14 A. EF. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 496 
The white Japan or Easter Lily was very extensively cultivated 
here, a few years ago, for the sake of the bulbs, which were shipped 
to New York for forcing. It was then not uncommon to see beauti- 
ful fields of five to ten acres of fine plants, which were in full bloom 
in April and May. Sometimes over 100 flowers were formerly pro- 
duced on one stem. But within a few years the bulbs have been 
attacked by a fungous disease, which turns the leaves yellow, and 
dwarfs and spoils the plants, so that the cultivation of this lily for 
commercial purposes has now been largely abandoned, though some 
pretty good fields were still to be seen west of Hamilton in 1901. 
It is to be hoped that some effectual remedy for this disease may 
yet be found. 
Roses of many varieties, and various other flowers, are abundant, 
and bloom nearly all winter. In many places throughout the 
islands, tall hedges of Oleanders, both red and white, border the 
roads on both sides for long distances, and when in flower, in the 
spring and early summer, they are very beautiful and fragrant. 
There is an excellent road for driving, or cycling, running through 
the central part of the Main Island and Somerset Island, and from 
this a short cross road leads to the famous Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse, 
from which a very extensive bird’s-eye view of the whole group of 
islands can be obtained. (Plate Ixvi, fig. 1.) 
That portion of the Main Island that les west of Hamilton con- 
tains, apparently, the most fertile and productive lands on the islands, 
and owing to the considerable breadth of land in most places and 
its sheltered position, by which it is partly protected from the cold 
winds, the climate seems to be warmer here than on the eastern and 
more exposed parts of the islands. This may also be due largely to 
the greater number of cedars and other trees left growing as wind- 
breaks. Owing to these several causes the vegetation in this region 
is particularly luxuriant and pleasing, especially in Paget and War- 
wick parishes.* Somerset Island is also fertile and well cultivated. 
The best lily fields were seen here in 1901. 
* There are many places in these western parts of the islands to which some 
of Thomas Moore’s graceful poetical descriptions would now apply, even better 
than to St. George’s, where they were written :—— 
‘*“ Could you but view the scenery fair, 
That now beneath my window lies, 
You'd think, that nature lavished there 
Her purest wave, her softest skies, 
To make a heaven for love to sigh in, 
For bards to live and saints to die in.” 
