PART XI. PUBLIC GARDENS AND PLANTATIONS. THIS Department has charge of the several establishments included under the title of "Public Gardens and Plantations." These are as under: 1. The Botanic Garden, Castleton, is situated in the Parish of St. Mary on the Junction Road connecting Kingston with Annotto Bay, nineteen miles from Kingston and ten miles from Annotto Bay. This garden contains a large collection of native and foreign tropical plants. The chief features are the palmetum and a collection of economic, spice and fruit trees. (Elevation 580 feet. Annual mean temperature 76.2° Fah. Average annual rainfall 110.01 inch.) 2. The Hill Garden and Government Cinchona Plantation, is situated in the Parish of St. Andrew on the slopes of the Blue Mountains, about 21 miles from Kingston by way of Gordon Town. These plantations were commenced in 1868 by Sir John Peter Grant and now consist of 143 acres under cinchona with smaller areas amounting in all to about 7 acres under tea and nurseries for timber and shade trees. (Elevation 4,500 to 6,300 feet. Annual mean temperature at 4,907 feet, 63° Fah. Average rainfall 105.57 inch.) 3. The Hope Garden, of about 220 acres, is situated near the foot of the hills in the Liguanea Plains, 5 miles from Kingston. It has been determined to make this garden the chief Botanic Garden of the Island. Until lately only about 13 acres were cleared, and of these 7 acres were planted with teak, the remaining six being under cultivation with varieties of sugar cane, nutmeg, cacao, &c. The ground has been to a great extent cleared of bush and trees. The inner portion is being laid out as a Geographical Botanic Garden, but it will take some years before much advance can be perceived. Carriage drives of a total length of more than 2 miles have been laid out in this portion of the garden. There are large nurseries containing about 40,000 plants, such as cocoa, rubber plants, nutmeg, clove, black pepper, mango, vanilla, cardamon, sarsaparilla, cinnamon, Liberian coffee, &c. (Elevation 600 feet. Annual mean temperature 77°4 Fah. Average rainfall 52.83 inch.) 4. Kingston Parade Garden is the public pleasure garden of Kingston and is kept up with shade and ornamental trees, flowering plants, tanks and fountains. (Elevation 60 feet. Annual mean temp. 79° Fah. Average rainfall 37.96 inch.) 5. Botanic Garden at Bath is the old Botanic Garden of the colony established in 1774; still maintained for the sake of its valuable trees and palms, though much reduced in size. (Elevation 170 feet. Temp. 78° Fah.) 6. King's House Gardens and Grounds contain about 177 acres, of which about 20 acres are kept up as an ornamental garden attached to the official residence of the Governor. Many valuable economic plants and fruit trees are also under cultivation, as well as the rarer tropical palms. (Elevation 400 feet. Annual mean temp. 78°7 Fah. Average rainfall 49.20 inch.) 7. The Palisadoes Plantation, occupies the long narrow strip of land enclosing Kingston Harbour, about 5 miles long, planted with about 23,000 cocoanut palms. This plantation is now leased. (Annual mean temp 80° Fah. Average rainfall 36.84 inch.) The history of this Department is intimately connected with the various vicissitudes through which the island has passed, and since 1774 it has had its periods of depression no less than those of comparative prosperity. Directly and indirectly during the last hundred years the Botanical Department has been the means of introducing and propagating some of the most valuable plants, now the sources of the staple products of the island, and its work in this respect is being strengthened and increased year by year. It is a striking fact that with the exception of pimento-" that child of nature" --and a few others of comparatively little value, most of the staple products of the island are derived from exotics or plants introduced from other parts of the globe. While on this subject it will be of interest to notice the simple, accidental, or more often direct influences by means of which valuable seeds and plants have been introduced into the island, the mere mention of the names of which is sufficient to recall the vast influences they have exerted for good on the welfare and prosperity of the country. The sugar cane though here in the time of the Spaniards was first cultivated by the English, by Sir Thomas Modyford, in 1660 (a); but its most valuable varieties, the Otaheite and Bourbon canes, were introduced in His Majesty's ships by Captain Bligh as late as 1796. Coffee was introduced by Governor Sir Nicholas Lawes in 1718 (6). The mango, brought by Captain Marshall of Lord Rodney's squadron in 1782, was first planted in Mr. East's Botanic Garden (Liguanea), and is now one of the commonest trees in the island (c). The plentiful and free-growing logwood was introduced from Honduras by Dr. Barham, a Botanist, the author of "Hortus Americanus," in 1715 (d). The beautiful akee was obtained by Dr. Thomas Clarke, first Island Botanist, from a West African slave ship in 1778 (e). The cinnamon came with the mango in Captain Marshall's ship in 1782, and was distributed from the Bath Garden by Dr. Dancer. The ubiquitous but graceful bamboo is also an exotic, and owes its introduction to Mr. M. Wallen (f), who brought it from Hispaniola and first planted it in the Parish of St. Thomas-in-the-East. (g) For the Cherimoyer we are indebted to Mr. Hinton East, who