634 A. K Verrill— The Bermuda Islands. 



Governor Lefroy (1877) stated that there was a venerable olive 

 tree still standing on Norwood's ancient property, close to the house 

 where he resided, but that the olive trees were then rather scarce, 

 and no use was made of the scanty fruit. 



Governor Sayle, in his proclamation of May, 1662, says in regard 

 to the planting of olive trees : — " wee haveing had experience 

 thereof these 40 yeares, twenty yeares whereof they have boorne 

 olives, but have not produced any profitt. Wee together with the 

 Assembly have returned our answer to the Honorable Company 

 accordingly." 



But yet, in accordance with the orders of the Company, he required 

 that two olive trees should be planted at once on each share. 



Some fine old trees, that may have been planted at that time, still 

 exist. Young ones are common, growing wild. The largest one 

 that we saw was near the southeast shore of Somerset Island. Of 

 this a photograph was made in 1901. (Plate lxix.) Its trunk is 

 entirely concealed by an immense number of tall sprouts. This tree, 

 which has evidently had no care for very many years, and does not 

 look as if it had ever been pruned, is perhaps two and a half feet 

 in diameter at base. It must be very ancient, for olive-trees grow 

 slowly. Possibly it was planted in 1662. 



On the Walsingham place there are also many olive trees, some of 

 them of good size. 



Sweet Orange, [Citrus aiirantium L.). Mandarin Orange, (C. 

 nobilis L.). Lemon, (C. rnedica, var. limonum Risso.). 



A brief history of the cultivation and decline of the orange and 

 lemon trees has been given in a previous chapter (p. 526). It is not 

 probable that Bermuda can again successfully compete with Florida, 

 California, etc., in supplying the American market with these fruits, 

 but a sufficient quantity of choice fruit might be grown to supply 

 the local demand, at the hotels, etc. 



But in order to do this improved and vigorous varieties should be 

 introduced and kept up by grafting, and the improved modern 

 methods for destroying the scale-insects and other injurious species 

 must be adopted. A great quantity of literature relating to this 

 subject, published by the IT. S. Department of Agriculture, is now 

 easilv available.* 



* The most effectual and cheapest remedy for destroying the scale -insects is 

 the fumigation by means of hydrocyanic acid gas (prussic acid gas) generated 

 under cloth tents placed over the trees. But as this gas is very poisonous to 

 man, it should be used only by careful persons, trained for this work. 



