47 
the juice is very palatable. Peaches formerly abounded, but have of 
late been destroyed by an insect. The few trees that I noticed 
seemed strong, but the fruit, I was told, is invariably destroyed at 
the core by this pest. Apples and the allied fruits run to wood, 
Loquots and the avocado pear are abundant. Every garden is pro- 
vided with several papaw-trees {Carica papaya) the clusters of fruit of 
which, with the tuft of leaves at the summit of a naked trunk, strike 
a stranger very forcibly. I heard of the recent introduction of 
grapes, but did not learn with what success. 
Strawberries were ripe in March and were very good. Goose- 
berries, I was told, do well, but that other berries run to wood. 
Of trees the most common, useful and noticeable is the Bermuda 
cedar {Juniperus Bermudiensis)^ which in former times covered the 
island and was an abundant source of timber for vessels. It is every- 
where present now, but probably of smaller size, the larger trees 
navmg been cut for timber. The only other noticeable tree growing 
wild is the palmetto {Sabal umbraculifera\ which standing, as it 
does, side by side with the cedar, gives the landscape a curiously 
mixed character, tropical and temperate zones seeming to be inter- 
mingled. 
In addition to these, which were probably introduced by natural 
"^eaiis, there are trees from all parts of the world. In former years 
the inhabitants were seafaring, and on their voyages brought back 
many trees that struck their fancy. These are scattered over the 
island in gardens and on lawns. There are several screw-pines, 
making with the cedar the only conifers proper growing on the 
island. The cocoa-nut palm is not uncommon, and the cabbage 
palm {Oreodoxa oleracea) has four magnificent representatives at the 
head of Hamilton Harbor. The trunks rise fifty feet or more and 
^re about seven feet in circumference five feet above the base. Ot 
^he India-rubber tree, a magnificent specimen is one of the first 
things met by the visitor on landing. The calabash (Cresceniia 
Cujete) is not uncommon. It supplies the colored people with many 
useful utensils. I saw one mahogany-tree, and, in a cool, moist dell, 
several coffee-trees. The true mangrove {Rhizophora Mangle) and the 
''alse mangrove {Avicennia nitida) fill the swamps and lagoons with their 
trunks and clustered roots. The oleander is very abundant, forming 
^'^e common hedge. It is of great value in holding together the 
shifting sand, for it grows everywhere, even on the least promising 
dunes. The sago palm {Cycas revolutd) is a common ornament of 
the lawns. Though not properly to be mentioned with the trees, the 
century-plant is met with everywhere, and not infrequently I saw it 
1^ blossom or in fruit. The Spanish bayonet ( Yucca aloifolia) is 
Often used for hedges. 
Governor Lefroy, in a list of plants published in Bulletin No. 25, 
y- S. Nat'l Museum, distinguishes about 150 species as intro- 
puced by natural means. He also gives a very full and interest- 
ing list of artificially introduced species and of others which refused 
to thrive. There is also a list locally published, prepared by Mr. 
yswald A. Reade, a pharmaceutical chemist formerly stationed at the 
<iockyard. 
