31 
** much struck with the -— of the plants when grown in New 
iden In 
h them 
* England and received very favourable replies in nigel. to thiir na 
* from London 
Whether the whole of the Sisal plants now growing in the Bahamas 
have been derived from those first introduced by Mr. Nesbitt it is now 
impossible to say. It is evident, however, that this gentleman was fully 
aware of their economic value a nd he deserves great credit for the steps 
Bahamas is given by Sir William owe as 1845. This v would be 
about eight years after their first introduction into Florida by Dr 
Perrine and about the ti e were engaged upon the 
Perrine grant to establish regular planta 
his latter fact may ave a bearing upon the question. 
eaves and armed with teeth. ‘This is the form nearly always described 
as gro Ware n Sisal plantations in Yucatan, and plants of this are 
almost iüivariili brought from Yucatan as the true thing. The plant, 
with smooth leaves and of a pale-green colour, was specialiy selected by 
Dr. Perrine from his personal acquaintance "with it, while Consul for 
many years at Campeachy. 
If Mr. Nesbitt also obtained this partieular variety for the Bahamas 
direct from Yueatan without the special knowledge of its occurrence 
there, possessed by Dr. Perrine, the circumstance is a perry’ coin- 
cidence 
In the meantime, however, we must accept the elaims so ably put 
forth by Sir William Robinson on behalf of Mr. Nesbitt, and trust 
that further investigation will confirm the fact that these islands owe 
toa Bahamas man the introduction of a plant which is calculated to 
produce so great an influence upon their future prosperity. 
TURKS AND Caicos ISLANDS. 
These islands were once included under the Bahamas, to which group 
they e.g belong. At present they are under the Government 
of Jam 
In the i feport ofa Magi: made by the Commissioner of ies Island to 
Lorimers on Middle rand Caicos in July 1889, he state 
“ Shortly after sunrise on the morning of. the 10th iniit; 1 I started 
to walk to Bourbarra about four miles distant, and on the way there I 
visited the Pita plantations which have been established by Mr. Alfred 
Stubbs, of Cockburn Harbour. This gentleman whose grandfather was 
the last slave-owner on the Caicos, whose house still stands, owns not 
ess than seven to eight thousand acres on this Island (Grand Caicos) 
joie e, and he is by slow degrees br ringing portions of this under 
cultivation in fibre plants. His system has been to lease his land to 
the *farmers' (or ‘ planters’ as they ar poner at the rate of 
about two dollars per aere per annum under the condition of their 
planting so many Pita plants each year. As the land I -— gets 
gradually taken up by the plants the planters move further afi 
