121 
at the Cot, a charming residence on a commanding spur of Centre Hill, 
appliances and machinery, and under circumstances conducive to the 
utmost cleanliness, a comparatively new ast wee for "enr M ы 
course of being established. Very fine plants of Furcrea 
E the Mauritius hemp of commerce, were plentiful in this АШ 
urhood. ‘They were used chiefly as hedge plants. An elementary 
ерда for negro children is maintained by the Montserrat Company in 
the neighbourhood of their estates. It is said to be one of the best in 
the West Indies 
We now travelled in an easterly direction, p visited Water Works 
sugar estate, owned by Mrs. Kirwan. In the eys above the house 
was a small but very promising cacao estate. On the ridges of the hills 
were clusters of an interesting native palm (Cocos amara) ` with the habit 
of the cocoa-nut. The fruit is about үл inches long. After traversing 
one or р 
at nightfall. Mr. Wade, the Curator of the Botanical Station, brought 
up а sketch plan of the саа and arrangements were made to have 
the paths and beds pegged out, ready for my inspection the next day. 
December 11.—Leaving Richmond at 7 a.m., and again accompanied 
by Mr. Hollings, it was arranged to cross the island and see somethi 
of the windward side. It was afterwards proposed to take a southerly 
direction and ride round the soufriére into Plymouth. As will be seen 
ned this part of the programme was not Diei = carry er in the 
From Ric 
through D he 
hes saddle of depression between the Centre "Har (2,450 feet) and 
the Soufriére Hill (3,002 feet). This is the main line of communication 
between the leeward and the windward sides of the island. The road at 
its highest point crosses the ridge at about 1,200 feet. Along this road 
excellent views were obtained of the country on both sides of the ridge. 
In ora to the regular sugar estates, of about 200 or 25 eac 
are numerous thriving “negro villages where the land is held by 
small freeholders. In tl 
and provision grounds in a good state of cultivation. Swee padi 
ams, eddoes, pigeon-peas, and fruits and hanger = island produc- 
tion are cheap and abundant. It is estimated by Mr. Hollings that 
there are about 1,200 negro freeholders in мч ‚ owning lots 
varying from one to five acres each. In the cooler climate of the hills 
many of the northern fruits and vegetables could be grown, but as there 
is little or no demand for them in the island, ree as the facilities for 
shipping them are fitful and — they receive little attention at 
present. On the windward slopes the country is rendre broken up into 
deep ravines and rocky defiles. The soil in the valleys is, however, 
very rich, and where these are wide and sheltered from prevailing winds ` 
cooler than on the leeward side, and the air more bracing. At Hermit- 
age, a representative sugar estate, Mr. Wilkins was good enough to 
show us his cultivation. He had tried the coc Queen, or St. 
Kitts’ cane, on one of his fields, and it had stood he drought much 
better than any of the other canes. Young cocoa-nut ins ant in avery ` 
en B2 
