A VISIT TO THE SCILLY ISLES. 
271 
A great feature in the Scilly Isles is the Mesembryanthemum, 
and one of the first things that strikes attention on landing. 
There are great hedges, 6ft. to 8ft. high, entirely formed of these 
plants, blazing with lovely flowers. The most frequent was one 
with large yellow flowers, as much as 4in. in diameter, Mesem¬ 
bryanthemum edule , or Hottentot fig, from South Africa. Also 
hedges of Mesembryanthemum with rich crimson and purple 
flowers of ljin. to fin. in diameter were very abundant. In the 
Tresco gardens there was an extraordinary show of Mesembryanthe- 
mums, and as many as sixty species were stated to be growing 
there. 
Another remarkable feature in the islands was the hedges of 
Escallonia, 6ft. to 8ft. in height, and covered with beautiful bunches 
of crimson flowers. 
In the Tresco Gardens they have a pair of ostriches from South 
Africa that they are especially proud of, as they have succeeded in 
getting the birds to breed. 
Flowers for the English market form the great spring produce 
of the Scilly Isles; especially the white Narcissus, which is grown 
in enormous quantities ; and a Narcissus farm was seen, said to be 
twenty-five acres in extent, and entirely devoted to the cultivation 
of that flower. The plants are grown in long parallel beds, about 
1^ yards in width, with narrow paths between the beds, and 
extending a long way up the slope of the hills, facing the sun, 
and well screened by high, close hedges. February and March are 
the times that these early flowers are gathered ; they are carefully 
packed in boxes, and sent off in enormous quantities to the 
English markets, special trains being even required for their con¬ 
veyance on the railway, as is the case also with the fish in the 
mackerel season. 
December, 1893. 
