267 



opening up new portions, giving better views of the river and freer 

 access to it, extending the nurseries, and improving facilities for pro- 

 pagation. 



It is satisfactory to find that the young Durian is so far doing well. 

 There is a tree in the Eath Garden, but it has never fruited. The 

 young plants at Hope have died, so that it is a matter of some anxiety 

 that the Castleton plant should get a chance of fruiting. It is said to 

 bear a most delicious fruit, so delicious that one learns to neglect its re- 

 volting smell. 



The Superintendent has the credit of being the first at Castleton to 

 induce the Black Pepper plants to fruit. It requires some management, 

 and in the East it is not allowed to climb higher than aboutlO feet, the 

 tips being then trained downwards. 



The Liberian Coffee continues to bear good crops, and is perfectly 

 Wealthy in contrast to that at Hope, which evidently suffers from want 

 of moisture. At Hope it is impossible to give all the water that it can 

 have on the irrigation lands near Spanish Town, and great interest is 

 felt in the future of the plantations there. Bnt certainly where there 

 is no possibility of irrigation, it is necessary before planting Liberian 

 Coffee to ascertain whether the rainfall is equal rather to that of 

 Castleton than of Hope. 



The Garden is drawing increased numbers of visitors every year ; as 

 many as 150 a dav have on occasions visited Castleton. There is no 

 doubt that the railway to Annotto Bay has induced many to go who 

 would not otherwise have done so, even although there is a drive from 

 the Station of 9 or 10 miles, ascending nearly 600 feet. 



Hill Gardens. 



The work of getting the Orange Grove into good order has been 

 continued. Fencing and roadmaking operations have been continued. 

 The work of weeding has been heavy, and experiments are being 

 carried out with growing leguminous plants to keep down weeds, and 

 to increase the nitrogen in the soil. 



The stock plants of species of Citrus are growing well, though many 

 of those imported from California died. Large numbers of seedlings 

 and budded plants have been raised and distributed. 



Fodder plants, vegetables and canes for settlers have received atten- 

 tion. The potatoes supplied for seed by the Agricultural Society were 

 not suitable, and the results were not better th^n we expected. 



The Bermuda Lily trial shows that while the bulbs multiply quickly, 

 there is no interval of cessation of growth during which they can be 

 taken up, and dried off for export. The only chance seems to be to 

 catch them whilst in flower, lift them then, and cut off the stem when 

 withered 



Several thousands of seedlings of the West Indian Cedar have been 

 grown, and distributed to settlers and others, thus encouraging re- 

 afforesting on a small scale. 



As Coffee Planters have lately had some difficulty in providing 

 plants for themselves, and have asked for supplies from the Gardens, 

 nurseries have been formed, and plants will soon be ready for distri- 

 bution, 



Seed of Cinchona officinalis (Crown Bark) is now sent every year by 

 jequest of the Government of India to the Cinchona Blantatious on th« 



