758 THE FLORA OF NORFOLK ISLAND, 



Spanish or Sweet Chestnut [Castanea t^esca). This does not 

 bear well, although it forms a handsome tree. 



Mulberry (Morus nigra) does well. 



A^'alnut (Juglans regia) scarcely fruits. 



The Cherimoyer grows well in Capt. Bates' garden, and this 

 delicious fruit is occasionally consigned to Sydney. 



The Mango appears to do fairly well. This valuable fruit tree 

 should be well tested, the best varieties alone being planted. 



The Cape Gooseberry {Physalis peruviana, Linn.) is very 



plentiful. 



"Many of the old roads, formerly used for bringing timber out of the 

 woods, are grown up with Cape Gooseberry, Phy sails edulis, which produces 

 abundance of pleasant, small, round fruit, in a bladder-like calyx. This is 

 eaten by the prisoners " (Backhouse, 264). 



The Rose Apple {Eugenia jainhol ana) is thoroughly at home on 

 the Island. 



Captain Bates has a few tree-tomatoes {Cyphomandra hetacea) 

 which bear fruit in profusion. 



The Date-palm does not appear to have been fruited on the 

 Island. 



The Coconut also flowers, but does not fruit. 



The Pomegranate grows well. 



The Date Plum succeeds fairly well. 



Sugar-cane, Cotton, Coffee. 



Sugar-cane. — When Lieut. Govr. King reported on 18th 

 October, 179G, this plant must have been well established on the 

 Island. He introduced it at his first planting in March, 1788. 

 He wrote : — 



" The Sugar-cane of which the different inclosures are made is extremely 

 luxuriant and grows to the greatest perfection. Some sugar and a small 

 quantity of spirits has been made. It is to the great quantity of sugar-cane 

 that I attribute the success the inhabitants have met with in rearing such a 

 number of swine." 



