71 



The number of letters are as follows : — 



Received. Despatched. 



Head Office ... 2,823 3,177 



Superintendents' Offices 3,691 5,687 



Total ... 6,514 8,864 



Printed Matter. 



Information of general character is provided for by the issue of a 

 Bulletin once a month. By this means the burden of correspondence 

 is lessened in a marked degree, and besides, intelligence is conveyed to 

 many who would not take the trouble to write for it. Bulletins are not 

 issued broadcast, but to those who apply for them ; the number distri- 

 buted each month amounts to 1,035. 



The Bulletin deals with subjects coming under the following 

 heads : — 



(1) . Cultivation and Curing of Agricultural Products. 



(2) . Machinery. 



(3) . Fibre and Fibre Machinery. 



(4) . Vegetables and Fruits. 



(5) . Fodder Plants. 



(6) . Economic Plants. 



(7) . Manures. 



(8) . Diseases of Plants. 



(9) . Forestry. 



(10) . Ornamental Plants. 



(11) . Botanical Notes. 



A list of the native flowering plants of the island was drawn up by 

 the Director, and published in September, 1893. 



I have to thank the newspapers for inserting notices from time to 

 time, — an important aid to the work of the Department. 



Practical Demonstrations and Lectures. 



A series on Grape Vine Culture has been given weekly during the 

 season by Mr. W. Thompson, Superintendent at King's House Garden. 



Mr. W. Cradwick, Superintendent at Hope Gardens, gave a very 

 successful course of practical instruction in the cultivation and curing 

 of Cocoa to the settlers in the Buff Bay District. Applications have 

 been received since to renew these demonstrations and to repeat them 

 elsewhere. While I am glad to encourage such work, I must point out 

 that it is not the proper duty of the officers on the Staff of the De- 

 partment who have their time fully occupied and have to make up the 

 time given to such tasks by extra work in their leisure hours ; but as 

 soon as the demands for these demonstrations increase, as I hope they 

 will, special instructors must be engaged for the purpose. 



In connection with this branch may be mentioned the exhibition of 

 plants by the Department at the Floral and Horticultural Society's 

 Show at Kingston. 



STAFF OF WORKERS. 



In a properly equipped Botanic Garden, the staff should include 

 (1) gardeners of various grades, (2) botanists and assistants in the 

 herbarium, (3) chemists, (4) clerks. 



