283 



The expenditure at Hope Gardens may be arranged under the fol- 

 lowing heads : — 



Maintenance of Garden 

 Plant Nurseries 

 Labour on Economic Plants 

 Transport 



Packing Cases, Bamboo Pots, etc. 

 Sheds, Carts, Harness, Tools, Fences ) 

 and Water Pipes j 

 Water Supply 



£1,651 11 



£ 



s. 



d. 



394 



6 



6 



496 











ibU 



u 



v 



170 











200 











100 











131 



11 







Of this amount £1,116 lis. Od. is provided on the Estimates, — the 

 expenditure on transport, packing cases, etc., and on part of the nur- 

 sery work being met by the receipts from sales of plants. By the aid of 

 the receipts for the past four years, I have been able to increase the 

 distribution of plants to an unprecedented extent, and to place the 

 benefit of the Nurseries at the disposal of planters in all parts of the 

 country, without regard to distance. Wherever the Coastal Steamer 

 stops in her voyage round the Island, wherever there is a Railway Sta- 

 tion, there plants are sent at exactly the same cost to the purchaser as 

 if he were living in or near Kingston. In fact, failing the Railway 

 and the Steamer as means of transport, wherever the Mail Coach or 

 the peripatetic postman penetrates, parcels of plants from the seed- 

 beds as well as cuttings and seeds are distributed. The humblest pea- 

 sant without having to pay postage, can send a half-penny to the Di- 

 rector and get a Cocoa plant in a bamboo pot in return, at any port or 

 railway station ; or he can have at any Mail Coach or Parcel Post Of- 

 fice, if there is no port nor station convenient, such a plant as an 

 Orange or Grape Fruit seedling which does not require a pot, or he 

 can get seed of the finest cocoa. By simply stating the area he in- 

 tends to plant in tobacco, anyone can have free as much as he requires 

 of Havana or Sumatra tobacco seed. 



A planter and pen-keeper writes as follows : — " I look upon all the 

 Public Gardens as immense blessings to the Island, the more we can 

 spread economic plants over the whole Island, the better for our ex- 

 ports, and the more we can foster the love of flowers among the people 

 the happier they will be. With all our present lack of money L hope 

 nothing will be done to curtail the usefulness of the Public Gardens, 

 which are a credit to the Island and to all who manage them." 

 Visits to the Gardens. 



Visits to the Gardens for the purpose of learning something about 

 products new to planters are frequent. One writes : — " Information 

 that I have got from you, and by my several visits to the Gardens 

 have been invaluable to me, and has opened quite a new era for me in 

 cultivating. I wish the Gardens every success, as they have benefited 

 me and indirectly hundreds of small settlers in this district, for they, 

 seeing the benefits accruing to me from improved methods Ox cultivat- 

 ing and the introduction of new plants to the district, are following 

 suit, — and thereby increasing their prosperity, and also that of the 

 country." 



