68 



and unripe wood, pruning, disbudding, stopping growth, thinning bunches, need 

 for different kinds of vines and to be pruned at different times to produce fruit at 

 certain seasons, evil effects of shade, etc., etc. 



It would be hard at present to say what benefit has been derived from the in- 

 structions given, as most of the vines the people have are young. 



Most of those who attended the demonstrations seemed to know all about vine- 

 culture too soon. I always impressed on them to attend once a week for a 

 season, then they would know enough about vine-culture to grow the finest 

 -grapes possible, but they came a few times, then they stayed away for a few weeks. 

 We have good soil and climate ; — with manure, water and attention, at the proper 

 time, we would grow as fine grapes as any other country. 



The drawback to vine-culture is that people are impatient to wait a few years 

 to let the vine get some strength before they start allowing the vine to fruit. 



Notes on vine-culture have been sent to the Bulletin from time to time, also 

 instruction given to the people as they write for it. 



In 1893, Dr. Grabham presented the Department with some Madeira Vines, 

 these have made good growth. 



Mangoes and Fine Apples will not produce fruit at Castleton, and 

 therefore attention is paid to them at Hope. 



Temperate Fruit Trees. There is a very large area in the higher 

 elevations where these may be grown, but the Hill Garden is the only 

 place where experiments can be carried on with them by the Depart- 

 ment. Several young trees have been distributed all over the country, 

 but sufficient time has not elapsed to learn anything very definite about 

 results. At the Hill Garden have been planted out peaches, pears, 

 apples, cherries, Japan persimmons. The Himalayan Blackberry 

 (Rubus racemosus ) has been a success, and plants have been distributed. 



Papaw. The juice of the papaw yields papaine, which would rival 

 pepsine commercially if it could be produced cheaply. A plot of 

 ground has been planted out with ] apaws at Hope with a view of test- 

 ing the possibility of getting a cheap product. If successful, it will be 

 a great boon to the small settlers. 



Orris Root, Chirata, and Chinese Indigo are other minor products 

 which are being tested at the Hill Garden. They are described in 

 Mr. Harris's Report. 



Tobacco. Sir Joseph Hooker, was, I believe, the first, in Sir John 

 Peter Grant's Governorship, to direct attention to the capabilities of the 

 island for growing good tobacco and producing excellent cigars. He 

 sent seeds from Kew Gardens to Jamaica of various kinds, and 

 continues at the present day to take a fatherly interest in the cultiva- 

 tion. Sufficient tobacco is not yet grown to provide all the " wrappers" 

 that are required for the cigar business, and these are consequently im- 

 ported to make up the deficiency ; the difficulty is not one of texture of 

 leaf, which is sufficiently good. 



Through the good offices of H.B.M. Consul at Havana, I was able to 

 get a large supply of the best Cuban seed. This was distributed, and the 

 reports printed in Appendix III, page 85 show that the tobacco 

 produced was of a better quality for cigars than the common kind 

 usually grown. I hope that the area under cultivation will increase to 

 such an extent that there will be no need to import " wrappers." That 

 the surplus tobacco can easily be sold at good price in European 

 markets is evident from the fact that in answer to information published 

 in the Bulletin of a prize of £50 offered by the London Chamber of 

 Commerce, Messrs. Machado sent up tobacco and received half the prize 

 which was divided between Jamaica and British North Borneo. The 



