ST. AUGUSTIN TO BAHAMA ISLANDS 269 



other inhabited Bahama islands the people raise just so 

 much sugar as will supply their household necessities; 

 they do no more than boil the juice of the cane to a 

 thick syrup. 



Indigo may be seen here and there growing in gar- 

 dens, and about them where the seed has fallen by 

 chance and abundantly multiplied. The assertion is 

 made by those who know, that the finest and best in- 

 digo is believed to come from the planters here ; but 

 large establishments for making it are not set up, on 

 account of the character of the water here, and the 

 lack of the quantity necessary for handling the indigo. 



Cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.), the culture of 

 this shrub is extending, not so much on Providence as 

 on the other islands ; experience having proved that 

 this crop is one of the best and surest rewards of the 

 planter's toil. It grows at all seasons, is not so de- 

 pendent on rain as other plants, and takes quick and 

 strong hold of the rocky soil. 



Yams (Dioscorea alata L.) are raised everywhere in 

 plenty, partly for family use, and also (but in no great 

 bulk) for export to North America. The cut tubercles 

 are once a year set in the ground and increase ex- 

 traordinarily. 



Maize yields but one harvest a year, the character 

 of the seasons not admitting of two plantings. It can- 

 not be put into the ground until the rainy season has 

 begun, in June or July that is, and thus does not 

 mature until November or December. So its growth 

 is no faster here than on the American continent 

 where the planting is in May and the harvest in Sep- 

 tember. The dryness of the other months does not 

 permit of a second seeding. This is the only grain 



