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. Cavendishii). 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 along 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 sativa 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 1623 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 mayne, 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. 
