78 
1892, (pp. 92-100). It lingered on with a precarious existence 
till the end of the first quarter of the present century. In 1890, 
it was revived as one of the system of botanical stations 
established in the West Indies. 
The scientific knowledge of the flora of St. Vincent was 
limited to the present time to the species enumerated in 
Grisebach’s ‘Flora of the British West India Islands’ (1864). 
He relied upon a collection made by the Rev, Lansdown 
Guilding, preserved in the Kew Herbarium. As will be seen, 
the fact that these specimens were in every case actually 
derived from the island is not free from doubt. Besides these 
Grisebach also worked up some other plants in the Kew 
Herbarium collected by Alexander Anderson, the second 
Superintendent of the old Botanic Garden, of whom some 
particulars are given in the Kew Bulletin for 1892 (pp. 94-5), 
also by George Caley, one of Anderson’s successors (ew 
Bulletin, |.¢., p. 97). 
These data supplied at first a very imperfect idea of the 
total flora. It was obviously, therefore, desirable to take 
advantage of any opportunity for completing the botanical 
exploration of the island. In 1889, Mr. F. Ducane Godman, 
I’.R.S., to whom the scientific world is indebted for the 
munificent investigation of the natural history of Central 
America, determined to send a zoological collector to St. Vincent. 
Mr. H. H. Smith, a native of the United States, and an expert 
of known skill and experience, was engaged. He was 
accompanied by his wife, and Mr. Godman, thinking that 
they might also do some useful work for botany, persuaded 
them after a visit to Kew to undertake the task. On arriying 
at St. Vincent they ultimately engaged as assistant in botanical 
collecting Mr. G. W. Smith (now Police Magistrate for the 
Northern District of Grenada). 
The very copious collections made by the party during the 
years 1889 and 1890, at Mr. Godman’s cost, were presented by 
him to the Royal Gardens. There is every reason to suppose 
that as far as it is practicable under such circumstances, they 
exhaust the actual flora so far as flowering plants and ferns 
are concerned. But there will be, doubtless, as even in our own 
country, always some additional harvest of species to be 
obtained by residents in the island, who can give their time to 
a closer investigation of its area. Mr. H. Powell. the Curator 
of the revived Botanic Garden, has done good service by 
sending additional collections since 1890. 
As regards the arboreal vegetation of St. Vincent and the . 
most prominent and valuable timber trees of the island, the 
most recent particulars are given ina Report upon the Forests 
of St. Vincent by E. D. M. Hooper, of the Indian Forest 
Department, published by the Colonial Office in 1886. 
A report upon the fruits of the colony will be found in the 
Kew Bulletin for 1888 (pp. 187-8). 
The position of the once flourishing but now somewhat 
decaying arrowroot industry is discussed in the Kew Bulletin 
for 18938 (pp. 191-204). 
