Daily Gleaner, July 10, 1909
[Sir Harry Johnston in a lecture in London was reported as saying -]
I never saw any where, in the world such a
profusion of flowers as in the West Indies. Nearly
every big tree in Jamaica and the other West
Indian Islands is covered with an extraordinary rich epiphytic growth of all descriptions. But, the
celebrated Fern Gully of Northern Jamaica when I
was there had been rather spoilt; the negro
peasants had been allowed to cut away much of
the fern growth and plant bananas and breadfruit
in its place.
.................................
Daily Gleaner, August 16, 1909
[report of St Ann Parochial Board]
DESTROYING FERN GULLY.
Mr. Roxburgh pointed out that owing to the action
of the Public Work's Department and of private
individuals, the beauty of the Ocho Rios Fern
Gully was being rapidly destroyed, and asked
whether something could not be done to prevent
further damage to the place.
After discussion Mr. Roxburgh promised toGeographical Journal June 1909
For
instance, there is Fern Gully, some 5
miles of hill road on the route from
Ocho Rios, on the north
coast, to
Moneague, one of the interior towns. Fern
Gully is a Devonshire lane transported to the tropics
and exaggerated five or six
times in its fern-producing capacity. It is,
or was, a small world-wonder, justly
advertised as one of the attractions of
Jamaica. Four years ago, judging by
photographs, it was perfect
and unspoiled.
On either side the mountains rise
precipitately, and the banks below the edge
of the great
forests down to the
surface of the road were clothed with
twenty different species of ferns growing in
lace-like flounces of exquisitely varied pattern.
Yet, when I drove through Fern Gully
the other day I saw
this: a band
of men and women workers with hoes, not
only cleaning the road surface and making
it
exasperatingly new-looking, but carefully
scraping away with their hoees all that
part of the fern
tapestry which they
could reach on either side of the
cliff. " What are you doing that
for ? " I asked. "To
make
de road clean, sah," was the answer.
Then wherever the banks were not too
precipitous some
barbarian had come and hoed
up the fern jungle to replace it by
bananas, coconut-palms, and that utterly
wearisome product of the Pacific - the breadfruit
tree. Not one of these three was
indigenous to Jamaica,
and their forcible
introduction into this 5-mile-long bower of
ferns was a needless outrage which at
most
brought in a few shillings return
to the perpetrators. There is still time
to save Fern Gully and to make it
as beautiful as it has ever been. To
do this the Government of Jamaica should
expropriate the
landholders for 200 or 300
yards on either side of Fern Gully (the
land is mostly virgin forest), and
henceforth see that the fern growth
continues unchecked so long as the road remains passable for
vehicles. And this
procedure will bring hundreds of pounds
annually into this part of Jamaica, in
expenditure on hotels and carriages, and on
the poor negro folk who supply the
hotels and tourists with
provisions.
Daily Gleaner, September 13, 1909
THE FERN GULLY
Harm Done One of Our
Beauty Spots.
ACTION OF ST. ANN BOARD.
Appeal Made to the Governor
To Save Situation.
At the last meeting of the Parochial Board of St.
Ann it was moved by Mr. Roxburgh, seconded by
the chairman and unanimously carried, that:
“Whereas owing to the luxuriant tropical growth heretofore to be seen on the hill-sides bordering
the Ocho Rios Fern Gully road, this Gully has
always been looked upon as one of the most
remarkable
beauty spots of Jamaica, so much so
that it has attained world-wide reputation
and has proved most attractive to tourists
and
lovers of beautiful scenery.
"And whereas much, of the beauty of the spot is
being destroyed by the occupiers of the land on
either side, who for purposes of cultivation cut
down overhanging trees and shrubs and by the
servants of the Public Works Department who
ruthlessly cut away the growth of ferns and other beautiful plants from the road sides, thereby
denuding the gully of its greatest attractions to
such a degree that unfavourable comment has
been made publicly by such travellers as Sir
Daily Gleaner, October 13, 1909
THE FERN GULLY,
Mr. Roxburgh asked whether any reply had been received from the Government in regard to the
Fern Gully and was informed that none had come
to hand.
Harry Johnston of England and Dr. Britton, of
New York, who both deplore the vandalism, as Dr. Britton terms it, of such destruction of the
beautiful.
