213 



The seeds distributed are from Hope, 5 bushels Teak ; from Castleton, 

 3,600 Kola, 128 quarts of Liberian Coffee, seeds of Xutmeg, Cocoa, etc. ; 

 and from Hill Garden, numerous seeds of the following : Tea, Lemon, 

 Cho-cho, Cherimoyer, Himalayan Blackberry, Tree Tomato, Cinchona 

 and other miscellaneous. 



Free grants of plants have been made for the following Church- 

 yards : — 



Old Harbour, Castleton, Franklin Town, All Saints, Montego Bay, 

 Crofts Hill, St. George's, Kingston, Enfield, Hampden ; also for Con- 

 stabulary Quarters, at Kingston and Morant Bay ; Hospital Grounds at 

 Camp, Kingston and Buff Bay. 



As it is well occasionally to look back and see by comparison what 

 progress has been made, I quote the following paragraphs from my 

 Annual Report of three years ago : — 



" During the past 12J years from the time that Mr. Morris was first 

 made Director to 31st March, 1892, about 220,000 plants have been 

 distributed from Castleton, besides seeds which would produce at least 

 as many plants. This gives an average for a year of I7,6u0 plants, and 

 includes those sent to Hope for distribution from that centre. 



" Of those plants, about half the number were such as may be termed 

 strictly " economic " such as cocoa, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, Liberian 

 coffee, vanilla, oranges, East Indian mangoes, cardamom, kola. 



" The remainder were palms, roses, ferns, orchids, and miscellaneous 

 teees and shrubs, among which are included timber trees. 



" I stated in my last Report for the year 1887-88 that although it 

 was not the mission of a Botanic Garden to undertake the work of a 

 Horticultural Establishment, and supply the public with ornamental 

 plants, 1 thought it right to do as much as possible in that direction, so 

 long as there was no probability of interfering with private enterprise. 



" But the danger of interfering with trade seems remote, and the de- 

 mands on the part of the public are positive and are increasing. There 

 has been an annual demand for some 8,000 or 10,000 ornamental plants, 

 and even more than the Department can supply with its present means. 

 The question may sometimes arise, is the Government right in foster- 

 ing this demand, is it a legitimate one, — is any great end served by the 

 necessary expenditure, and the attention to the numberless details that 

 it implies ? 



" It appears to me that the question only needs to be stated for all in- 

 telligent persons to answer it in the affirmative. Bacon recognises a 

 love for gardening as an index of a nation's advance in civilisation. 

 He says (Essay 46), ' God Almighty first planted a Garden, and indeed 

 it is the purest of human pleasures. It is the greatest refreshment to the 

 spirits of man, without which buildings and palaces are but gross handy 

 works ; and a man shall ever see, that where ages grow to civility and 

 elegancy, men come to build stately, sooner than to garden finely, as if 

 gardening were the greater perfection/ 



" The plants, cuttings and seeds, both economic and ornamental, are 

 distributed all over the Island by means of the Coastal Steamer, the 

 Railway and the Post Office. 



" The increase in the variety of cultural products, and the humani- 

 sing influence of ornamental plants are matters of appreciation in every 

 part of the country, from the mountain to the sea coast. Every person 



