830 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 
[June i, 1891. 
the buildiag were lined by the police, and Kingston 
volunteers, and some 7,000 people passed the 
turnstiles on the opening day, the entrance fee, 
except for season ticket holders, being 7a 6d up to 
4 o’clock. 
The building is in Moorish style, the idea, I believe, 
being taken from the Glasgow exhibition. There is 
a central dome, and small minarets at the oorners : 
there are aisles and ga'leries, and the effect within 
is very pleasing, and the various courts were very 
fairly complete on the opening day. In the grounds 
there is s,nannexe chiefly filled withCanadian exhibits, 
That large country is the principal exhibitor; most of 
the West India Islands are also represented, but 
there are not many American exhibits, as “ Uncle 
Sam ” took umbrage because he was not offi- 
cially asked to partake in the Exhibition, not 
being satisfied with the customary notification sent 
alike to all countries and nations that an Exhibition 
was to be held in Jamaica in January. Of course 
there are several English exhibits, and also many 
foreign ones, so there can be little doubt that the 
Jamaica Exhibition will make Jamaica more exten- 
sively known than it has hitherto been, and it is 
hoped it may be the means of extending and 
reviving our commerce, for Jamaica is neither 
quite defunct or asleep as is generally supposed to be 
the case. Neither is it the hotbed of yellow fever 
so that it need no longer be supposed that a person 
going out to Jamaica, is sure to find a grave 
there, any more than a Jamaican visiting England 
is bound to die of consumption or scarlet fever. 
It was unhealthy over-crowded Barracks, many 
close to malarial swamps, the drinking of new Bum, 
and general fast living that helped to decimate our 
troops in “old time" days; for now the military 
mortality in Jamaica can I believe be very favour- 
ably compared with other Colonies and stations of 
that Empire on which the sun never sets. 
There is an Art Pavilion in which many 
very pretty and artistic pictures are exhibited. 
There is also a Model Dairy for showing people 
how butter is made, but though Jamaica 
abounds in horned stock, it has not been possible 
to get sufiSoieut milk to work the Dairy properly, 
cows on the many “Pens" being kept not for 
their milk but for the rearing of stock, so that very 
few are milked, and they consequently get very wild 
and have to have their legs tied or to be thrown 
down before any milk can be got from them. There 
is a potter from Doulton’s; a shed for machi- 
nery in motion ; there are models of settlers’ huts, 
and some Caribs have been sent over from St. 
Vincent who work at their basket-making, etc. There 
is also a theatre in which an English Dramatic 
and Variety Company performs a panorama showing 
Canadian views by lime-light, one or two shows, 
a maze, a shooting gallery, and a large steam 
“merry go lound ’’ which is very largely patronized 
by the young daikies of both sexes. The band of 
the 1st West and of the Kingston Volunteers 
discourses sweet music at intervals, and there is a 
very good display of fireworks on Wednesdays and 
yuiurdays. Meesrs Lascelles, de Mercado & Co. 
have a pavilion of their own for their special 
exhibits, and Aston Gardner & Co. have an ex- 
cellent refreshment room, and besides there is a 
restaurant within the building “ run and bossed ’’ 
by a Yankee. The building is lighted by electricity, 
but was at first somewhat a failure. Tramcars 
bring the people close up to the building, and the 
entrance is only Is. and I should think later on will 
bo reduced to Od as an inducement ti more of the 
people from the country to come to town and bo 
educated by a slight they arc never likely to see 
again during their lives. 
Kingston was in gala dress tor the reception of 
Prince George ; triumphal arches were erected along 
the route taken to King’s House, and an address 
was presented at tbe Town Hall; several vessels of 
war of the West India Squadron were in harbour 
including the Admiral’s ship the “Bellerophon,” and 
the Prince's despatch vessel the “Thrush." There 
were also one large Russian man.of-war, and two 
Spanish guoboats, so that the consumption of 
powder in various salutes was rather extensive. One 
thing to be missed w'as that none of the Governors 
of the other Islands accepted Sir Henry Blake’s 
invitation to be present : it would have added to the 
importance of the opening ceremony, nevertheless, 
it was a great success far greater, I fancy, than was 
generally anticipated. 
The Governor gave two balls one in honor of 
Prince George and the opening of the Exhibition, 
when the new ball-room was used for the first 
time ; the second the week after was a fancy 
dress ball which also was a most brilliant 
success. The Governor was dressed very 
handsomely and appropriately as Christopher 
Columbus and Lady Blake as Isabella of Spain : 
the costumes were copied from old pictures at Mad- 
rid. Besides these, there were very many handsome 
and pretty costumes ; and the variety was great and 
the whole scene very bright and picturesque. Your 
humble servant appeared as “ Santa Claus ” alias 
“old Father Christmas,” and was complimented on 
his appropriate costume, and Dr. Plaxton was simply 
perfect as an African slave driver and dealer; he was 
the most observed of all, for it was a real costume 
purchased on the Coast by an officer of the West 
Indian Regiment and lent for the occasion. Besides 
the balls, there were races at Cumberland Pen, 
cricket and polo, in the latter of which Prince George 
took part ; and it will be many a long day before 
the Kiiigstoniaiis’ see the like again. 
Our Legislative Council is now in session, and 
have to pass many important laws. The Governor’s 
opening speech disclose a most satisfactory state 
of aSairs, and there will be money in hand to carry 
out the building of bridges and improvement of 
roads. 
As regards crop it is very backward this year in 
the Blue Mountains , and with the exception of one 
or two properties is not expected to be a large yield. 
We have had rather a wet February, which is unusual, 
it being, as in Ceylon, generally the driest month 
in the year. W. S. 
CEYLON'S EXAMPLE TO BE FOLLOWED IN 
SOUTHERN INDIA. 
The following is from tbe Indian Agriculturist : — 
“There appears to be some prospect of a general in- 
crease of tea cultivation io the tYvnaad. The fact 
that this district, has been left so far behind in too 
race with Northern India oud Coylon is attributed 
by a local apologist to the difficulty of establishing fac- 
tories for the treatment of the leaf. It is proposed now 
to start a number of factories as joint stock companies 
and work them on the Oeylou system, by which a fixed 
charge of say two annas per pound is allowed for wear 
and tear of machiuery and profit to the manufacturer, 
while a further charge is made for absolute cost of ma- 
rufacture, p.Hcking, transport, etc., including insurance 
au'l all home charges. The average price of tea per 
puui d ruling in the London market is calculated at the 
current rate of exchange, and the planter obtains this 
sum, less tbe fixed charges cf the factory. By the 
adoption of this system it is thought that the cultivation 
of tea iray become profi'able on many small estates 
whoro the treatment of the leaf by hand is now out of 
the question as a commercial undertaking." 
