80 
Botanic Station, St. Vincent.—In the last quarterly report on the 
Botanie Station, St. Vincent (July-September 1893), the Curator, Mr. 
Henry Powell, gives the following interesting particulars respecting the 
propagation of economie planis and their distribution in the island :— 
“It is specially pleasing to me to be able to report the marked in- 
creased attention given to the planting of such plants as Cocoa, Nutmegs, 
Coffee, Black Pepper, &c. in this Colony. In most instances, planters 
raise their own plants, but from the Botanical Station alone upwards of 
2,000 plants, chiefly consisting of the kinds named above, were distri- 
buted during the quarter; of this number 1,099 were distributed (free) 
to peasant buyers of Crewn lands. [Since the 30th September up to 
the time of writing this report, an additional 3,000 plants have beer. 
distributed in the Colony. 
s e near future, judging from the present rate of planting, it is, 
perhaps, not too much to predict that St. Vincent will become a rival 
to Grenada as a cocoa and spice-producing island. 
“The coffee plants raised from seeds received from Jamaica during 
the last quarter are doing well; the most forward plants are i 
posed of at 1s. 8d. per 100. A fair stock of Cocoa of the Forastero and 
Criollo varieties is also available for distribution. Plants of the above, 
in bamboo pots are charged for at the rate of 3s. 4d. per 100. Wit 
view to lessening the difficulty cf transit, a large number of cocoa plants 
ave been raised in seed beds, from whence they are carefully taken up 
in bundles of from 15 to 20 plants, and wrapped iound with tannia 
or other broad leaves ; this ensures their safe transit to almost any part 
of this Colony. Of course, the plants are best planted out during 
showery weather, and should be shaded for a few days from hot suns. 
If the above precautions are attended to, few, if any, of the plants will 
fail to grow. Cocoa plants taken from the seed beds are charged for at 
the rate of 1s, 8d. per 100." 
