JAMAICA. 



BULLETIN 



OF THE 



BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT. 



New Series.] APPENDIX, 1898. 



Iteport of the Director on the Department of Public Gardens and 

 Plantations for the year ended Slst March, 1898* 



Page. 



"W. I. R. Commissioners on Botanic Gardens - 279 



Imperial Department and Jamaica Dept. - 281 



Hope Gfardens and Distribution of Plants - 282 



Visits to Public Gardens - - 283 



Bulletins - - 284 



Correspondence — — 284 



Field Instruction - - 284 



Herbarium and Library - - 292 



Industrial School - - 293 



Apprentices from W. Coast - 294 



Reports of Superintendents - 296 



Appendix — Meteorological Tables. - 315 



W. I. R. Commissioners on Botanic Gardens. 

 Since the appearance of the last Report, the West Indian Royal 

 Commissioners have presented their Report to Parliament, In it they 

 state in paragraphs 121 — 127 : — 



The Botanical establishments in the larger Colonies, such as Ja- 

 maica, Trinidad, and British Guiana, have already rendered considera- 

 ble assistance in improving agricultural industries, and they are capa- 

 ble of being made increasingly useful in this respect. In the Wind- 

 ward and Leeward Islands and Barbados, small establishments called 

 Botanic Stations were established a few years ago on the advice of 

 the Director of Kew Gardens, and the results, though not yet exten- 

 sive, have been of a distinctly promising character. It is evident that 

 to grapple with the present circumstances, there is required for the 

 smaller islands a special public department capable of dealing with all 

 questions connected with economic plants suitable for growth in tropi- 

 cal countries, and we recommend the establishment of such a depart- 

 ment, under which should be placed the various botanic stations al- 

 ready in existence. These stations should be enlarged in their scope 

 and character, and be organized on the lines found so successful in 

 Jamaica. In the latter Colony it is admitted that intelligent and 

 progressive action in the direction of encouraging a diversity of indus- 



Vol. V. 

 App. 



