INTENSIVE CTTLTTVATT()N IN MADEIRA. 



67 



crops. The seed-beds are carefully tended and the tiny plants well 

 watered and weeded ; one sees little square patches of seedlings sown 

 broadcast, onions (Ceholas), cabbages, and cauliflowers, and young 

 transplanted seedlings in all stages of growth. 



Other crops grown are turnips (Nahos), carrots {Genouras), beetroot 

 (Beterruha), spinach {E spina f r es) ; a coarse kind of latter growing 

 untended on walls and waste patches of the gardens. On terraces in 

 the ravines, in the shadier places, the various salad plants are grown 

 in constant succession and kept very freely irrigated. Immense 

 quantities of lettuces (Alfacas) are thickly planted and are of all ages 

 and size, from the seed-beds and tiny pricked-out seedlings to the 

 marketable lettuce generally of the Cos form. Eadishes (Rahanos) 

 are grown in the same way, a large, round, red variety. Watercress 

 (Agredo) is in great demand and is cultivated; it also grows wild by 

 the levadas and streams in the mountains. 



Succession. 



Observing some of the terraces at various elevations about 

 Funchal at the end of February, the following quick succession of 

 crops was noticeable: — 



Potatos. — First, seed potatos being planted. 



Second, the potatos growing, in various stages. 



Third, the ripe tubers being dug. 



Sweet Potatos. — First, the stem-cuttings being put into trenches, 

 well watered, with bottom-heat obtained by burying chopped-up 

 vegetation; after a few days of looking wilted in the sun, they quickly 

 pick up and grow along. 



. Second, a thick growth with cabbages between. 



Third, the mature tubers dug for market. 



Colocasia. — First, being dug. 



Second, the pieces of rhizome being replanted. 



Cabbages. — First, in full crop. 



Second, flowering for seed. 



Third, in the seedbed. 



Fourth, transplanted and growing in all stages. 



Bananas are in bearing all the year. The fruiting stems are cut 

 down and successive shoots arise from the stool, grow, and bear fruit 

 in due course. When March comes in the first green leaves begin 

 to show on the vines on the lower slopes, and all crops must be 

 cleared away from them ; but on the higher terraces the peasants are 

 still busy pruning with secateurs, and tying in the shoots to the latadas 

 (trellises), and repairing and renewing the latter. 



The vine (Vinha) is the most important product of Madeira, but I 

 do not further allude to it, as I was not present at the vintage. 



Eavine {Ribeira) Culture. 

 Even the precipitously steep, shady ravine banks are cultivated. 



Here the Giant Reed (Arundo Donax), " Oanna," luxuriates. It is 



F 2 



