624 A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



There is no evidence that the Bermuda Company ever sent out 

 the seeds of any merely ornamental plants or flowers, or of any 

 shade or forest trees. Their efforts were wholly utilitarian, and 

 especially for commercial purposes. 



b. — Useful Plants brought from the Bahamas, 1616-25. 



In 1616 a small vessel, the "Edwin," was sent to the Bahamas to 

 obtain useful plants, fruit trees, and seeds. Doubtless slaves were 

 also to be obtained, if possible. Her return, in the time of Governor 

 Tucker, is thus recorded, in 1624, by Captain John Smith : 



" Within a weeke after returned the Edwin from the West Indies, 

 furnished with figgis, pynes [pine-apples], sugar canes, plantain es, 

 papaues [papaws], and divers other plants, which were presently 

 replanted, and since increased into greater numbers, also an Indian 

 and a Negar, and so much ligna vitae as defrayed all the charges." 

 . . . " The Governor thus busied amongst his plants, making hedges 

 of Fig trees, and Pomgranets, and several divisions of Palizadoes 

 for the defence of their guarding and keeping their cattel, for in 

 such husbandry qualities he well deserved great commendations." 



Governor Butler's account of this arrival, written in 1619, is in 

 nearly the same words, indicating that Smith used his MSS. account, 

 but added a little to it from other sources. Butler did not mention the 

 Pawpaw, nor the Pomegranate, though he later spoke of the fences 

 of Fig-trees made by the governor in 1610. He also said of these 

 plants (1619), they "are since encreased into great numbers, espe- 

 cially the plantains and figges, very infinitly." He remarked that 

 the Indian and Negro were the first that the islands ever had. 



Among the " divers other plants " not named were, Avithout much 

 doubt, the sweet potato, cassava, and indigo, for these are mentioned 

 by Butler as common, in 1619. 



The "American bread-root," mentioned as introduced at this time, 

 ma} r have been the taro or eddoe (Colocasia escidenta), which is still 

 sparingly cultivated; or the yam {Dioscorea), which was probably 

 introduced at the same time and is still cultivated to a limited 

 extent. 



The date of the introduction of the Arrow-root is unknown. It 

 may have been introduced in 1616, or at some other very early date. 

 Lefroy states that it was introduced about the close of the 18th cen- 

 tury. It was not cultivated on a large scale till about 1830. The 

 dates of introduction of many other common cultivated plants are 

 not known. 



