8 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BRITISH GUIANA. 

 By J. A. Babboub James. 

 [Lecture given on March 19, 1907.] 



I do not think it necessary for rne to refer to the geographical position 

 which British Guiana occupies in South America, considering that it 

 has been under British rule for over a hundred years (it celebrated 

 the centenary of its occupation in 1903), but I am afraid that the 

 British public, as a rule, has but a very vague idea of the constituent parts 

 of the Empire, and that British Guiana is frequently confused with Guinea, 

 in Africa, and British New Guinea. This, no doubt, is to be accounted 

 for, to a great extent, by the similarity of the names. The area of 

 British Guiana is 90,277 square miles, or nearly twice the size of England 

 and Wales. 



It is a part of the mainland portion of South America, and is divided 

 into three counties, viz. Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo, each called 

 after the river of the same name. It extends from Venezuela to the 

 river Corentyn, which divides it from Dutch Guiana (or Surinam). 



Very little was known of the country until the search for the golden 

 city of Manoa and the wonderful Eldorado allured many adventurous 

 spirits to explore its great forests. 



From reports gleaned out of Spanish letters found in captured vessels, 

 Sir Walter Raleigh was induced by the accounts of this fabulous city to 

 undertake the disastrous expedition which cost him his life. 



The climate of British Guiana now compares most favourably with 

 that of most tropical countries, and though a little hot at a certain season 

 it is far from being unhealthy, as is generally supposed by persons who 

 have not visited its shores. 



There are instances of longevity among settlers on the banks of the 

 rivers Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo which can be readily quoted, 

 the natural drainage being so perfect that all impurities of the air are 

 washed away by the torrents of rain which fall, and the purity of the air 

 is 90 great that the planets Venus and Jupiter may at times be seen during 

 the daylight. 



'I 1 lie year is divided into two wet and two dry seasons. The long wet 

 season commences about the middle of April, and with westerly winds 

 prevailing lasts until August. The long dry season then begins, and 

 continues until November. December and January constitute the short 

 \\ t and February and March the short dry seasons. 



The temperature seldom falls below 75° Fahr. or rises above 90°. The 

 mean annua] temperature of Georgetown, the capital, is 80 ? , and the 

 average rainfall is about 85 inches. 



The diversity of altitudes in British Guiana accounts for variety of 

 indigenous productions, while many vegetables and floral exotics have 

 been from time t<> time introduced and have readily adapted themselves 



