1824, AUGUST. MADEIRA 83 



whose suspicious eyes indicated their profession. The banana has the 

 best and most conspicuous place of the garden assigned it, at the end of 

 houses or in small well-sheltered courts, to prevent its massive leaves 

 from being destroyed by the winds. Figs thrive uncommonly well, 

 particularly in low, moist situations on the margins of woods, being 

 partially shaded. 



Arum esculentum ^ and Yams are planted in low level beds on the margins 

 of rivulets, so placed that water from the chink is let on the ground when 

 required, in the same manner as for vines. It is studied to keep them 

 almost in a state of saturation. The soil which they thrive best in is a 

 rich, black, alluvial soil carried by the currents from the high grounds. 

 Lemons are to be seen in great luxuriance in moist shady places in northern 

 or eastern aspects. Eugenia Jambos, called ' Jambos,' matures its fruit in 

 abundance with little attention. It is considered one of the finest fruits 

 by the Portuguese. It thrives well in dry, light, sandy soil. 



I saw the following native plants, if not introduced : Dracaena Draco, from 

 25 to 30 feet high and a proportionate thickness ; a species of Pinus found 

 on the mountains, from 35 to 40 feet high, with flat round tops and large 

 round cones — seldom more than 18 inches to 2 feet in diameter. This 

 with a species of Juniper, which attains a considerable size, form the only 

 conspicuous objects on the mountains. 



Castanea is the only wood of the forest that the inhabitants seem to pay 

 attention to. All the vaEeys and the less fertile spots on the high grounds 

 are planted with this tree. Most of the large trees have a large protuber- 

 ance, occasioned by tying ligatures round them. I thought they were 

 grafted, but on asking was informed that it is done by way of ornament ; 

 this is done 4 feet from the ground. The Common Myrtle, Rosmarinus 

 officinalis. Fuchsia coccinea, and a species of Jasminum decorate old walls 

 and hedges that surround the vineyards, forming a delightful fence. 



Rosa sp. from 2 to 5 feet high, branches twiggy, thickly set with small 

 hooked prickles ; leaves smooth, nearly ovate, serrated ; berries smooth, 

 globose ; not in flower, fruit not ripe. On the summit of the high hill 

 north of the town. Capsicum sp., herbaceous ; leaves alternate, lanceolate ; 

 flowers wbite, solitary ; fruit globose, small, of a bright yellow colour and 

 very acrid taste. This one is sold in market. Crepis sp. ; leaves lanceo- 

 late, the cauline ones smaller and more pointed ; stem spreading, having 

 long linear bracteas. On the tigh grounds, Holcus sp., like H. odoratus^ 

 of Britain, abundant ; Aspidium sp., taU, on moist rocks on the hills ; 

 Thymus sp., shrubby, on the high ground ; this difiers little from Thymus 

 vulgaris except in smell. Plantago sp., resembles P. lanceolata of Britain, 

 only being very woolly, a small plant scarcely exceeding 3 or 4 inches high. 

 Asplenium Adiantum nigrum on moist rocks and old walls. Adiantum 

 Capillus Yeneris in the same situations. Cineraria cruenta 3 ? in hedges 

 and near streams. Rubus sp. fruticosus ? Psoralea sp. hituminosa ? on 

 dry rocky situations, one of the finest plants on the island. 



1 Colocasia antiquorum, var. esculenta, Engl, in DC. Monog. Phan. ii. p. 492. 

 - Hi&rochloe borealis, Sowerby, Engl. Bot. ed. 3, xi. p. 16. 

 ^ S&necio cruentus, DC. Prod. vi. p. 410. 



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