112 A. EF. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 524 
for now they will not give a groat a bushell for them, and I believe 
their mills will stand still if they continue so, yet Mr. Jenour hath 
bought 1500 bushells for Mr. Gowes cheap enough for such ones, and 
[he] is my best chapman, who offers me 2s 6d a bushell for cleare 
seed and 8d a bushell for seed excellently cleared to the white husk ;~ 
but I heard yesterday Mr. Painter sayth such seed will be worth 12d 
per bushell by his experiment, who made 22 gallons of oyle in one 
day, and I think will be able to send home a pipe or a butt or 2 hogs- 
heads to get the tother £40 of the Compa. w’ch he makes account to 
have, but he is behoulden to your querne to cleane his seeds, for 
William will not meddle with that busynesse.” 
It does not appear from the records that this crop was ever of 
commercial importance there. 
The culture of Olives for the oil was many times tried in a small 
way, and Richard Norwood produced some oil in 1660, and sent it 
to the Company in London. But the business never succeeded, 
though large numbers of trees were ordered to be set out. Perhaps 
the Olive could now be profitably raised for pickling, as in California, 
if choice varieties should be planted, but it is doubtful if it would 
make so large returns per acre as the onions. 
e.—Sugar, Cassava or Tapioca, Wheat, ete. 
Sugar canes were planted by Somers in 1609, but they were eaten 
up by the wild hogs. More were planted by Governor Tucker, in 
1616. After that time various efforts were made to raise canes for 
sugar, but it never grew very well, having “uncommonly short 
joints.” In spite of the unfavorable results of all the early attempts, 
the Company in 1620 ordered a quantity of canes to be planted on 
every share of land, and instructed the Governor to see to it that this 
should be done, which he did, so far as he was able, for suitable 
places were found to be far from common. But this attempt had 
no success. Finally, when a small quantity of sugar began to be 
made, about 1670-75, the Company forbade the use of cedar wood 
for fuel to boil the juice, and so its manufacture was abandoned. It 
is probable that enough sugar for domestic use was never made. 
It is recorded that Capt. John Hubbard made a box of sugar in 
1670 and sent it as a present to the Company, for which they 
returned their thanks and made him a present of an “Anker of 
Brandy.” But they adhered to their prohibition of the use of cedar 
for fuel, and passed a more stringent law to the same effect, but with 
