412 
THF. TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [December i, 1889. 
son can supply seed from fine specimens growing 
on their respective plantations and I hear the 
Government offered plants free of charge. The 
father of botany called cocoa or cacao " food for 
the Gods." It certainly is a valuable addition 
to the products of Fiji : and, made with milk 
and flavoured with spices as in Jamaica, gives 
more nourishment than coffee or tea. It should 
be sown at stake in large holes, as it is a plant 
impatient of transplanting. 
Fruit Teee Culture. The cultivation of fruit 
trees of all kinds is one of the improvements 
to be found in Fiji since my last visit and many 
Indian and Ceylon trees are now in full bearing. 
The mango in particular flourishes in the red 
soil of Bua and does well everywhere in sheltered 
places. 
A valuable addition is the Avocado Pear of the 
West Indies. There is one in full bearing at 
Bua and the owners of it find its value as a vegeta- 
ble, eaten with meat and improved by pepper 
and salt. Oranges, lemons, citrons, shaddoekB and 
limes thrive all over Vanualevu and might be 
made marketable at any time. Guavas of variety 
are growing wild and can be gathered by tons at 
certain times of the year. After all we hear of the 
damage done to Fiji by the hurricanes, the fruit 
trees thrive still, whatever the coconut palms 
may have suffered, 
Ground Provisions. — Yams, dalo, sweet potatoes, 
or kumalas, seem scaroe, all attention being de- 
voted to copra-making and cattle rearing There 
is no reason why food gardens should not be 
fenced or walled in and a good supply kept up. 
Bananas are not so large as those of the West 
Indies and it would be well to introduce some 
new varieties. 
Trusting the above few lines will be useful to 
settlers in Fiji. — I am, &c, Henry |Cottam. 
Wainunu, 17th September, 1889.— Fiji Times, 
Oct 5th. 
THE NEW GOVERNOR OF JAMAICA. ON 
THE CAPABILITIES OF THE COLONY- 
At a meeting of the Committee of a proposed 
Jamaica Exhibition Sir Henry Norman's successor 
gave a good exposition of the possibilities before 
the colonists, thus : — 
Gentlemen, — The circular letter inviting you to 
meet me here today will have explained to you the 
object of this meeting. It has struck the Board 
of the Jamaica Institute, and the idea has com- 
mended itself to me, that it would be beneficial to 
the people of this island, if an Exhibition could be 
arranged, of our natural products and manufactures, 
aDd of some of the products that we import from other 
countries. Exhibitions are no new experiments, and 
the eagerness with which various nations have fol- 
lowed the example set by England in 1851, is a 
proof of the practical benefit to be derived from 
them. It has been found that an Exhibition of the 
reaiuroes of a country, is not only the best adver- 
tifl ?ment for business purposes, but is the most valu- 
able industrial education for the people. It is not my 
intention to map out here, save in the broadest lines, 
the scope of the Exhibition; that is a matter to be 
set led by you, gentlemen, if your approve of my 
suggestion. I know that as we go on the scheme will 
necessarily be modified, and probably enlarged, so 
that out of tin; rough idea, the details will gradually 
shape themselves. The proposal as it stands at present 
is that wo ah:ill have in November or December of 
1890, an exhibition of our products and manufactures 
and invite the countries from which we import food 
staffs or machine ry to send exhibits for our inform- 
ation. Then it is prop(>s^d to add to the attraction 
of tin's exhibition by obtaining the loan of any objects 
of art or interest that may be intrusted to us. At 
the same time the cattle show may be arranged in 
connection with the exhibition, so that visitors can 
see for themselves bow splendid are the herds that 
are raised upon the rich pastures of our plains and 
valleys, while a flower show will add grace and beauty 
to the whole. But first we want to exemplify our 
products ; and when I say our products, what can we not 
produce? Three hundred years ago the Spaniards made 
wine in Jamaica, and certain portions of the Island will 
now produce grapes equal to those of California. Oue 
thing the Spaniards could not grow, nor can they 
grow it now in Cu'oa — the olive — but we have in the 
avocado pear a fruit that produces an oil finer than 
the finest oil of Lucea. There are eight heads under 
which the staple products of the future may be divided: 
— Sugar and rum, fruit, coffee, cocoa, fibres, rubber, 
tobacco and dyewoods. The acreage under canes has 
been steadily decreasing for the past fifteen years, 
and prices have until this year been driven down by the 
action of foreign bounties. Well, gentlemen, we may 
learn by occular demonstration that there are means, 
either by improved tr< atment of the canes or better 
machinery, or methods of manufacture that if adapted 
may restore the balance of profit to the grower. 
If we are to believe the papers, and I see no reason 
to doubt the statements in the press or the sub- 
jects, the treatment of our fruit, especially our oranges, 
looks almost like a deliberate attempt to murder 
what may yet be, and will yet be a great trade. We can 
show at our Exhibition how oranges ought to be gra- 
ded and packed, and once more we may retain the 
character in the American markets that Jamaica has 
so unwisely flung away. We can bring before growers 
and purchasers the various ways in which fruit oan 
be preserved, and who can tell what minor prjdu;ts 
will be brought to light by the Sub-Committees in 
the Parishes. I mentioned two products for which 
there is an expanding market. They are fibes and 
rubber. Apart from the want of fibres for cordage 
and textile fabrics, there is, with the spread of 
education, a growing demand for paper. Why 
should we not add to this supply of material, or 
even make the paper ourselvrs? We have greit 
capabilities for growing fibre plants, and I may tell 
you that step- have been taken by the Botanical 
department to procure as many plants as we can 
get, and demonstrate the practicability of n aking 
the fibre cultivation a paying industiy. Again, 
with the advance of Electricity the importance 
of India rubber is increasing daily. I t elieve 
that we have within the island a plant that 
produces indiarubber of peculiarly good quality, 
and Mr. Fawcett is patiently experim> nting upon 
it to see if when planted systematically it will give 
as good resu ts as when growing wild. There are 
two products out of many that may have a great 
future before them in Jamaica. Toeu look at our woods. 
We have hundreds of thousands of acres produc ng 
splendid timber which, with proper regulations for 
the prevention of undue destruction would be most 
valuable. These are some of our possibilities. Blessed 
with a country whose lofty hills are fertile as the 
green valleys reclining at their feet, we cculd dupli- 
cate the choicest products of almost every climej 
Will we strive to do so ? Will Jamaica stand with* 
eager eyes looking forward, speculating on what may 
he and strivi to attain it, or will she be content to 
sit with sleepy visage and folded hands waiting for 
oozy Fortune to come and seek her and idly dreaming 
of what might have been ? It may be that as the 
idea develops, we may see our way to inviting the 
other Colonies of the West Indies to send exhibits of 
t^eir pruduce. The time is opportune, as probably 
all ,the islands will be preparing for the Imperial Ins- 
titute, and their exhibits might come here on 
the way. Other divisions of the Empire have had 
their Exhibitions, and though we have not the 
meins to match them in extent, we can in 
!Onu modest form secure for ourselves and con- 
fer upon others the b^n fits to be derived from the 
examination and comparison of the productions of the 
different islands. To oarry out the idea of the Exhi- 
