5 



At Castleton, up to 1869, there had been no general importation of 

 plants, because of doubts about maintaining the garden on account of 

 its distance from Kingston. In the Blue Book for 1871 Sir J. P. 

 -Grant says : 



The famous Jamaica botanic garden of ancient times, which was not only 

 of the highest intrinsic value, but also was admirably situated, was sold, 

 I believe, for a trifle, and was broken up a long time ago, in some spasmo- 

 dic fit of false economy. More lately a botanic garden was established at 

 Bath. The site was unfortunately selected, being a long day's journey 

 from the capital. But the purchase, in 1859, of Castleton, and its forma- 

 tion in 1863 into a new botanic garden in substitution for the garden at Bath, 

 which was finally abandoned in 1866, is said to have been determined upon 

 because of serious damage caused and threatened by a water course. The 

 selection of Castleton as the site of the new garden was also unfortunate, 

 B.S it is a distance of nineteen miles from Kingston ; and it is important 

 to interest the public as much as possible in such an institution as a bota- 

 nic garden. But the selection having been made, and a large number of 

 plants having been established there, whilst the position, except in respect 

 of its distance from the capital, is unexceptionable, it would have been un- 

 wise once more to have thrown away all that our predecessors had 

 done for us by removal to a fourth position. It was determined therefore 

 to treat the Castleton garden as a fixture ; and as it is not too far from 

 Kingston for a holiday excursion, to go to some little expense in its gra- 

 dual embellishment, in the hope of attracting visitors to what I believe 

 will certainly become one of the most interesting spots in the West 

 Indies. 



As soon as this determination had been arrived at in 1869, Dr. (now 

 Sir) J. D. Hooker sent out from Kew great numbers of new and 

 valuable plants, 400 different species and varieties, among which were 

 mangosteen, Brazil nut, bhel, Monstera deliciosa, carob bean, cocoa, 

 Tonquin bean, teak, New Zealand flax, and thirty- two species of palms. 

 In the same year two cases of grafted mangoes arrived from India via 

 Kew ; Mr. Thomson states that to His Excellency the Grovernor, from 

 his personal knowledge of Indian mangoes, we are obliged for their in- 

 troduction.'' Even at this early period of its existence the nutmeg 

 trees began to bear fruit, and the clove trees were six feet high. 



In the same Blue Book quoted above. Sir J. P. Grant reports that a 

 gardener had been obtained from Kew to reside at Castleton, as Mr. 

 Thomson had taken up his residence at the cinchona plantations thirty- 

 four miles off, in the Blue mountains. He took charge at Castleton in 

 December, 1870. 



Upwards of 200 species of plants new to the island were introduced dur- 

 ing the year. Among these perhaps the most interesting were two plants 

 of Ipecacuanha, two true mangosteens, and five choice varieties of pine 

 apples ; also four noted Bombay grafted mangoes, imported two years ago, 

 are very flourishing, some of them being already five feet high. My belief 

 is that there is nothing to prevent Jamaica becoming, for the quality, va- 

 riety, and commercial value of its fruits, the most noted spot in the world, 

 when gardening shall be understood, and the value of the art shall be duly 

 ^recognized here. 



In 1870, four varieties of orange were imported, viz., navel, St# 



