MAY 1771 ST. HELENA: PRODUCTIONS 447 
Good Hope, which, though by nature a mere desert, supplies 
abundantly refreshments to all nations who touch there, and 
this island highly favoured by nature, shows not unaptly the 
genius of the two nations for making colonies. Nor do I 
think I go too far in asserting that were the Cape now in the 
hands of the English it would be a desert, as St. Helena in 
the hands of the Dutch would as infallibly become a paradise. 
Small as the island is, and not raised very much above 
the surface of the sea, it enjoys a variety of climates hardly 
to be believed. The cabbage-trees,’ as they are called, which 
grow on the highest ridges, can by no art be cultivated on 
the lower ones, where the red wood and gum wood both 
grow; these in their turn refuse the high ridges, and neither 
of the three are to be found in the valleys, which indeed are 
in general covered with European plants, or the more common 
ones of the Indies, in all probability originally brought here 
by ships. This is the more probable, as much the largest 
proportion of them are natives of England. Among them I 
may mention the meadow grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), 
which is the chief covering of their pastures, and to which I 
am much inclined to attribute the verdure of the island, far 
exceeding anything I have before seen in equally low latitudes. 
The furze also (Ulex Ewropeus), the seeds of which were 
brought over in the beginning of this century, thrives wonder- 
fully, and is highly praised by the islanders as a great im- 
provement, though they make no use of it except for heating 
their rooms. Barley was sown here about forty years ago, 
and produced sufficient to supply the island without any 
being sent from home. Its cultivation has, however, suddenly 
dropped, for what reason I could not find out, and since 
that time has never again been attempted. Yams, the same 
as are called cocos in the West Indies, are what they chiefly 
depend upon to supply their numerous slaves with provisions: 
these, however, are not cultivated in half the perfection that 
I have seen in the South Sea Islands; nor have they like 
the Indians several sorts, many of which are very palatable ; 
but are confined to only one, and that one of the worst. 
1 Small trees and shrubs allied to the aster and groundsel. 