This Board ever jealous for the good repute and
welfare of the Island in general and of St. Ann in
particular, hereby desires to place on record its
protest against such destruction of the beauties of nature by the cultivators and the Public Works
Department, and appeal to His Excellency the
Governor to issue such instructions, and to take
such measures as
may be in his power to prevent
further destruction, so that nature may be
allowed to restore as far as possible the lost beauty of this remarkable road."
It was also decided, in connection with this matter
to forward a strong covering letter to the
Government as well as a copy of Dr. Britton's
remarks on the subject.
Daily Gleaner, January 19, 1910
THE FERN GULLY.
PURCHASE OF THE RIGHTS BY THE
GOVERNMENT.
It will be remembered that a short time ago, Sir
Harry Johnston (who paid a visit to Jamaica last
year) reported on his return to England, that the
fern gully in the parish of St. Ann, which was one
of the most beautiful sights in Jamaica, was being destroyed by the people planting bananas and cocoa there, and thus destroying the ferns.
The Government have now purchased the rights of the whole of the Fern Gully from the proprietors,
and the Director of Agriculture was requested by
the Government to advise as to the best means of
restoring the beauty of the ferns.
With this object in view the Hon. H. H. Cousins paid
a visit to the Fern Gully a few days ago, and will
accordingly report to the Government.
Mr. Cousins took a number of photographs of the
existing conditions of the Fern Gully.
.................................
Daily Gleaner, February 12, 1910
[report from St Ann Parochial Board]
A BEAUTY SPOT.
A letter from the Government was read informing
the Board of the steps that had been taken to
prevent the further destruction of the Fern Gully.
On the motion of Mr. Roxburgh seconded by the
Hon. H. E. Cox, it was resolved that: "This Board
learns, with much satisfaction that the Government has succeeded in coming to arrangements with the owners of the lands bordering the Ocho Rios Fern Gully road for the
preservation of the natural beauties of the road
for the improvement of the same; and the Board
further urges upon the Government to take
advantage of the arrangements entered into for
planting ferns and palms to fill the unsightly gaps
on the hill-sides caused by the planting of bananas
and ground provisions and the Board agrees to
see that the conditions of the agreement with the
people are kept."
.................................
Daily Gleaner, February 25, 1910
[from the Legislative Council]
DETAILS OF SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES.
Yesterday the Governor sent a message to the Legislative Council covering "supplementary estimates" of expenditure incurred in excess of the current year's appropriations. The total
amount involved is £10,400. The principal items
are as follows:
[item 2 of 14]
Fern Gully - St Ann £50 - Preventing disfigurement of Fern Gully, St. Ann
Daily Gleaner, March 8, 1910
A BEAUTY SPOT
Steps Taken to Preserve
The Fern Gully.
THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS
Should Authority be Given to
Parochial Board ?
It is understood that the work of clearing up and
beautifying the Fern Gully in St. Ann will shortly
be started.
Sir Harry Johnson, it will be remembered, reported to the Government that the beauty of this place was being spoilt by the people of the
district who were cultivating on the land.
The Government on receiving this report sent the Director of Agriculture to investigate the matter
and see whether it was advisable for the
Government to take the place in hand.
The report of Mr. Cousins recommended that the Government should have the Gully cleaned up, so
as to retain its beauty.
Mr Cousins has since received a letter from the
Colonial Secretary stating that the proposal is
agreeable to the Government, and that the Ocho
Rios Agricultural Society should be asked to have
the necessary work performed, and supervise the
Gully.
The Director of Agriculture, it is learnt, does not agree with the proposal for the Agricultural Society to look after the Gully,
however, and has recommended that the Parochial Board of the Parish should have entire
charge of it.
Daily Gleaner, April 15, 1910
[report from St Ann Parochial Board]
OFFICIAL LETTERS,
The undermentioned letters from the Colonial Secretary were read.
(a) Informing the Board that the total width of the
Fern Gully to be protected is 58 feet from the
centre of the main road on each side and
forwarding a communication from Mr J. G.
Forrest suggesting that placards be printed
warning the people not to interfere with the fern
cultivation and that some one should have
authority to overlook it and see the agreement
is carried out. A memorandum thereon from Mr
Roxburgh was read and it was decided to forward
a copy thereof to the Government. Mr. Roxburgh
being willing 'to look after the interests of the
gully as far as the time allows.'
