3 



HERBARIUM. 



Steady progress has been made with the Herbarium during the year and about 

 2,500 specimens of the Flora have been added. Among the latter a new species of 

 Orchid which has been named at Kew as Epidendrum Ilartii n. sp. Rolfe. This was 

 collected many years ago by Dr. Cruger, but to this time had remained without name. 

 No consignment was sent to Kew for determination during the year, but our work has 

 been to "arrange the orders so that a complete sequence may be sent during the coming 

 year, consisting of those which stand most injneed of being authoritatively determined 

 at Kew. The most numerous orders are now in readiness and will be despatched at an 

 early date. 



We have to thank the authorities at the Royal Gardens, Kew, for the unfailing 

 courtesy they extend to us in the determination of garden and indigenous plants, and 

 we have this year in addition to thank them for the important work of determining 

 the fungus of the cane disease, the exposition of which has been treated in a masterly 

 manner by Mr. Massee, with full illustrations in the Annals of Botany, December, 

 1893. In this work credit, is given to our office as the first to call attention to the 

 evil. Now that the character of the disease is known, it opens up the way for our 

 cultivators to adopt successful means for its extermination. The name of the fungus is 

 Trichosporece Sacchari, Mass. 



A disease of the Cocoa tree has also been determined by the same authorities as 

 being caused by a fungus called Fusarium album Sacc, and I am glad to record their 

 opinion that "no serious harm is likely to follow," as the plant is not a true parasite, 

 but merely affects the places where the trees have suffered injury to the stem or 

 branches. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



Colonial, foreign and local correspondence has been maintained, and the register 

 shows a considerable increase on last year's number of communications sent out. The 

 issue of a catalogue of the plants cultivated, has resulted in numerous applications for 

 seed and plants from all parts of the world, which, added to our issue of circulars 

 accounts for the increase. 



DECORATIVE WORK. 



Plants were loaned out on seventeen different occasions (Public Balls and other 

 entertainments), the total number used being 1,305, which is slightly less than the 

 number for last year, the major portion of these were large plants in tubs. 



The supply of decorative plants and flowers required for the residence of His 

 Excellency the Governor has been fully maintained. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Many of the beds containing shrubby flowering plants were renewed during the 

 year and two or three beds of roses of the best imported kinds have been planted. 

 Besides the usual routine work, we have had to remove several overgrown and 

 unsightly trees, which have been replaced by plants of suitable character. A constant 

 war has to be carried on in the Flower Garden, and indeed in all other sections, against 

 the "Parasol Ant," (Ecodoma cephalotes, and probably two other species and each 

 nest is exterminated as soon as seen. From the proximity of adjoining woodlands, 

 I fear Ave cannot hope to be ever free from this destructive pest, to destroy which, 

 means considerable expenditure of labour annually. 



The material which grows in the nests of these ants has now been determined as 

 as the mycelium and conidia of one of the forms of fungus which develope large 

 toadstools or mushrooms as an ultimate result, and is thought to be identical with a 

 species observed by A. MoUer in Brazil as being cultivated by South American 

 ants. I have had the opportunity of making observations on the Parasol or Sauba ant 

 in Nicaragua on the same ground as Belt studied them, but only a single species, 

 (Ecodoma cephalotes, which is the largest of this family was observed. In Trinidad 

 we probably have three species, all growing the fungus in the nests, and all more or 

 less destructive to vegetation. 