introduced it from South America in 1786 (h); to Mr. East and his magnificent garden we also owe the jasmines and many species of lilies; many convolvuli; the oleander; the horse radish tree; numerous roses; the trumpet flower; monkey bread; the camellia; Calla æthiopica; the weeping willow; the mulberry tree; the arbor vitæ, and the sweet scented mimosa (i). Dr. Clarke, on his arrival as Island Botanist in 1777, brought with him the jujube tree; and the litchi; the purple dracæna; the sago palm and the valuable camphor tree; at the same time there came the now common "almond" tree; the tea tree, and the "sunn" hemp plant (j). The wanglo or zezegary was sent by Sir Simon Haughton Clarke in 1801 (k). The nutmeg tree, first brought by Lord Rodney in 1782, was reintroduced by Dr. Marter in 1788, together with the clove and black pepper, for which he received the thanks of the House of Assembly and an honorarium of £1,000. The seeds of the valuable and now indispensable Guinea-grass were accidentally introduced from the West Coast of Africa as bird food in 1745 (m). Scotch grass received its name from having been first brought from Scotland to Barbados. Pindars were brought to Mr. East from South America; the afou, the acom and Guinea yam, and indeed all but one of the cultivated yams are from the Coast of Africa or East Indies (n). The seeds of the guango were brought over from the main (a) Hortus Jamaicensis, vol. ii., p. 205. P. 371. (b) Hortus Jamaicensis, vol. i., p. 226 Bryan Edwards' History, 5th Ed., vol. i., p. 257. (d) Hortus Jamaicensis, vol. i., p. 465. (0) To Mr. Wallen, formerly owner of Cold Spring and Wallenford, the friend of Swartz and a successful botanist, we are no doubt indebted for the first plants of the buttercups, strawberries, water-cress, chick-weed, wild pansy, groundsel, dead nettles, dandelion, common honey-suckle, black-berried elder, evening primrose, nasturtium, common myrtle, the English oak, white clover and the sweet violet, now common on the Port Royal and Blue Mountains, being, possibly, escapes from his Garden at Cold Spring, which even in 1793 was well stocked with choice selections of introduced flowers and European trees and shrubs. Bryan Edwards, 5th Ed., vol. i., p. 243. (h) Bryan Edwards' History, 5th Ed., vol. iii., pp. 367-407. (j) Bryan Edwards' History, 5th Ed., vol. 3, pp. 367-407 (m) Hortus Jamaicensis, vol. i., p. 353. (i) Bryan Edwards' History, 5th Ed., vol. iii., pp. 367-407. (k) Journals Assembly, vol. x., p. 638. (n) Hortus Jamaicensis vol. ii., p. 310. land by Spanish cattle (a). Cacao is indigenous to Central America. The shaddock was brought to the West Indies from China by Captain Shaddock, hence its name (b). The genip was brought to Jamaica from Surinam by one Guaf, a Jew. The ginger is a native of the East Indies, introduced to Jamaica by a Spaniard, Francisco de Mendiza. The locust tree and blimbing were brought to Jamaica from the South seas in His Majesty's ship Providence in the year 1793. The orange, both sweet and seville, the lime, the lemon and citron, were brought hither by the Spaniards. The Jerusalem thorn is from the Spanish Main (c). The prickly pear is a Mexican plant. Returning, however, to the history of the Department under review, it appears that the first public Garden established in the island was the old Botanic Garden at Bath; and in the Journals of the House of Assembly, Vol. VII., 1784-91, p. 602, mention is made of Dr. Thomas Clarke, “Practitioner in Physic and Surgery," who came to the island in 1777, at the particular instance and request of the late Sir Basil Keith, to superintend two Botanic Gardens, then intended to be established in the island. One was to be a European Garden, which however, was never established, and the other was the "Tropical Garden" at Bath. A private garden possessing many rare and valuable plants had already been formed by Mr. Hinton East in Liguanea (Gordon Town) which, on the death of the founder, became the property of his nephew, Mr. E. H. East, "who with great generosity offered it to the Assembly of Jamaica for the use of the public at their own price." Mr. Bryan Edwards, in the History of the British West Indies, remarks that "the Assembly of Jamaica, co-operating with the benevolent intentions of His Majesty (to introduce valuable exotics and productions of the most distant regions to the West Indies) purchased in 1792-93 the magnificent Botanical Garden of Mr. East and placed it on the public establishment, under the care of skilful gardeners, one of whom, Mr. James Wiles, had circumnavigated the Globe with Captain Bligh." An interesting catalogue of the plants in this Garden, at the time of Mr. East's decease, was prepared by Dr. A. Broughton, and forms an appendix under the title of "Hortus Eastensis" to Bryan Edwards' History of the British West Indies, vol. 1., p. 475. From it we gather that as early as 1782 the mango, akee, cinnamon, camphor, jack tree, bichy or kola, date palm, rose apple, litchi, turmeric and many valuable plants, numbering nearly 600, had already been introduced into the island and were becoming thoroughly acclimatised. From a letter addressed to Sir Joseph Banks by the Botanic Gardener, Jamaica, 1793, we gather that the breadfruit trees* (introduced in 1788) "were upwards of 11 feet high, with leaves 36 inches long, and the success in cultivating them has exceeded the most sanguine expectations; the cinnamon