7S2 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[April i, 1884. 



small plant of this tree at Oakbank ; but as it is not likely 

 to flower for many years, it would be better to import 

 large quantities of seed from tlie south of Europe, aud 

 establish the tree everywhere in the island below 1,200 or 

 1,500 feet. 



Another useful tree of this class is the Rain tree (Pithe- 

 eolohium Saman) of South America. Its pods, produced in 

 large quantities, are greedily devoured by cattle, and for 

 the lower lands aud the valleys of Jamestown and Rupert's 

 Valley it would prove a handsome shade aud shelter tree, 

 as well as a useful forage plaut. 



The Cashaw (P/Oi'o/3i"s /z'ie^orrt) isfound iuvaluable in the 

 West Indies in time of drought, aud being a hardy tree 

 and easily propagated it should be utilised largely ia St. 

 Helena. The pods of this tree possess the nutritious pro- 

 perties of the Carob, to which indeed it is nearly allied; 

 but they require to be gathered soon after they have fallen, 

 and kept iu a dry place as after they have begun to germ- 

 inate, they are highly injurious to cattle. 



St. Helena possesses three grasses which are peculiar to 

 it, as I learn from Mr. Hemsley. They are: — Ayrostis simid- 

 ans^ Hemsl., Eragrostis saxatilix. Hemsl., Demazeria dblitera^ 

 Hemsl. The former was abimdant in pastures in the interior 

 of the island, and was also collected by Sir Joseph Hooker 

 and Mr. Melliss; the other two are probably unimportant 

 as forage grasses. 



These are tlie only native grasses in St. Helena, if we 

 except the doubtful existence at the earliest times of the 

 Bahama or Bermuda grass (Cynodon Dactylon.) The pauc- 

 ity of spe cies would probably be due to the fact that at 

 one time the island was covered with thick forest with no 

 open spaces suitable for grass. Be that as it may be, it 

 is evident that it is very desirable to supplement the 

 present forage resources of the island; and this can only 

 be done by a more scientific and generous treatment of 

 the grasses now in the island, and the introduction of the 

 valuable trees mentioned above. 



Oranges^ Limes, Citrons, and Lemons. — Of this class of 

 fruits St. Helena is practically destitute. It is true that a 

 few orange trees grow in Jaraesto^vn ; and, occasionally, a 

 few limes and lemons are produced in Rupert's Valley. 

 But any of these fruits produced in the island are looked 

 upon as local curiosities, and as much as a shilling each 

 is asked for them. 



Mr. Melliss, speaking of the lemon, remarks : — "Formerly 

 " the island was quite a lemon garden, producing fruit in 

 " perfection, but now visitors and mariners after long sea 

 " voyages look for them in vain. The trees growing old, 

 "their roots penetrated through the upper soil to the rock, 

 " and no new ones were planted, so that about 10 years ago 

 " lemons became a scarce article. The tree once grew 

 " plentifully iu such places as Lemon Valley, Lemon Tree 

 " Gut, &c., where now scarcely a vestige of one is to be 

 " seen." 



Speaking of the lime, Mr. Melliss relates the same story, 

 and adds : — " The lime, once so abundant, suffered the same 

 " fate as the lemon, ami I doubt if a lime can now be 

 " obtained in the island." 



The sweet orange fruits fairly well, but the number of 

 trees is so small that practically the fruit is little known, 

 except as imported from other countries. 



The shaddock or pumelow is found in one or two gardens, 

 and appears to produce fine fruit. The citron is represented 

 by one solitary tree in Rupert's Valley. 



Most of che Oitrus tribe are severely attacked by an Aphii, 

 with the subsequent %nsitation of a Capnodivm or sooty blight, 

 srmilar to that which so ruinously attacked the orange trees 

 at Madeira and the Canary Islands. There is also another 

 enemy, possibly a small fly, which produces a knotted, 

 crumpled appearance of the leaves, of ten attacking the entire 

 foliage of a large tree. 



These insects and fungoid blights are no doubt the cause 

 of much of the failure of orange and lemon trees in St. 

 Helena, but they are evidently not answerable for the whole 

 of it. In former times great care was taken with the trees, 

 and they were established under conditions very different with 

 the present. As the old trees died no fresh ones were plant- 

 ed ; or, if they were planted, they were not properly sup- 

 plied \vith large, deep holes, free from stone and rubble, 

 or with the necessary manure and gnod dressing. 



