116 
Botanical Station. Mr. Green, the кн had made excellent progress | 
in raising piants, and the nurseries were in good order. The Gambier 
plants, landed 10 days previously, had already pushed forth new leaves, 
and were evidently doing well. Later the day we drove up some 
distance into Roseau Valley, to see a new bridge in course of being 
built, and afterwards took a am view of the land proposed to be 
acquired for a Botanical Station 
December 5.—Mr. Blane, Sides dl of Crown Lands, met me by 
appointment, on ihe land selected for a Botanical Station at 7 a.m., and 
the nature, boundaries, and extent of it were carefully examined. In 
the afternoon a ride was taken along the Windward Road in the 
direction of St. Joseph. This road is being placed in an excellent state 
of repair; culverts and bridges are being built. By means of this road 
a large extent of country will eventually become accessible for wheel 
t 
December 6.— The most interesting не possibly a most yearn 
portion of Dominica just now, is that stretching in a north-easterly 
direction from the mouth of the ye river, on v» west opis to 
feet. Portions of these known as the Layou and Sara flats comprise 
together an area of about 20,000 acres, covered with valuable timber, 
and watered wá a great number of streams joining the Mahaub and 
Layou rivers n the west, and the Quanary and Pagona rivers on the 
east side of the island. I was very anxious to see this portion of 
Dominica, and the Governor kindly arranged for a short visit to-day. 
arty consisted of the Governor, the President, Mr. Fadelle, 
onial Engineer 
.45. e met here by Mr. Riviere, a leading sugar and cacao 
planter. After breakfast we started to ride up the valley. At Brook 
Hill there were notieed growing very luxuriantly some Liberian coffee 
and nutmeg trees at an elevation of 400 feet. Further up the valley 
5 үер where a very simple and effective 
encao-house was in operation for curi — the produce of the estate. 
side. Leaving the main valley, and кне across the country іп а 
north-easterly direction, a good view was obtained of the district. We 
ultimately reached a point below Cassada Garden, where, owing to the 
evidently very suitable for purposes of cultivation. Dr. Nicholls has 
red an excellent account of the resources of the Layou flats for 
the Government of Dominica, and I cannot do better than refer to that 
document. I was able to satisfy myself “that the country for miles 
around the route taken by us was covered with luxuriant forest growth, 
that it was well watered, and that the soil was capable of growing 
almost every kind of tropical produce. In several places the capubili ities 
of the soil have et tested, as at Cassada Garden, where Dr. Nicholls 
has a small planta 
Evidentl sisi or or light railway is necessary to open up this 
valuable district, туч т subject i is now, I believe, under the considera- 
tion of the Govern Dr. Nicholls enumerates and deléribón twelve 
valuable timber iresi pete found on the Layou flats, and he states 
that “the forests of these interior flats contain trees of great value for 
