Other plants from Smith’s book that are not now found on Nevis are:
 
Mulberry:
“A parishioner of mine sent home for two Mulberry-trees; they grew indeed, but did not thrive; they bore but once, and then but one single Berry, which came to perfection, and had a good flavour.”
 
The flora found on Nevis today that was in existence during 1720 was described in some detail by Smith. Just how many of these were brought to Nevis by the Europeans or were introduced earlier by the Amerindians is not known. However, we hope that someone may have the time to find the origins of each species of flora which should give us some idea of those that were indigenous and those brought in. For the record here are the plants that Smith encountered during his stay in Nevis. They are categorized into natural and economic types.

1. Natural Types -

 

Mountain Cabbage:
“They are called Mountain Cabbages at Nevis, because they always are found pretty high in our Mountain there; and if any of them did formerly grow in out lower Grounds, they are now entirely destroyed. One singularity of this Tree is, that it is full as big when it first arises out of the Earth, as when it is thirty years old: I have seen them thicker than my Body, when they were but three feet high; and you will easily suppose, that  the Boughs are then proportionally short, and of course must naturally lengthen, just as the Tree advances in age somewhat smaller in the middle; its colour is of a pale Brown, and the Bark smooth. The Boughs are of a most lively yellow strait, and tapering like an Angle Rod; having two rows of green leaves that are very narrow though a foot long apiece,  (except for a little ways toward the smaller end) and close set together the whole length of the Boughs. The Nuts hang at the top of the Body in about a dozen in a Cluster, and may I believe weigh fifteen pounds, or better; The stringy substance which holds them being wondrous tough, and thicker than my middle Finger.”
 
Seagrapes and Belle-Apples:
“Sea-side grapes grow on large bunches near the Sea-shore, upon Trees about the size of English Apple-trees; their Colour is red but their Taste is far too sweet. Bell-Apples are the size of a smallish Golden Pippen, of a deep yellow colour, and taste very like a Gooseberry, having small Seeds in; them just like English Gooseberry Seeds.”

Tamarind Tree:
“Tamarind tree viz. as follows. It is a very spreading Tree, and will grow to be thirty foot high, and better; Its main Body is short and thick, and the Boughs long and slender, at the extremity whereof, it is usual with Humming-birds to build their small Nests. The fruit grows in long brown Pods, like an English bean, and is commonly sold at Apothecaries Shops, here in England. Its Leaves are small, but so thick set together, as to afford us an excellent Shade in the Heat of the day.”
 
Calabash:
“The Calabash-tree is as full as big and as spreading as a large Apple-tree; The Fruit is pretty near the size of a man’s Head, round like a Boy’s Marble, and is of no use but for Punch Bowls, after the inside (which is not eatable) is carefully scooped out, when it is almost as thin and light as the thickest Brown Paper; I sent your University one of them along with my Shells, Spoons, Bowls, and other Utensils for Slaves to eat out of are made of them, as I hear at Barbadoes”.
 
White Cedar:
“The white Cedar there, is a tall Tree which bears a white Flower in the shape like a Bell, its leaves resembling those of an English Pear-tree”.
 
Yellow Sanders:
“Our Land Crabs run from place to place usually in the Night. When (and especially after Rain) we catch them by the help of Torch-light; and this Torch is made up of nothing else, but a bundle of Splinters tyed together, and consisting of Fir, Yellow Saunders, and other Oily Woods, which though green will yield a competent blaze for a considerable space of time.”
 
Manchineel:
“The Manchineal is like out English dwarf Apple-tree; its Leaves, in Colour, Shape, and Bigness, are much the same with English Pear-tree Leaves but with a very thin glutinous matter about both Sides of the Leaf: If a Leaf touches our Cheek, in riding along the Road by them, I know experimentally , that it will raise an immediate Blister whixh ends in a Scab; break a Bough, and there issues out a milk-white Water, that is still more poisonous; the Fruit is much ranker Poison yet. The fruit is of the size and shape and smell of an English Crab. I was credibly informed the other day, that a Manchineal stick in the bark peeled off, and brought to London, will ( though dry) if one end of it be put into a pail full of new Milk, and stirred half a dozen times round, immediately turn the whole into Curds and Whey, so forcible is the strength of its Poison even then at such a distance of time.”
 
