188 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



exhibit from the West Indies, and especially that from Dominica. Both the 

 paper and the Show indicated the regeneration of the West Indies, one of 

 our very oldest colonial possessions. Formerly the islands were practically 

 dependent on the sugar crop, and a staple trade was always dangerous. 

 There was safety in variety. Of this there could be no better illustration 

 than the Portuguese island St. Michael, which was once a great orange- 

 growing centre, but the industry declined, though it is now reviving. 



He should also add that the West Indian Islands had not only staked 

 everything upon one product, but they had not been quite up to date with 

 their competitors as to modern machinery and appliances. Still this 

 was now greatly improved, and nothing was more welcome than shipments 

 of produce from the West Indies, especially when they were so excellent as 

 those in the Show. He knew well one rival of the West Indies, which 

 was indeed quite close to them, Florida. There the oranges, as in the 

 West Indies, and the pineapples grow under a wide open lattice, and, 

 protected by wood fires, which had to be lighted only three or four times 

 in a normal season, were among the finest in the world. He had himself 

 grown many of the Citrus fruits in Yorkshire under glass ; and pines and 

 lemons, tangerines, grape fruits, &c. could be so grown in plenty and 

 perfection ; but edible oranges were much more difiicult to fruit well. 

 And the beauty of such products is hard to excel in their florescence 

 and scent (which are now too often sacrificed to other qualities), and 

 in the appearance of the fruit ; while the commercial importance of the 

 fruit of the lime could not be overestimated, inasmuch as the supply of it 

 to sailors as an antiscorbutic was a statutory obligation in the mercantile 

 marine. The paper contributed much extremely useful and interesting 

 information, and he moved a most hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Brooks 

 for the trouble he had taken in its preparation. 



