A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 525 



larger fines, in 1675. The sugar cane is now only occasionally seen 

 in gardens. 



The cultivation of the Cassava was undertaken about 1619, or 

 earlier, and high hopes were at first entertained of its great useful- 

 ness and profit. Probably the preparation of the cassava required 

 too much trouble and care for the rather indolent natives, for it 

 never became an important crop. It is still cultivated, to some 

 extent, for domestic use on festive occasions, as in making cassava 

 puddings, especially at Christmas time. 



Cassava roots were amono- the thino-s sent to Virginia bv Governor 

 Butler,, in 1621, but probably they were intended for planting. 



The Taro or Eddoe (Colocasla esculenta), the " Tous-les-mois " 

 ( Ganna edulis), and the true Yam (Dioseorea lutea) were probably 

 introduced at an early period from the West Indies, perhaps even 

 in 1616. They have been long cultivated locally, for domestic use ; 

 but none of them have been raised in commercial quantities, though 

 the Tous-les-mois is sometimes sold in the market at St.. George's. 

 Probably either could be largely raised, were the demand sufficient. 



In 1670, the Company urged the improved culture of "English 

 wheat," but there is no record of its success at any period.* 



Attempts had been made in the earlier periods to produce saffron, 

 indigo, madder, grapes, aloes, anise and coriander seeds, and many 

 other minor products, but without any commei'cial success. (See 

 Part III, chapter 27, for more details.) 



Sweet potatoes were probably introduced in 1616 and have always 

 been cultivated, to a considerable extent, for domestic use. The 

 amount in 1 844 was recorded as 11,269 bushels. There are no records 

 of any considerable amounts having been exported, though probably 

 they may have been quite largely shipped to New England and New 

 York by the local trading vessels, with contraband tobacco, etc., in 

 former times. The amount now raised is about 500,000 pounds 

 annually. 



/'. — Bananas, Pineapples, Oranges, Lemons, etc. 



Bananas were introduced in 1616 and soon became very abundant. 

 They have formed an important article of food ever since that time, 

 but are now only raised for local consumption, for they cannot com- 

 pete with those from the West Indies and Central America in the 



* Governor Butler, when enumerating the productions, in 1619, said : " Store 

 of come (I mean Indian corne, for the Christian proves not as yet to be had, by 

 overunkindnesse of the ground runnes all to grasse)." 