I believe with propi r precautions and maji;igement all tho 

 members of the Citrus tribe coiJd be grown to a much larger 



extent than at present. The blights could be kept in check, 

 and if the trees had only a tithe of the manure, wasted in 

 their immediate neighbourhood in Jamestown, they would 

 soon bear abundant crops. 



Under this head, as well as in the culture of the finer 

 vegetables, great assistance might be rendered by a well- 

 trained practical gardener accustomed to the management 

 of tropical plants. A large supply of grafted plants of all 

 kinds requires to be placed within reach of the people, and 

 they also require to be shown experimentally the results of 

 scientific and careful culture. 



Grape Vine. — Owing to the introduction of an insect from 

 the Cape duriug the last 10 years, the grape vines in St. 

 Helena have been almost entirely destroyed. The exact 

 nature and habits of the insect should be investigated, and 

 specimens should be sent to England for the purpose. On 

 all sides I heard lamentations over the loss of grape vines 

 which had grown splendid grapes for nearly half a century. 

 To resucitate vine culture fresh kinds, and especially hardy 

 American vines, should be introduced. It is quite possible 

 that the worse attacks of the grape insect are over, aud 

 under these circumstances the culture might be resumed. 



The Teaches have suffered equally with the grape vine 

 from the ravages of insects during the last few years; and 

 at present the fruit, once so common, is becoming rather rare. 

 The apricot is present, but does not bear. 



The Lognat is a plentiful and highly esteemed fruit. 



The iJale Palm grows well and bears abundantly in James- 

 town Valley. One kind, called Bussorah date, without a 

 hard kernel, is particidarly good. 



Of other fruits produced in the Island there are gua- 

 vas, the common red and pear-shaped ; the mango, a few 

 trees only ; the tamarind, two or three trees of an inferior 

 kind ; the rose-apple, a few trees ; the pomegranate, plenti- 

 ful and good ; the granadilla and sweet-cup, rare ; the 

 papaw, a few plants only ; the fig, fairly common ; the 

 mulberry, common ; the avocado pear, rare ; the Cape goose- 

 berry, common ; the raspberry and blackberry, common ; 

 the cherimoyer, a fine and delicious fruit, rather common; 

 the strawberry, rare; the Otaheite gooseberry {Cicca di^ticha), 

 rare, the Chinese gooseberry {Averrhoa Carambohi)yra.re; Kei- 

 apple (yj if /■!ffCn^/a), somewhat common; the country walnut 

 (Aletirites triloba), rare; the prckly pear, abundant; the 

 Indian almond (Termtnalia Cattapa), common; the sea-side 

 grape {Coccoloha vvifera), rare, and the Barbadoes goose- 

 berry (PeresJda £leo),r<iTC. 



Pineapples. — It would appear that pineapple, the finest 

 of tropical fruits, are ouly moderately successful in St. 

 Helena. They are probably cultivated at too great an ele- 

 vation, and in soil of too clayey a character. 



Pineapples prefer a fine, light, sandy soil, thorou,^My 

 well drained. No animal manure should be applied to 

 them, but the rich, black earth from the forest, or what 

 is known in England as fibrous loam, is the best dress- 

 ing for them. 



New varieties should be introduced to the island ; and, 

 with proper treatment,' the Jamestown Valley might raise 

 pineapples of the finest kinds. 



I ajjpend here some remarks on pineapples, from one 

 of my reports; — 



" The soil should be a fine, gravelly loam, free from 

 clay, and perfectly drained. The plants, consisting of suck- 

 ers from older plants, may be put out at about Sh feet 

 apart, care 'leing taken to keep them free from weeds, 

 and give the land, in dry weather, a dressing of decayed 

 leaf-mould or rotten turf ; animal manure, unless very old 

 and, in fact, reduced to black earth, is not suit^ible for 

 pineapples, and should be carefully avoided. 



" In rather moi.st lands pines may be ])lanted in ridges 

 with drains between, but in hot, dry soils, alter a pre- 

 paratory trenching of the whole surface, pines may be 

 planted on level land. 



" The best kinds to cultivate for export are the Black 

 Antigua, Black Jamaica' or Cow-boy, Ripley, Charlotte Both- 

 .tchild. Smooth Cayenne, Scarlet or Cuban Pine, and British 

 Queen." 



Tea. — There are one or two tea plants in the island, 

 but they are so poor and miserable that, judging from 

 their age and appearance, tea is not likely to be success- 

 fully cultivated in St. Helena. 



liorcdlu tinctoria. — This lichen or dye-weed, known aS 

 orchella weed or orchil, is very common on the expoSerf 



