278 TlMEHRI. 
attention being paid to it, and such operations as manur- 
ing, pruning, training and grafting being almost unknown, 
or if known, negle6ied. There is in this question of the 
growing of fruit, a wide field in which the authorities of 
the Botanic Gardens might do a good deal for the public 
benefit, viz., by obtaining, rearing, and selling some of 
the finest kinds of fruit-trees grown in this and the neigh- 
bouring colonies ; and by the giving information in 
untechnical language, as to the nature of the tree, its re- 
quirements, and the best method of its cultivation so 
that the fruit-bearing properties of the tree may be fully 
developed by its possessor.* 
I have heard it said by a gentleman of the medical 
profession, who has praftised many years in this colony, 
that a large number of persons, — especially Europeans, 
and persons born in temperate climates, —residing in 
British Guiana, eat too much animal food, and not nearly 
a sufficient quantity of vegetable productions, or of fruit. 
In the "good old Dutch times, " the middle walk of 
the estate was often planted from one end of it to the 
other, with a variety of fruit-trees, whilst the dwelling- 
house stood in a garden in which fruit-trees of many 
different kinds were grown. So that these planters 
must have been greater consumers of fruit than those 
" — —"—~ — -. ■ " > ' 
* It must be pointed out, in this connection, that a perusal of the 
annual reports of the Government Botanist, shews that a good deal is 
being done at the Gardens in this direction, though, unfortunately, 
except through the chance re-publication of these reports in the news- 
papers, the general public are little the better for the information. 
These valuable reports, treating as they do of many points of economic 
importance, do not get the wide distribution throughout the colony 
from the State, which thev not only merit, but which the needs and 
circumstances of the colony necessitate — Ed. 
