A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 041 



Coffee Tree. ( Coffea Arabica Linne.) 



Wild or half-wild Coffee Trees occur in many places. This tree 

 was early introduced into the islands for cultivation, but I rind no 

 evidence that it was ever cultivated to any great extent, even for 

 local use, though it hears fruit. 



It is common on the Walsingham tract and at Paynter's Vale. 



Sapodilla ; Naseberry. (Achras sapota L. or Sapota achras Mill.) 



This evergreen West Indian fruit tree is not yet very common. 

 The russet-brown fruit, which is ripe in July and August, is about 

 the size of a quince ; its soft pulp is very sweet. 



Persimmon. (Diospyros Viryiniana L.) 



Cultivated in a few gai'dens, but not thought of much value. It 

 might be used for windbreaks near the shore, for it resists salt spray 

 and spreads rapidly by root suckers. 



Perhaps the Japanese Persimmon might be of much greater value 

 for fruit, but I am not aware that it has been cultivated. Some of 

 the varieties produce large and choice fruit in Florida. 



Egg Plant. (Solatium melonyena L. = /& oriyencm Dun.) 

 Cultivated for domestic use. 



The Tomato (Lycopersicum escidentum Mill.) has been discussed 

 in a previous chapter (p. 530). Lefroy states that the amount of this 

 fruit exported in 1871 was 6*72 tons. At present it is raised chiefly 

 for local consumption. 



Cape Gooseberry. (Physalis Peruviana ~L.=eduli's Sims.) 



Introduced from South Africa in 1874. It bears fruit abundantly, 

 ripe in most months. 



American Red Mulberry. (Jforus rubra L.) 



Cultivated frequently, but grows wild at Walsingham. Probably 

 it is the native mulberry mentioned by the earliest settlers in 1612. 



The Bermuda Company sent out seeds of mulberry in 1616, to 

 raise the trees for feeding silk- worms. It is probable that they were 

 of the White Mulberry (M. alba Jj.=multicauUs Per.), which still 

 grows in Bermuda. But it has also been imported at other later 

 periods; even as late as 1841, by Mr. Daniel Vaughan, according to 

 Governor Lefroy, for feeding silk-worms. 



Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. XI. 41 June, 1902. 



