525 A. EF. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 113 
larger fines, in 1675. The sugar cane is now only occasionally seen 
in gardens. 
The cultivation of the Cassava was undertaken about 1619, or 
earlier, and high hopes were at first entertained of its great useful- 
ness and profit. Probably the preparation of the cassava required 
too much trouble and care for the rather indolent natives, for it 
never became an important crop. It is still cultivated, to some 
extent, for domestic use on festive occasions, as in making cassava 
puddings, especially at Christmas time. 
Cassava roots were among the things sent to Virginia by Governor 
Butler, in 1621, but probably they were intended for planting. 
The Taro or Eddoe (Colocasia esculenta), the ‘‘' Tous-les-mois”’ 
(Canna edulis), and the true Yam (Dioscorea lutea) were probably 
introduced at an early period from the West Indies, perhaps even 
in 1616. They have been long cultivated locally, for domestic use ; 
but none of them have been raised in commercial quantities, though 
the Tous-les-mois is sometimes sold in the market at St. George’s. 
Probably either could be largely raised, were the demand sufficient. 
In 1670, the Company urged the improved culture of “English 
wheat,” but there is no record of its success at any period.* 
Attempts had been made in the earlier periods to produce saffron, 
indigo, madder, grapes, aloes, anise and coriander seeds, and many 
other minor products, but without any commercial success. (See 
Part III, chapter 27, for more details.) 
Sweet potatoes were probably introduced in 1616 and have always 
been cultivated, to a considerable extent, for domestic use. The 
amount in 1844 was recorded as 11,269 bushels. There are no records 
of any considerable amounts having been exported, though probably 
they may have been quite largely shipped to New England and New 
York by the local trading vessels, with contraband tobacco, ete., in 
former times. The amount now raised is about 500,000 pounds 
annually. 
J.—Bananas, Pineapples, Oranges, Lemons, ete. 
Bananas were introduced in 1616 and soon became very abundant. 
They have formed an important article of food ever since that time, 
but are now only raised for local consumption, for they cannot com- 
pete with those from the West Indies and Central America in the 
* Governor Butler, when enumerating the productions, in 1619, said: ‘‘ Store 
of corne (I mean Indian corne, for the Christian proves not as yet to be had, by 
overunkindnesse of the ground runnes all to grasse).” 
