184 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Verdes it is both scminaturalized and largely cultivated, under 

 the same name (Piteira) and for like purposed as the last, of 

 which indeed it altogether takes the place. 



Bromeliace^e. 



150. Ananassa sativa Lindl. The Pine-Apple is cultivated 

 freely in the open air both in Madeira and the Canaries ; but the 

 plants always look yellow and sickly, and the fruit is small and 

 fibrous though well flavoured. In St. Iago of the Cape Verdes I 

 have seen whole fields of it growing luxuriantly, but not in the 

 fruit-season. 



LlLIACEiE. 



151. Phoemium tenax Porst. The New-Zealand Flax-plant 

 flourishes in a few gardens in Madeira at an elevation of 2000- 

 4000 feet, but no nse is made of its leaf-fibre. 



152. Aloe vulgabis DC. The common Yellow-flowered Bar- 

 badoes Aloe is naturalized in all the three groups of islands, but 

 little or no use is made of it. 



153. Allium sativum L., and 



154. A. Pobeum L. Garlics and Leeks are cultivated in all 

 the islands more or less, but nowhere extensively. 



155. A. Cepa L. The common Onion is more largely cultivated 

 in all the islands, but most in Madeira, where it is grown very 

 extensively in fields in some districts, and where its produce, both 

 in size and quality, can scarcely be surpassed. Por instance, I 

 had once a dozen bulbs presented to me, one of which weighed 

 4 lbs., and none less than 3 lbs., the whole weighing 40 lbs. 

 Being, with two or three exceptions, of very equal size, they may 

 be said to have thus averaged more than 3^ lbs. a piece. These 

 bulbs form an important article of export from Madeira, chiefly to 

 Lisbon. Prom some of the Canaries, c. g. Palma, they are largely 

 exported also to Havana. In the Cape Verdes they are merely 

 grown for home consumption. 



156. Aspabagus oeeicinalis L. The common Asparagus has 

 often been tried in English gardens in Madeira, but always un- 

 successfully. 



157. Deacena Deaco L. The same Long-narrow-leaved 

 Dragon-tree is perfectly indigenous in each of the three groups of 

 islands. It is found wild still oh the sea-cliffs of the Madeiran, 

 and on the higher mountain-crags of the interior of the Canarian 

 and Cape Verde islands ; and in all it is often planted here and 



