ST. HELENA 145 



The salsola or samphire, which produces barilla, is 

 abundant on all parts near the sea. 



The palma Christi, or physic nut (castor oil plant), yields 

 a fine oil and grows wild, but is not made use of. 



Amongst the various lichens is the valuable kind called 

 orchel, much used in dyeing. In 1743 this was sent to 

 London and sold for £50 to £60 per ton. In 1815 we read 

 that it had risen in price to four times that amount, yet no 

 notice is taken of it. 



Fine trees of olives {Olea Europoea) grow on the Briars 

 estate, lately bought by the Eastern Telegraph Company, 

 and are annually laden with fruit. From them large 

 quantities of oil might be prepared, and the cultivation of 

 them might be extended with profit. 



Tobacco has been tried and failed for want of proper 

 manuring of the soil. Mr. Chalmers, the skilled gardener, 

 who was sent out in 1869 for the cinchona industry, but 

 who was unfortunately recalled when great reductions were 

 made in the island establishment, expected the tobacco in- 

 dustry would become a permanent one. 



At the present time a start has again been made and very 

 good tobacco is prepared. The seed for this was brought 

 from South Africa during the enforced stay of the Trans- 

 vaalers and Orange River colonists. 



Coffee is grown in smaU plantations, that of " Coffee 

 Grove " in Sandy Bay being of the most excellent quality. 

 The cultivation is capable of much extension ; at the Eng- 

 lish exhibition of 1851 island-grown coffee took the prize 

 for first quahty. 



The English furze and blackberry overrun the island and 

 mingle with the snowy blooms of the arum lily, whUe in 

 gardens the begonia, petunia, geranium spider and annuncia- 

 tion lilies, thunbergia, camellias, roses, carnations, nastur- 

 tiums, magnolias, gardenias, etc., etc., grow in profusion 

 and make the country-house lands very beautiful. Pine- 

 apples, apples, pears, grapes, oranges, lemons, peaches, 

 custard apples, bananas, dates, figs all grow, but fruit is 

 scarce through the ravages of insects ; in fact, many fruit- 

 trees and gardens have been totally destroyed. 



In the debris of a condemned Brazilian slaver there 

 happened to be a colony of white ants which grew and 



K 