Sage Brush:
“In our Pastures, we meet with a Bush about two yards high, called Sage-Brush. Its bark is a shining, though duskish hue, and its Leaves cannot possibly be distinguished, from broad green sage Leaves, either by sight or smell. Our of pure curiosity, I dried a parcel in the Shade, and made Tea of them. This Tea was of a most beautiful Yellow Colour, but surely bitterer than Gall itself; in short, so extremely bitter, that the best of refined Sugar could not render it palatable”.

2. Economic Plants 
 
Fruit in General:
“The heat of the Country makes us perspire mightily; we are rarely costive. Water Melons and other Fruits do contribute to a plentiful discharge of Urine: and these are certainly the true reasons why we are seldom troubled with any other Distemper  but  fever: which I confess is bad enough;  for it often sweeps away great numbers of People, especially in the Month of October, when the Trade Wind which is the natural Wind for that Climate veers from East to North. In short; at Nevis and the other Leeward Charibee Islands, we have a kind of perpetual Spring; for our Orange-trees, Lemon-shrubs, Shaddocks, Pepper, &c. exhibited at one and the same time fruit that were full grown, half grown, a quarter grown, and even Flowers and buds; and as for our other Vegetables of all sorts, they were ever fresh and blooming. But after all, let me tell you, we must not look for Paradise, either in the East or West Indies (as I have said before), on account of Earthquakes, excessive Heat, Muskitoes, Hurricanes, &c.”
 
Tamarinds, Pomgranates, Mama Apples, Prickle Pears, Mama-Supports:
”Among the different sorts of Fruit I might have set down these following ones viz. Tamarinds,  Pomgranates, Plumbs, Mama-Apples, Mama-Supports, and Prickle Pears. Tamarinds are used by our Doctors in Fever as well as in Punch when Oranges and Lemons are hard to be come at. Pomgranates are to my Taste a very  insipid Fruit, and sold commonly enough at London. Plums grow upon Trees tha are as big as English Oaks, are of a deep yellow colour, have a strong smell, are tart in the mouth and at the same time have something of the flavour of an English Black Currant. Mama-Apples and Mama-Supports were far too sweet and luscious for my Palate. Prickle Pear (both the red and yellow Flower) is seldom so much tasted of by us, and is called by our English Gardeners Freus Indica, but for what reason is a mystery to me; for in the West Indies we have the same kind of Figs with those which grow in Spain and England, though with this material difference, viz. that the European Figs have far two lushious a Taste, whereas the West Indian have a fine picquant Flavour.”
 
Bananas:
“Bonano is a Fruit of four or five inches long, the size as well as the shape of a middling Cucumber, of a high and grateful flavour, and you will meet with an account of the Tree itself in paragraph 18 of this letter. The Fruit grows in Bunches that weigh a dozen pounds. Plantain is exactly like the Bonano in all respects, except that its Fruit has an insipid taste.”
 
Watermelon:
“Water Melons are of five or six different sorts, and some of them full as big as my Head; They melt in our mouth like a Peach, and are in my opinion far the finest Fruit I ever tasted; We eat vast numbers of them.”
 
Papaya: 
“We have an ordinary Fruit called Papas, that are pretty large, and as yellow as Gold, but not regarded by White Men; The Negroes I think boil them.”
 
