426 A. E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 



The white Japan or Easter Lily was very extensively cultivated 

 here, a few years ago, for the sake of the bulbs, which were shipped 

 to New York for forcing. It was then not uncommon to see beauti- 

 ful fields of five to ten acres of fine plants, which were in full bloom 

 in April and May. Sometimes over 100 flowers were formerly pro- 

 duced on one stem. But within a few years the bulbs have been 

 attacked by a fungous disease, which turns the leaves yellow, and 

 dwarfs and spoils the plants, so that the cultivation of this lily for 

 commercial purposes has now been largely abandoned, though some 

 pretty good fields were still to be seen west of Hamilton in 1901. 

 It is to be hoped that some effectual remedy for this disease ma} r 

 yet be found. 



Roses of many varieties, and various other flowers, are abundant, 

 and bloom nearly all winter. In many places throughout the 

 islands, tall hedges of Oleanders, both red and white, border the 

 roads on both sides for long distances, and when in flower, in the 

 spring and early summer, they are very beautiful and fragrant. 



There is an excellent road for driving, or cycling, running through 

 the central part of the Main Island and Somerset Island, and from 

 this a short cross road leads to the famous Gibb's Hill Lighthouse, 

 from which a very extensive bird's-eye view of the whole group of 

 islands can be obtained. (Plate lxvi, tig. 1.) 



That portion of the Main Island that lies west of Hamilton con- 

 tains, apparently, the most fertile and productive lands on the islands, 

 and owing to the considerable breadth of land in most places and 

 its sheltered position, by which it is partly protected from the cold 

 winds, the climate seems to be warmer here than on the eastern and 

 more exposed parts of the islands. This may also be due largely to 

 the greater number of cedars and other trees left growing as wind- 

 breaks. Owing to these several causes the vegetation in this region 

 is particularly luxuriant and pleasing, especially in Paget and War- 

 wick parishes.* Somerset Island is also fertile and well cultivated. 

 The best lily fields were seen here in 1901. 



* There are many places in these western parts of the islands to which some 

 of Thomas Moore's graceful poetical descriptions would now apply, even better 

 than to St. George's, where they were written : — 



" Could you but view the scenery fair, 



That now beneath my window lies, 

 You'd think, that nature lavished there 



Her purest wave, her softest skies. 

 To make a heaven for love to sigh in, 

 For bards to live and saints to die in." 



