94 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
is valueless without water. Hence, large tanks in which to store 
the winter's rains are indispensable. They constitute the basis 
of the whole prosperity of the country. Three and four crops 
a year are raised by means of irrigation, and a net return (after 
paying nearly £40 for rent and water) of £30 per acre is not 
unusual. The people are thrifty and laborious, or these results 
could never be obtained. 
When the ruin brought upon the cochineal industry by the 
discovery of aniline dyes had been fully realised it was fortunate 
that, owing to increased facilities for shipment, the attention of the 
people was directed to new industries, which from the first were 
" started and fostered by Englishmen, and maintained entirely by 
the English demand." The Canary ports are free. They have 
of late years become great Atlantic coaling stations, and a half- 
way house between the Old and New Worlds." It is owing to 
the growth of rapid communications between the islands and 
the great centres of population in other countries that the trade 
in fruit and vegetables has been so largely developed. Most of 
the fruit and vegetables, at present, are shipped to England, but 
some are shipped to Spain and Portugal, and in a lesser degree 
to France and Germany. Potatos and Onions are largely shipped 
to the West Indies, and there is besides a constant demand for 
supplies by the numerous passenger ships calling at the islands. 
It may be added that the rediscovery of the Canary Islands in a 
commercial sense has taken place during the last ten years. It 
is due in a large degree to the enterprise and energy of one man, 
Mr. Alfred L. Jones, of the firm of Messrs. Elder, Dempster 
& Co., of Liverpool. His name has been the dominant factor in 
persuading the people to start new industries. 
Mr. Samler Brown {Guide, 1894, p. 235) makes the following 
remarks on the value of the exports of fruits &c. for 1892 : — 
" Almonds, .£7,3G1 ; Bananas, G3,G01 tons, valued at l'G0,G97 
(59,508 tons to England) ; Vegetables, 9G,842 tons, valued at 
£130,652 (59,124 tons to England and 27,970 tons to the West 
Indies). There is nothing to show which arc Tomatos, Potatos, 
and Onions. Dried Vegetables, 13,804 tons, valued at £19,380 
(319 tons to England and 11,735 tons to the West Indies). The 
exports return does not state which is Grand Canary and which 
Teneriffe, l)ut it may be taken for granted tliat most ] )jinanas come 
from Grand Canary, and most Tomatos and Potatos from 
