136 EXOTIC VEGETATION. 



highly praiseworthy manner, to encourage the 

 culture of the soil to its most complete and 

 useful extent. The principal Oriental and Eu- 

 ropean fruits now cultivated here, are plantains, 

 guavas, pomegranates, the China loquats, 

 (Eryobotrya Japonica,) an agreeable subacid 

 fruit, the size and form of a plum, of a yellow 

 colour, and the pulp enclosing three oblong 

 seeds ; the Cape-mulberry, rose-apples, peaches, 

 pears, apples, figs, and grapes. It is worthy of 

 remark, that the cherry-tree and gooseberry- 

 bush, introduced to this island from Europe, 

 become evergreens, and do not produce fruit. 

 The cocoa-nut, date, and sago-palms, though 

 they grow with vigour, are not prolific on this 

 soil. The list of culinary vegetables includes 

 many of the most valuable European kinds. 

 Those most abundant, and serviceable to the 

 island, are potatoes and yams. Flowers and 

 ornamental plants are also cultivated with much 

 success, and give a lively, and, to the European, 

 a very homely, effect to the gardens of the inha- 

 bitants. The grains are chiefly maize, barley, 

 oats, and wheat. Many hardy trees, as oaks, 

 firs, willows, acacias, and coral-trees, have been 

 planted on exposed hills, and are now of sufficient 

 size to furnish valuable shelter to the more tender 

 vegetation ; while it is the opinion of the inha- 