Lemons ( Citrons):
“Citrons (as do also Lemons) grow upon Bushes, are more round like an Orange, though of a Lemon colour, and peeked at the end; They are pared fine, and these fine thin Parings are thoroughly steeped in the best French Brandy; both Brandy and Parings are then put into a Still, and then the Liquor distilled from them, is drawn off into transparent Bottles that will hold about a Gallon with some of the best Refined Sugar, nicely sifted; It is shook well four or five times a day for four or five days altogether, after which it is let stand still and unmoved, in order to subside, and be decanted into Pint or Quart Bottles.”
 
Vegetables and Foods:
“At Charles Town our Metropolis, we hold a Market every Sunday Morning, which begins at Sun-rising, and ends about nine o’clock, whither the Negroes bring Fowls, Indian Corn, Yams, Garden-stuff and all sorts, &c. But there is no greater matter of wonder, if what I have heard be true, that at Thorney, near Peterbrough, the same is weekly practiced. The Negroes are fed, generally speaking, upon Salt Herrings, and their Potatoes, which are sweet, and of the Spanish kind; they have no thick Stalk, shooting upwards, perpendicularly into the Air (as here in England); but their Stalk runs alonf, close to the Ground, and is ornamented with Leaves; We usually fatten Cows and Rabbits with them; Besides Indian Corn or Maize, I have known some of them to be fond of eating Grasshoppers, or Locusts; others will wrap up Cane Rats, in Bonano-Leaves, and roast them in Wood Embers. We have annually three publick Fasts,viz. in the first Weeks of July, August, and September; to implore God’s mercy in averting his Judgement of a Hurricane for us; and if He is so gracious as to hearken to our Petitions, we have in October, a publick Feast of Thanksgiving for it.”
 
Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Coffee:
“Windward parish too exhibits a most beautiful Land-skip to such as sail by on the side of the Island. I often thought it a thousand pities, that Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg-Trees, were not long ago transplanted from the East-Indies to the Leeward Islands; for then England might have been supplied with those Spices at a far cheaper rate, than by purchasing them of the Dutch. I should imagine it no difficult task, to send three or four Ships very privately to India for that purpose, viz. to bring away large quantities of their several Fruits ripe, which would of course be fit to be put in the Ground, when they arrive at the West-Indies, as likewise as many of the smallest young Trees, with the Earth about them, as the Ships could find room for, in Boxes. And for the further encouragement of Publick Spirit; let us remember, the Coffee does thrive pretty well in the West-Indies, though formerly the Planters knew nothing of it, and, that it would moreover prove a most advantageous Voyage, because the West- India Gentlemen would stick at no price in purchasing them.”
 
Cabbages:
“I had almost forgot to acquaint you, that we have here plenty of Cabbages, that in my opinion are full as good as English Colly-flowers; they are not propagated by Seed like our’s but in rainy weather we slip off the Sprouts from the Cabbage-stumps, which being stuck into the ground which is just then dug up for that purpose, do immediately grow into Cabbages that have no rank Smell.”
 
Heart of Palm:
“It is I think, very improperly termed by us Cabbage; it being about three Feet in length, no thinker than my wrist, of a palish green colour, a little piked just at the end, and grows out of the top of the body of the Tree among the Boughs. It is cut into two in the middle, and six of the pieces being tyed together resemble a short green Faggot, and it is sold in our Market, which by unavoidable necessity is kept every Sunday Morning, from Sunrising till nine o’clock. The hard outside of this Stick ( as I would term it) is taken off; and then the softer inside or Pith, which may be above an inch in Diameter, is boyled and served instead of Turnips ( or if you please to call it so Cabbage) to boyled Mutton, Pork, &c. It is of a whitish Colour, and tastes something like the bottom of an Artichoke, though with a much finer Flavour.”
 
