628 A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



varieties of bananas have, however, been introduced in modern 

 times, so that the original large and coarse plantains are now little 

 cultivated. Governor Lefroy enumerated four principal varieties of 

 true bananas as cultivated twenty-eight years ago, which appear to 

 be the same that are still preferred. 



1. Dwarf Banana (var. (Javendishii). This is by far the most 

 common variety. It is very productive and produces fruit at nearly 

 all seasons of the year. When well cultivated in good soil, the 

 bunches sometimes weigh over 70 pounds. The summer fruit ripens 

 in 90 to 100 days ; but the winter crop requires 140 to 160 days. 



2. Thumb Banana. A small but very delicately flavored variety, 

 considered to be the most choice of all, but not very productive and 

 therefore less cultivated. Its flavor is subacid. 



3. Red Banana (var. rosacea). Not much cultivated at present. 

 Its fruit requires nearly twice as long to mature as that of the dwarf 

 variety, and its broader foliage requires more shelter from the winds. 



4. Old Bermuda Banana. A tall variety that has been cultivated 

 for a long period, but is now rare ; perhaps it was one of those 

 introduced in 1616. The fruit is of good quality, but requires 

 longer to mature than the dwarf varieties. 



Pine Apple. (Ananassa saliva Moll.) 



Pine Apples were introduced into the islands from the West 

 Indies, in 1616, when the "Edwin" returned from her voyage there 

 to obtain plants of various kinds. They evidently flourished well at 

 that time, and for long after. 



Governor Butler enumerated them among the common produc- 

 tions, in 1619. Capt. John Smith spoke of them as abundant, in 

 1624. They are also mentioned, as if common, in various laws and 

 proclamations, in 162:! and later dates. 



Governor Roger Wood, in 1633, wrote as follows : " I wish I could 

 send 1000 in their season to the Queene, and 500 more to such as 

 desire them, for I can well spare them and eat enough myselfe. I 

 sent four boats lading this year into the rnayne, to give them to 

 those good dames that love to eat them better than to plant them, 

 and I assure you I love to plant and preserve them, and behold them 

 in their beauty, more than to munch them alone without the com- 

 panie of my friends." 



John Hardy mentions the Pine Apple as the most choice fruit, in 

 1670. It is not now cultivated for the fruit, unless experimentally. 



