A, jEJ. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 531 



i. — Arroio-root. 



Arrow-root was introduced into Bermuda rather more than one 

 hundred years ago, and has been cultivated for commercial purposes 

 for more than eighty years. It is still raised in considerable quanti- 

 ties, but is relatively of much less importance than formerly. From 

 100 pounds of the root, 15 to 20 pounds of starch are obtained.* 



The amount produced in 1832 was 34,883 pounds ; in 1833, 44,651 

 pounds ; in 1835, 67,575 pounds. 



In 1844, the crop of rough arrow-roots was 1,110,502 pounds, 

 yielding about 90 tons of starch for export. 



During the last thirty years the amount has usually varied 

 between 9,000 to 33,000 pounds, but in 1876 and 1895 it was less 

 than 5,000 pounds; while in 1873 and 1875 it was over 35,000 

 pounds. In 1900 it was 33,350 pounds, valued at £1,792. The 

 price has been very irregular, and the crop is very exhaustive to the 

 soil. (See table.) 



j. — Easter Lilies, etc. 



The cultivation of the Easter Lily, for its bulbs, for exportation, 

 was begun about twenty years ago, and soon attained considerable 

 importance. Although this culture still continues, it has very much 

 decreased within the last few years,f owing to the spread of a 

 destructive fungous disease among the bulbs. (See Part III, ch. 27.) 



The number of large bulbs suitable for exportation raised in 1890, 

 according to the census, was 2,116,000 ; those for stock, 4,769,000. 



The exportation of the leaves of the Cj'cad or "Sago Palm" 

 ( Cycas revoluta) to New York, for decorative purposes, was carried 

 on to a considerable extent, a number of years ago, especially by 

 Mr. G. W. West. 



Many other vegetable productions have been exported, to some 

 extent, at various times, for a large variety of crops can be grown 

 here, including both those of the temperate and the tropical zones. J 



* A modern mill, with machinery for the manufactui-e of arrow-root, has 

 recently been built at "Belle Vue," near Hamilton, by Mr. W. T. James. Such 

 improvements may lead to a larger cultivation of this crop. 



f It is said that the remedies now being used by many planters for the disease 

 of the lily, and for the mite with which it is also infested, have been of great 

 benefit, and that the yield is likely to increase. But the past winter, 1901-2, 

 has been very unfavorable for this crop. 



X I have been unable to find any records of attempts to cultivate certain pro- 

 ducts that have been found profitable in the West Indies, and which might, per- 

 haps, do well in Bermuda. For instance : the cacao-tree (Theobroma), from 



