained in the Kew Museum, together 

 " with others of more recent date, and from different species 

 " and countries, but all go to prove the worthlessness of the 

 " Tabernaemontana juices either as a substitute for, or for 

 "mixing with Gutta Percha". 



As Mr. J. R. Jackson was the Curator of the Kew Museum, 

 his opinion on this matter must have considerable weight, and 

 I am compelled therefore to come to the conclusion that the 

 plant called MkaJUu, which is undoubtedly p, Tabernaemontana, 

 is of no value as a rubber yielding plant. It appears certain 

 then that the only known plant likely to yield rubber in the 

 St. Lucia Bay district is Landolphia Kirkii. 



In conclusion, I wish to call attention to the fact that the 

 new Herbarium building is intended to contain not only collec- 

 tions of drie 1 plants, bat also to be the foundation of a Botanic 

 Museum ; up to the present time no attempt to form a Museum 

 of this kind could be made in consequence of want of space to 

 contain the specimens, and therefore the few specimens that 

 have already been collected only form a small nucleus from 

 which I hope will grow a Museum that will be found to be of 

 some practical value. Primarily, it is my wish to obtain speci- 

 mens of native woods, fruits, fibres, barks, roots or other por- 

 tions of plants used medicinally by the natives, and any similar 

 articles which are or are likely to become of economic or com- 

 mercial value. 



With this end in view, I venture to ask for contributions 

 from those who are willing to assist in this matter. One thing 

 only must be remembered, that is that the specimens required 

 are only those of vegetable origin ; minerals, insects (except 

 those that are destructive to vegetation), wculd mo e properly 

 find their place in a general Museum. 



It only now remains for me to say that Miss Lauth, who has 

 now been employed in the Herbarium for more than seven 

 years, has rendered very valuable assistance, more especially 

 with the glasses, a very difficult Order, with which she is 

 rapidly becoming familiar; she has not only made the drawings 



