104 VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. 



to behold in fertile Polynesia ; and is, generally 

 speaking, more remarkable for variety than pro- 

 fusion. The higher lands are but thinly tim- 

 bered, and pastured with a tall coarse grass. The 

 lowlands possess some tall well-grown trees, 

 very eligible for ships' spars ; and, in addition 

 to a wild jungle, are covered for many continuous 

 acres, with dense thickets of wild mint. The 

 more valuable vegetable productions, (chiefly 

 cultivated,) are cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, bananas, 

 jacca, or "jack-fruit," oranges,* limes, pome- 

 granates, tamarinds, papaws, guavas, custard- 

 apples, areka-nuts, betel-leaf, sandal-wood, cotton, 

 candle-nuts, castor-oil- nuts, maize, rice, yams, 

 pumpkins, sweet-potatoes, tomatos, capsicums, 

 and gourds; together with some of the more 

 common esculents of Europe, as onions, radishes, 

 and cabbages. 



In more particularly noticing the botany of 

 this island, it will be interesting to observe, how 

 closely its prominent features (especially as re- 

 gards littoral vegetation,) accord with those 

 visible in the more remote Polynesian islands. 



* One variety of this fruit, common here, is the " her- 

 maphrodite orange/' which resembles the ordinary orange 

 in colour and flavour, but the lemon in form. A second 

 variety, equally common, is the " Mandarin orange," of 

 very diminutive size, and lusciously sweet. 