tree is become very common, and mangoes are in such plenty as to be planted in the negro grounds. There are, also, several bearing trees of the jack or bastard breadfruit......and we have one nutmeg plant." The Botanic Garden at Liguanea (as it was called) continued to be under Mr. Wiles' care (superintended by a Committee of the House of Assembly) for many years, while that at Bath was entrusted to Dr. Dancer as Island Botanist. The allowance for the two Gardens was fixed at £800. The duties of the Island Botanist were defined as follows: "To collect, class and describe the native plants of the island; to use his endeavours to find out their medicinal virtues; to discover if they possess any qualities useful to the arts, and annually to furnish the House with a correct list of such plants as are in the Botanic Gardens, together with such information as he may have acquired relative to their uses and virtues." For the purpose of distributing the breadfuit and other valuable plants from the Botanic Garden the Committee of the House "appointed several Committees for each county, to receive and distribute the allotments destined for them," and, according as sufficient nunbers were prepared for propagation, the Chairmen of the County Committees were apprised and their respective proportions delivered and distributed, " by which means," it is quaintly remarked, "the public has derived all the advantages to be expected from these establishments." (a) Macfadyen Flora, vol. i., p. 308. (b) Macfadyen Flora, vol. i., p. 131. (c) Trans. Roy. Soc. Arts, Jamaica, vol. 1., p. 114. For his services in introducing the Bread Fruit tree 1,000 guineas were granted in 1793 to Captain Bligh and 500 Guineas to Lieutenant Portlock. During the years 1791-1807 the Committee in charge of the Botanic Gardens, with Mr. Shirley as Chairman, greatly developed and improved them. Inquiries were made everywhere for new products; thanks and gratuities were voted for the introduction of valuable plants; and these were cultivated and distributed with great assiduity and care. In order to make the island less dependent on America for supplies every encouragement was given to the cultivation of yams, cocoes, maize, plantain, and such products as the breadfruit, zezegary or wanglo, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon. pindars and coffee, it being believed that the "cultivation of these valuable exotics will, without doubt, in a course of years lessen the dependence of the Sugar Islands on North America for food and necessaries; and not only supply subsistence for future generations, but, probably, furnish fresh incitements to industry, new improvements in the arts, and new subjects of commerce." (a) These beneficial efforts, long and successfully maintained, were however greatly relaxed after the year 1807, and under the influence of domestic troubles, want of due appreciation of the value and nature of Botanic Gardens, or the need of strict economy, a bill was introduced into the House of Assembly in 1810, "for vesting the Botanic Garden in Liguanea in the Commissioners of the Board of Works, to be sold and the money to be brought to the credit of the public." This bill was finally passed, December, 1810, and, the Garden passing to private hands, many of the valuable plants contained in it. and collected with so much care and industry, were entirely lost. (b) The Garden at Bath was however maintained, though in a very reduced state. Dr. Stewart West acted for some time as Island Botanist and was engaged in collecting the plants that had been lost from the Gardens, for the purpose of propagating and distributing them. In the year 1824 an effort was made to restore the value and usefulness of the Botanic Gardens, and Sir M. B Clare, from the Committee appointed to inquire into the state of the Botanic Garden, reported: "That the Botanic Garden in St. Thomas-in-the-East, established more than fifty years ago, has during that period received and transmitted for propagation throughout the island many valuable plants. That the Royal munificence of his late Majesty promoted the object of this institution by vessels-of-war employed to collect plants in the settlements of the east and south seas, some of which are now naturalized in this island, and more might be added, greatly to the advantage of its inhabitants. Your Committee, therefore, recommend that proper care may be taken to preserve the valuable plants which the Garden now contains. That in addition to the above considerations, your Committee are of opinion that one object of this institution of chief importance has never been properly attended to, namely, the investigation of the many unknown native plants of this island, which, from the properties of those already known, it is reasonable to infer would prove highly beneficial in augmenting our internal resources, by supplying various articles either for food, for medicine, or for manufactures, to be cultivated, prepared and exported as staple commodities, by which great commercial advantages might be obtained; among others the various vegetable dyes claim particular attention as promising a fruitful field for discovery. That it appears to your Committee that the person fit for undertaking such inquiries ought to be a well educated and scientific man, combining with his botanical knowledge sufficient information in experimental chemistry to enable him to discover the useful