16 



Rainfall for eighteen months from Ut October, 1889. to the 3Ut March, 1891. 



Month. 



Rainfall, Inches. 



1899 



October 



November 



December 



1890 



January 



February 



March 



April 



May 



June 



July 



August 



September 



October 



November 



December 



5.09 

 1.42 

 1.26 



1.18 

 0.46 



0.00 



1891 



January 



February 



March 



0.60 

 0.00 

 0.00 



Bath Garden. 



The Bath Garden was formerly the Botanic Garden of the island It was founded in 1774 by 

 Sir Basil Keith, just 10 years after the first Botanic Garden was founded in the West Indies at St. 

 Vincent. As however the St. Vincent Garden was given up about the year 1815, the Bath Garden is 

 the oldest Garden in the West Indies that has been continuously kept up. Dr. Thomas Clarke, came 

 out to take charge of it, when it was first planted. It was later superintended by Dr. Dancer author 

 of " Medical Assistant," Dr. Stewart West, Dr. James MacFayden, author of " Flora of Jamaica," 

 and Mr. Nathaniel Wilson. 



During Mr. Wilson's tenure of office, a new Botanic Garden was begun at Castleton, and in the 

 years 1862-68. such plauts as could be easily removed, were taken to Castleton with the consent of the 

 Directors of the Bath. Trees, palms and large shrubs were all left behind, together with representa- 

 tives of all that were removed, so that there is no doubt but that the Garden might have been main- 

 tained in all its former glory if the Directors of the Bath, had had the means at their disposal. The 

 area however has been gradually reduced to about half an acre, and the magnificient palms, trees, and 

 other plants outside the present limits have been ruthlessly cleared away Plants were sent to the 

 Garden by Mr. Morris, while Director, but with only £20 per annum for maintenance, it is not possi- 

 ble to do more than just keep the fence in order, and remove fallen leaves. As the Medicinal Bath is 

 beginning to attracl some attention again, and is likely to become a place of resort, it would make the 

 place more attractive to give a somewhat larger grant towards the Garden, and so allow of its being 

 kept in better order. It would be a misfortune to let it go to ruin, containing as it does trees of the 

 Durian, one of the Upas trees, ]>iapoleona, and others, which are only represented in the other Gar- 

 dens by small specimens. 



I have recommended already, and beg to repeat my recommendation, that a small grant of £5 be 

 made for the purchase of labels for the trees, so that visitors to th« Garden may be able to learn the 

 names of the various trees of interest. 



Mr. A. H. Groves is at present acting as Overseer of the Garden, and I have to thank him for the 

 interest he takes in it. 



Education in Gardening. 



Apprentices. — The Government of Lagos has sent out two apprentices to be trained in practical 

 work at the Botanical Gardens in Jamaica, with the view of hereafter appointing them as " working 

 Superintendents of the district branches or outstations " in their own country. They were about 19 

 years of age when they arrived, and had received a fair education. A room is granted to them at 

 Hope Gardens, and their Government allows them each a provision of j£50 per annum. 



