21 



on tlie part of proprietor8, and it is possible with care to ensure its reproducing itself under the most 

 favourable circumstances. On some estates there are grazing lands under logwood, and the pasture is 

 kept clean, but it can scarcelj' be expected that the logwood will reproduce itself if seedlings are not 

 allowed to freely establish themselves in the ground, and it will be advisable for proprietors to keep 

 their cattle out from logwood pastures for some few years before and after cutting the old trees. In 

 this way the forest will remain pasture for say three quarters of the time, and if the ground is cut over 

 for logwood regularly, a rotation of closed pasture equal to, say one quarter of the whole area will have 

 to be arranged. . . 



" Juniper cedar is a timber which requires especial looking after and eacoaragament, unless it is 

 to disappear. Naturally found over a small area only above 4,000 feet, it has been cut whenever it 

 could be got at, so that it is now rarely seen." 



Havino; offered recommendations for the growth of special trees to the noticj of all owners of land 

 in the Island, he continues with more particular reference to work that he sug^gasts should be carried 

 out by Government : — "With regard to forest conservancy generally in Tamiica, I would advocate its 

 introduction at once upon the practical grounds that there is an absolute necessity for regulating the 

 water supply in the eastern district, — also for protecting the lowlands from the torrential flow of th» 

 rivers, and on the south side of the Island for general protection against the terrible north winls 

 which occasion so much damage and danger to property and life. 



" I do not base my argument that immediate steps should be taken in this direction upon the 

 question of therecentdiminished rainfall in Jamaica, for although observar.ions by scientists and others iu 

 various portions of the globe tend to show that there is connection between denudation and a lessened fall 

 of rain, it cannot be asserted as yet as a scientific fact that the former causes the latter. It can, however, 

 confidently be asserted that forest conservancy is more than justified in the interest of climate generally 

 especially in tropical regions where it so often occurs that disastrous droughts are only divided or 

 separated from each other by a torrential fall of rain which runs off to the sea without doing more 

 than ephemeral good to the parched crops. It may be stated as a fact that a drier and severer general 

 climate closely follows upon extensive denudation of forest.. Summers are hotter, winters are colder, 

 the air drier, and the conditions of animal and vegetable life are less favourable. 



" I do not anticipate any difficulty in introducing forest conservancy into Jamaica, but I would 

 advocate its extension being gradual. It must be borne in mind that it is invariably a matter of ex- 

 pense to the community at large, at first, and in the case of Jamaica I do not foresee any means 

 whereby it can be made a self-supporting branch of the service for some years to come much less its 

 becoming a true revenue department. Its value will however be traceable in indii'ect ways, and apart 

 from climatic effects it will enable Government to have a complete knowledge of its timber re- 

 sources, and be useful in many subsidiary waj'^s. . 



"To sum up the suggestions I have made, thoy may be briefly stated as follows : — Ist. To re- 

 serve the highlands of the Blue Mountains, escheating ail lands liable to forfeiture, and arranging 

 amicably with neighbouring proprietors for the surrender of such backlands useless to them that they 

 may be willing to part with, and obtaining all lands in private hands and the ridge and near it. 



"2nd. The demarcation and survey of the reserve so formed and its protection against fire and 

 theft and trespass, employing Maroons for that purpose. 



"3rd. The retention as forest reserves of all blocks of Crown lands on the limestone formations 

 that exceed two thousand acres in extent ; to restrict ground provision cultivation in them wherever 

 possible or expedient, protecting the reserves against felling of valuable timbars and generally con- 

 serving them. . 



" At present there is no Forest Department, the administration of the Crown lands being at- 

 tached to the office of the Director of Public Works. With the large acquisitions which will now be 

 made, the Crown lands will require a separate administration of its own, and it is this separate ad- 

 ministration which will have to be provided that I would form into a forest branch of the present de- 

 partment it is attached to." 



The legislation on the subject has not been on the lines laid down by Mr. Hooper, and the Iaw8 

 passed were finally repealed during the last session. 



Reports on Free Grants of Plantb. 



Rev. C. M. Buckley (For Petersfield Churchyard.)— All the plants are doing well, with the 

 exception of a few Eucalypti, which are dead. 



Rev. J. W. Austin, (Chapelton Churchyard) — I am pleased to say that all (save one) of the plants 

 are in a flourishing state, and in another year will be quite an ornament to the village churchyard. 



Surgeon-Major Moore Keys (Camp) — The plants supplied are doing well, and they are care- 

 fully tended. The water supply is sufficient and used twice daily. A few have died by the scale in- 

 sect pest. On the whole considering the high winds and exposed situation, the venture has been suc- 

 cessful, and has considerably improved the appearance of the Camp. 



R.M.Humphreys (Falmouth District Prison)— In consequence of the exposed nature of the 

 ground many of the plants have died, but those which were somewhat sheltered from the sea breeze 

 have thriven well. The Eucalyptus plants which I had hope 1 to have successfully grown near th'^ 

 edge of the Lagoon in front of the prison did very well for a time, and some reached the height of 8 

 or 9 feet, representing two years' growth, and appeared to be robust healthy plants, but owing to the 

 exceptionally high tides which prevailed during the greiter part of the summer, the sea- water perco- 

 lated through the soil to the surface of the land, and in consequence of the excessive heat which we 

 experienced at the same time, the ground was covered with an incrustation of salt which proved fatal 

 to vegetable life of all kinds. 