qualities of such indigenous plants, and improve the productions of those already known; but at the same time your Committee strongly recommend that such person should not be a medical man, as his whole time and attention onght to be applied to promote the above objects. Your Committee recommends to the House to instruct the Commissioners of Correspondence to direct the Agent to apply for such a person to the President of the Linnean Society in London." As a result of this proposal Mr. James Macfayden was selected and approved of as a Botanist and arrived in the island in 1826. At the same time it was felt that the Botanic Garden at Bath was too distant from Kingston and the seat of government to answer the intention proposed, and (a) Bryan Edwards' History, 5th Ed., vol. i., p. xli. (b) The land formerly occupied by the Botanic Garden, in Liguanea, has become the property of Mr. Geo, Henderson. Gordon Town is still known as "The Gardens." BB it was recommended that a bill be brought in for purchasing a proper place for such a Garden in the vicinity of Kingston and Spanish Town. This proposal was, however, never carried into execution, and the Garden at Bath, on the death and removal of Mr. Macfadyen, "fast falling to decay," was placed in charge of Mr. Thomas Higson; and his petitions addressed to the House of Assembly during 1830-32 shew that the allowances made were not sufficient for the maintenance of the Garden even in its reduced state, and that no remuneration had been made to him for its superintendence. In 1833, in another fit of economy, owing to domestic troubles and the need for retrenchment, a Committee was appointed to "report on the best means of diminishing the contingencies and expenditure of the island and to consider whether the Botanic Gardens at Bath could be sold for the benefit of the public." The report was made at the close of the year and ordered to lie on the table. Nothing further, however, appears to have been done for the Garden till 1840 when the sum of £300, was "voted for the improvement of the Garden at Bath and for the services of a Botanist." This sum, afterwards reduced to £200, was placed in the hands of the members of St. Thomas-in-the-East, Portland and St. David, by whom it appears to have been administered down to the year 1852, when the Garden was transferred to the Board of Directors of the Bath of St. Thomas the Apostle. The late Mr. Nathaniel Wilson was appointed Curator of the Garden in 1847, and devoted many years, often labouring under great discouragements, in maintaining and improving the Garden and introducing new plants. His yearly reports contain sufficient evidence of the value of the Garden, small as it was, to an island entirely dependent for its prosperity on its agricultural interest; and assisted and encouraged by the Rev. Thomas Wharton, Mr. Wilson laboured most successfully in the propagation and distribution of valuable plants, and especially in developing the "fibre" resources of the colony. Writing in 1861 Mr. Wilson referred to the successful introduction of seeds of the valuable cinchona tree to Jamaica, "through the liberality of the British Government and recommendation of Sir W. J. Hooker of Kew." By the month of October, 1861, Mr. Wilson reported that he had “over four hundred healthy plants quite ready for planting out." As the climate of Bath was unsuitable for the successful growth of cinchona, by the kindness of the late Dr. Hamilton, they were tried at Cold Spring Coffee Plantation, St. Andrew, at an elevation of 4,000 ft. Here Mr. Wilson found "the climate and soil to be all he could desire, and as it afforded every facility for carrying out so valuable an experiment he at once availed himself of it, and planted out in the coffee fields, on the 16th November, 1861, several plants of each species, then about two and two-and a-half inches in height. In twelve months after a plant of the red bark (Cinchona Succirubra) had attained to the height of forty-four inches, with leaves measuring thirteen and-a-half inches long by eight and three-quarters inches broad. The same plants in December, 1863, i.e., when two years old, measured six feet in height, with ten branches, having a circumference of stem at a base of four and-a-half inches. The export of cinchona bark from the Government Plantation to the 30th September, 1884, was 73,533 pounds of the value of £16,327. There was no exportation in 1885. A consignment of 150 bags of various qualities was despatched to London in December, 1886. The bark weighed 17,009 pounds and was sold for £542 98. There has been no export since that time. In 1857 a grant was passed by the Legislature for purchasing land for a Botanic Garden at Castleton, in the parish of St. Mary, 19 miles from Kingston, and steps were at once taken to establish the Garden and remove such plants as could be spared from Bath. In 1862-63 a grant was made for the salary of an Assistant Gardener to Mr. Wilson and Mr. Robert Thomson, formerly of Kew, received the appointment The Garden at Castleton was then finally established and ultimately, by the influence of Sir John Peter Grant, the present Government Cinchona Plantations were opened in 1868, and placed under the management of Mr. Thomson, who on Mr. Wilson's retirement, had been appointed Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens. Mr. Thomson retired on pension in 1878, and in December, 1879, the Department |