193 
en of the family. The discrimination of genera and 
spec it is both intricate and difficult, and Mr. C. B. Clarke 
was u thisble e complete his work without a visit of some duration 
to Bu to study the African species described by German 
botanists. 
Botanie Station, St. x —]t has been Sepe insisted 
upon in the Kew Bulletin that the only chance for some im- 
provement in the present distrossód condition of Ws West Indies 
is to multiply as much as possible the cultural industries. 
Administrator King Harman’s Report on St. Lucia for 1897 (pp. 
18- -20) : affords an interesting example of what has already been 
done in this direction in that Island. 
BOTANIC STATION. 
* Much activity has prevailed in connection with the Botanic 
Station, in which an increasing interest is shown by the general 
publie. Plants were distributed throughout the Island to the 
number of 21,138, exclusive of 9,000 ginger sets given gratis to 
purchasers of Crown lands, and an impetus has been given to the 
eultivation of Liberian coffee, cocoa, nutmegs and kola, the 
umber of see — by sale, exchange or free gift 
being as follow 
| 
Sale and | 
—— | Exohange. | Free. Total 
| | 
or ems coffee iui Au sek 10,942 5,994 16,936 
C Ho 44 1,302 1,346 
Nutmeg A e ud m 444 463 907 
Kola ^ es as 214 704 918 
The following table, shewing the number of economic plants 
eni ibuted during the last three years, affords satisfactory 
vidence that the station is increasing in favour with the public, 
e that its sphere of usefulness is being constantly enlarged :— 
Y ve hec Plants 
E tributed. 
1895 4,380 
1896 » | 19,504 
1897 22,179 
In addition to the assistance given to the planting community 
at the station itself, the Curator is paying periodical visits to the 
several districts of the Island for the purpose of giv ing lectures 
and practical ae Sa upon agricultural topics, in the hope 
of enco ing an extended cultivation of the most useful and 
valuable Bono plants upon rational'and scientific principles. 
