276 



peasantry are also making experiments on my suggestions, digging- 

 up, manuring and liming their lands, and this also is bound in time 

 to tell. 



With regard to oranges, when people start to look after their trees, 

 they are apt to do more than the trees can stand, and I am careful to 

 impress on them the necessity of careful continued systematic pruning 

 and cleaning. 



With reference to grapes, at St. Jean d'Arc, I saw a vine two years 

 old only, putting out a fine crop of grapes, whether they will ripen or 

 not of course depends on the trentment they get, and also on the variety. 



Mrs. J. H. Levy of Brown's Town informs me that she formerly 

 grew grapes but that they were always just getting ripe when the 

 Autumn rains set in, which spoilt them ; this difficulty could in all 

 probability be got over by grow ing a variety which would ripen in 

 a shorter time. There were many people at St. Ann's Bay who had 

 cultivations of various kinds which they were wishful for me to visit 

 but as I had to hurry home on Saturday leaving St. Ann's Bay at 4 

 a.m. I had no time to do so. 



Demonstrations were also given at KelHts on 29th July, atDarliston, 

 5th August, 1896, at Salem, 23rd February and Shafeton, 24th Feb- 

 ruary, 1897. 



STAFF. 



Lady Assistants in Herbarium and Office. 



A vacancy occurred for a lady assistant in the Herbarium, and 

 the conditions governing the appointment were distributed to candi- 

 dates. It may be of interest to state the conditions here. 



Work in Herbarium. 



(1) Drying platits. — As soon as the plants are brought in by the 

 collectors, they are placed between sheets of drying paper, under 

 weights which are varied according to the texture, thickness, etc., 

 of the leaves and flowers. The sheets are changed once or twice a day 

 at first, and afterwards at intervals of 2 or 3 days until they are quite 

 dry. The leaves and flowers require a great deal of manipulation in 

 order to make them assume, when dry, the characteristic habit of the 

 plant, and exhibit the technical marks which distinguish the species. 

 The plants are washed over with a solution of cyanide of potassium 

 to kill any insects as far as possible that would otherwise destroy 

 them. Collectors attach a particular number to all specimens collect- 

 ed from one plant, with notes of locality, colour of flower and 

 fruit, height, elevation, etc., added for quotation afterwards in botan- 

 ical works ; and the greatest care is necessary so as not to misplace the 

 labels and thereby cause confusion. 



(2) Mounting specimens. — The specimens that are to be laid into 

 the cabinets are mounted on sheets of paper by applying a mixture 

 of gum arabic and gum tragacanth to one side, laying them on the 

 sheets and again putting them under weights. 



(3) Placing in cabinets. — As soon as the mounted specimens are 

 readv they are arranged in the cabinets in regular order according to 

 the scientific system of botanical works, so that any given plant can 

 be at once found in its proper place for comparison with specimens 



