It. T. LOWE — FRUITS ANB VEGETABLES OE MADEIEA, ETC. 183 



unsuccessfully, the tubers yearly dwindling from the size of a 

 child's head to that of a walnut. 



ZlNGIBERACEiE. 



141. Zingiber oeeicinale Eosc. {Common Ginger), and 



142. Curcuma long a L. {Turmeric) are occasionally cultivated 

 with facility, in gardens at Punchal in Madeira only. 



Cannace^:. 



143. Canna ebulis Ker. Naturalized in the Cape Verdes and 

 capable of affording by its rhizomes in times of famine some little 

 help against starvation, but scarcely even thus employed by the poor 

 helpless negro population. It is not found in either the Canaries 

 or Madeira. 



144. Maranta arunbinacea L. is cultivated with much success, 

 but very locally, in Madeira only. The produce is of first-rate 

 excellence. 



Musace^:. 



145. Musa parabisiaca L. The Plantain, " Banana da Terra," 

 of the Cape Verdes, in only less abundant than the following 

 species in those islands. But I never met with it either in the 

 Canaries or Madeira. 



146. M. sapientium L. The Banana, "Banana de S. Thome" 

 of the Cape Yerdes, where it is almost naturalized, filling up some- 

 times whole glens or gullies, is scarcely less abundant in Madeira 

 or the Canaries, where when once planted it is self-propagating 

 by the roots or suckers. It thrives best in sunny nooks sheltered 

 by rocks or cliffs. 



147. M. Cavenbishii Paxt. is common in Madeira, but less so 

 in the Canaries and Cape Yerdes. Prom its low stature it is 

 less liable to injury from winds than the plantain or banana, but 

 its fruit is much inferior to that of the latter. 



AM AR YLLID ACE.E . 



148. Agave Americana L. The common American Aloe is not 

 found in the Cape Yerdes, but is very common in Madeira and the 

 Canaries, being often used for fencing, and the thread (" Pita ") 

 or fibres of the leaves employed for sewing straw hats and bonnets 

 and making neat little coloured mats or doilies for the table. 



149. Pourcrota gigantea Yent. This is merely seen occa- 

 sionally in gardens in Madeira and the Canaries ; but in the Cape 



