JONES ON THE VEGETATION OF THE BERMUDAS. ST9 



has rendered the name of Bermuda so familiar in English homes 

 is rapidly declining owing to the cultivable ground being requir- 

 ed for the growth of onions, potatoes, tomatos, and other vege- 

 tables for the American markets. The arrow-root, although a 

 valuable crop, requires much labour, and above all, occupies 

 the ground for nearly a year, during which time the planter 

 could raise from the same ground two heavy crops of vegetables, 

 so that it is easy to understand why the growth of arrow-root 

 should receive so little attention at the present day. There are 

 some planters, however, who having obtained celebrity in the 

 manufacture of arrow-root, continue its cultivation, and to these 

 estates the public must principally look for a supply. The name 

 of Bermuda is doubtless often made use of by unprincipled 

 dealers both in Europe and America to promote the sale of the 

 far inferior article made in the West Indian islands, for it is 

 quite impossible that the comparatively small exportation of 

 arrow-root from the Bermudas at present can be equal to the 

 demand for the ''Bermudian arrow-root," even in Great Britain 

 alone. Much of the Bermudian arrow-root of the finest quality 

 is rendered most unpalatable through the strange practice of 

 packing it in boxes made of pine, which, even in a few days, 

 imparts the disagreeable turpentine odour peculiar to that kind 

 of wood. If the boxes were made of well seasoned oak, which 

 could be easily procured of any degree of thickness from the 

 United States, this sad mistake, which, singularly enough has 

 been continued for years, would be rectified. 



OECHIDACE^. 

 Yanilla planifolia, And7\ Hab. Tropical America. 

 Oncidium — ? 



POLYPODIACEJS. 



AcROSTiCHUM AUEEUM, L. ** Great Marsh Fern." Hab. Coast 



of South Florida. Very common all over the marshes. 

 PoLYPODiUM PECTINATUM, L. Hab. West Indies. 

 PTEPtis AQUiLiNA, L. Hab. Europe. This form which is com- 



