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w introducing hardy and productive varieties of sugar-canes to Mauritius 
5 gt a time when the sugar industry was imperilled by the attacks of 
* destructive insects and disease. Canes to the number of 130 varieties 
** * were introduced by the gardens, propagated at them, and distributed 
* *from them, not in a cane or so of each variety, but in quantities 
** * of several thousand canes of each of the leading sorts to each planter.’ 
* Of late years the Gardens have rendered addi tional services in 
* endeavouring to alleviate local depression by carrying on inquiri 
* with the view of establishing minor industries. Indeed, there would 
* appear to be no function attached to the Mauritius Botanic Gardens 
* which Mr. Horne has not endeavoured to discharge as fully as the 
* means at his disposal have allowed." 
News has been received at Kew of the death from typhoid fever "x 
Mr. G. Carstensen, Superintendent of the Victoria Municipal Garden 
M i 
ciety. 
In a letter announcing Mr. Carstensen’s death, he was descr ee as 
popular and painstaking, and it was stated that he had greatly im- 
La the Lee under his charge, and he had Se pent extending 
he character and value of the collections so render them of 
pr he scientific interest 
What little interest is being taken at present in extracting RAMIE 
from Boehmeria nivea appears to be centred at Belfast. 
Numerous applications have been received at Kew for Ramie stems 
for experimental purposes, but owing to the unfavourable conditions of 
last winter the eae at Kew have yielded a poor crop of stems. It 
may be usef te dat investigators of Ramie in Ireland could 
vety well bts stems either from the Botanical Gardens at 
Glasnevin, or from growers of the plant in the mild climate of the South 
of Ireland. Mr.F. W. Moore, Curator of the Glasnevin Gardens, writes 
that the plant is “quite hardy " with him, and he would be pleased to 
send Lenin as far as his resources allow, to those who apply to him 
for them 
A NEW VARIETY OF SUGAR-CANE is stated to have an discovered in 
the Upper Niger region of Central Africa. It is bom ribed as *a giant 
i i i capable 
