On the arrow-root of Bermuda / [Charles Cogswell].

  • Cogswell, Charles, 1813-1892.
Date:
[1845]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the arrow-root of Bermuda / [Charles Cogswell]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    onions, and strawberries, under the shadow of oranges and lemons, roses in full bloom, the Bermudian cedar, the cotton, peach, pome¬ granate, the uncouth papaw, and the graceful banana {Musa Sapient-urn.) The tendency of the climate inclines, however, rather towards the equator than the pole; for although most of the com¬ mon kitchen vegetables thrive luxuriantly under cultivation, one looks in vain for the apple and pear, the plum and cherry, wdiich compose the staple of an English orchard. Patches, not to be called fields, of arrowr-root, were visible along the road throughout the islands, and before many of the doors lay dozens of long wrooden trays, exposing their white contents to the sun. The first exploring expedition, with reference to the object of this paper, was made in company with a friend, to a spot where we saw a negro leisurely employed in turning up a reddish-brown soil, scattered over with withered leaves. Here and there some more vigorous, or longer-lived specimen, contrived to sustain its head erect amid the surrounding decay. The man appeared somewhat perplexed with the meaning of inquiries founded on our pre-con- ceived ideas. To his apprehension the wdiole affair was perfectly simple. He had but to dig up a jointed root, shaped much like a carrot, break off a piece towards the smaller end, and cover it up again with earth,1 to secure a new crop for next season, while the upper and thicker portions were thrown into heaps, preparatory to being carried to an adjoining mill, and converted into arrow-root. As for the Tous-les-mois, lately introduced, he seemed to regard it as an intruder, and pulled up a root, resembling three onions, “ fused'1 together, which he put into our hands with an air of con¬ tempt. We had afterwards reason to think that his sentiments on this subject were not shared by the better informed of the population. According to Dr Christison, “ the Maranta Arundinacea, now cultivated generally throughout the West Indies, was first trans¬ planted into the English settlements from Dominica, about the middle of last century.2 It belongs to the Linnman class and order Monandria Monoaynia, and the natural family Drimyrrhizem of Docandolle, and Marantacecu of Lindley. It is a herbaceous plant, about three or four feet high.11 As respects all that appears above the soil, I have no remark to make, with this exception, that although an elevation of four feet is by no means without example, the grow tli which does not exceed an average of two feet is held in 1 Our informant was more indifferent than usual, to the agricultural rules of manur¬ ing and rotation. 2 Mr Waterton found the plant growing spontaneously in Demerara. “ This (to quote his own words) appears to be the native country of the arrow-root. Wherever you passed through a patch of wood in a low situation, there you found it growing luxuri- autly.”—Wanderings in South America.
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