189S] Small— Vegetation in the Bermudas. 113 



seen here and there, but does not appear to fruit as it does north, 

 the berries either falling off before maturity, or being eaten by 

 birds. Its white flowers are larger than in Canada. 



The Seaside Lavender {Suriana marJtinid), an erect bushy 

 shrub from 3 to 4 feet high, with yellow flowers scarcely one inch 

 in diameter, grows abundantly along rocky shores, and on sand 

 banks. It is said by the negro population to possess many 

 medicinal qualities, and is in great request amongst them. 



The Castor Oil Plant {Riciniis communis) attains in Ber- 

 muda a height of from 10 to 15 feet or more, branching out like 

 a shrub. It is common on waste land, and revels in disused 

 quarries. 



The Yucca or Spanish Bayonet ( Y. aloifolia) with massive 

 thick spear-shaped leaves, from 4 to 6 feet high, with a sharp 

 spine terminating each leaf, grows abundantly on rocky ridges, 

 and IS sometimes used as a live fence. It is closely allied to the 

 Aloe [A. vulgaris), very similar in growth but more fleshy and 

 substantial, which is also well distributed. 



The Century Plant {Agava ^wm^c^/^cz) is another shrub not 

 unlike the foregoing in growth and appearance. It throws up a 

 flowering stem from 15 to.25 feet high, with orange yellow blos- 

 soms on alternate branchlets. This plant was formerly supposed 

 not to bloom till too years old, but this is incorrect. 



There are many other shrubs of a less showy description, 

 but which this sketch can scarcely notice. 



There is, however, a class of shrubby plants of profuse 

 growth and size in Bermuda, viz., the Cacti, which assume pro- 

 portions unknown in the north. The Night-blooming Cereus 

 {Cactus grandifloriis), whose long snake-like stems either hang 

 over walls, or ascend trees to a considerable height, unfolds after 

 sunset one of the most magnificent flowers in the whole veget- 

 able kingdom, 8 or 9 inches in diameter, wax-like and fragrant, 

 but closing with or soon after daybreak. A large plant on the 

 outskirts of Hamilton on the turn to Prospect had two years ago 

 between 200 and 300 blossoms. 



The many other Cacti familiar to horticulturists grow abun- 



