293 



The number are as follows : — 



Sold ... ... 546 



Frh;e Grants — Economic plants ... 564 



" Ornamental do. ... 933 



Total number of plants distributed ... 2,042 



Seeds Distributed. Quantities of Juniper Cedar, West Indian Cedar, 

 Cherimoya, Tree Tomato, Pimento, and Crrias cauliflora. 



The elevation of the house at the Hill Gardens is 4,907 feet above 

 sea-level. The average annual mean temperature is 62°.7 Fah. and 

 the average annual rainfall 105.99 inches for 25 years. The amount 

 of rain that fell during the year was 122.4^ inches ; August, October 

 and November being the wettest months, and July, September and 

 March the driest. 



The mean temperature for the year was 61°. 8 Fah. 



The Meteorological tables for the different months are given in the 

 Appendix. 



The number of letters received — 650, despatched — 920. 



Hope Gardens. 



The following report is by Mr. W. Cradwick, Superintendent : — 



Nursery. The importance of the nursery at Hope can hardly be 

 over-estimated ; being near the City of Kingston, and convenient for 

 the despatch of plants by Coastal Steamer from the most convenient 

 wharf in the Island, b}^ train from the chief station of the Island 

 Railway system, by Mail Coach from the chief Post Office. 



43,380 plants have been despatched from Hope Gardens during the 

 year. The complaints of plants being damaged in transit have not been 

 more than half a dozen, and most of these arose from an unavoidable 

 circumstance, viz. : the very rough voyage experienced by the Coastal 

 Steamer on one of her trips. Even then although many of the plants 

 went nearly twice round the island, the percentage of losses was very 

 small, which speaks volumes for the care bestowed on them by the 

 Atlas Steamship Company. 



Plants delivered by the Railway authorities also are usually spoken of 

 by the consignees as arriving in perfect order. The most satisfactory 

 method of despatching such plants as can be transmitted by that method 

 is however by Mail Coach ; a parcel of plants despatched from Hope on 

 the 14th of the month through some remissness on the part of the 

 Consignee's agent was not delivered untill the 31st, yet the Consignee 

 writes that they were received quite fresh. 



I myself visited an orange grove, in which about 600 seedling orange 

 plants from bamboo pots sent from Hope had been planted, and about 

 400 plants from beds sent by Mail Coach, there was not a particle of 

 difference betwen the plants, and the cost of the plants by "Mail Coach 

 is about half, and in some cases less than half that of the plants by 

 rail or steamer. Orange plants, Liberian Coffee, Cinnamon, nearly all 

 ornamental and timber trees can be transmitted in this way. Kola and 

 Nutmeg on account of the fleshy cotyledons being liable to get broken off 

 and being severely damaged in consequence, cannot be so transmitted. 



It is however of the greatest importance that plants despatched by 

 Mail Coach should be planted directly they are received, and all 