Cocoa Tree:
“Cocoa-tree is the Chocolate Nut-tree, and in my time was scarce enough in our English Islands, but grew in whole Groves on the Spanish Mainland, especially on the Coast of Carraccas, as also upon the Island of Porto Rico. It nearly resembles our English dwarf Apple-tree. Both in Body and Boughs; but the Leaf which is of a deep Green, is considerably larger and longer than our Apple-tree Leaves. The Nuts, which are the colour (and about the bulk) of an Almond Kernel, do hang fifteen or sixteen together, by a small stringy film inclosed in a Pod, that is the size and shape of a large Cucumber, and is peeked at the upper end. This Pod when thoroughly ripe is a beautiful yellow Colour, and streaked in several places with blood-red long Spots; when dried , it shrivels up, and turns to a deep brown colour; I think I gave one of them to Dr. Woodward’s Collection along with my Shells. Dr. Barclay (in his Universal Traveller) tell us that the Blossoms of this Fruit are yellow, but I do not remember, that I ever saw the tree in bloom; and indeed the tree was so scarce, that I believe we had not above a score of them growing at Nevis.”
 
Cassava Root:
“We have another sort of Bread that is made of Cassava Root. Cassava is a Shrub of four feet high and better, grows up in a straight, tough, and brownish stalk, that is very knobby, just like an Engliah Crab-tree bough, and close at the top, is set all around with long narrow Leaves of a deepish Green colour. The Root of it is carefully scraped until the white part appears, and then it is rubbed hard against a large Tin Grater, in the shape of a Nutmeg-grater, nailed fast to a piece of wood, that is about two feet long; and being wondrous juicy, is soon rubbed to a soft matter that resembles Children’s Pap. This pappy substance is then put into a hair Bag, and pressed hard between two Stones, until there comes from it a milk white Water of a raw unsavory  smell, and which is rank Poison; for if a Turkey, Hen, or Duck gets to the Press and tastes the Water, it instantly dies. We afterwards lay the Cassava out abroad in the open air, on purpose, that the hot Sun-beams may exhale what poisonous particles the Press could not squeeze out; we then sift it through a Seive, and make it into thin cakes, baking it upon a broad Iron kept purely for that use. I was an admirer of this Bread, and so further assure you, that it made excellent Puddings.”
 
Asparagus:
“Another singularity I remarked was, That in the Mountain Plantations, where only Asparagus can grow, I have known it fit to cut within the small apace of three Calendar Months, reckoning from the time of its being sown in Seeds, that came from London; For there, we never transplant the Roots. We are obliged to let run up to Wood, in order to shade the Bed, from the scorching Rays of the sun, and the Young ones that grow up under that Wood, we cur to boil; But this soon eats out the Heart of the Compost and Soil; so that a Bed will not hold good much above two years, and the Asparagus never grow big. Asparagus grows wild in Spain.”
 
Ginger:
“Ginger, is a Root that sends up a straight and knobbed Stock better than a foot high, the top whereof is ornamented with a round of long and narrow Leaves, not unlike to our English Peach-tree Leaves.”
 
Vegetables-General:
“English Beans will blossom on out Mountain Plantations, though they never pod. Our Carrots there are very good, but our Turnips and radishes are stringy and strong. We did not want for Red Roses, but I never saw a White one. Their smell was not so high as here in England. Nor were they very common. English kinds of Grapes were wondrous scarce, and we had no Peaches, nectarines, Plumbs, Apricots, Pears, Apples, Goose-berries, Currants or fine Flowers. Samphire at Nevis far exceeds our English Samphire that I eat in Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. Colly-flowers would run up to huge Stalks and large leaves, but for want of Rain, would never flower. A Parishioner of mine sent home for two Mulbery-trees; they grew indeed, but did not thrive, they bore but once, and then but on single Berry, which came to perfection, and had a good flavour. Our Tabacco there is so strong, that few, or no People of condition smoak it. In our Mountain Plantations we have many excellent Cucumbers, good common Lettuces, as well as Nasturiums, French (or Kidney) Beans, Cellery, &C.”
 
Other Economic Foods:
“Our Horses are brought from London. now and then from Rhode Island, but chiefly from New England, whence they are all natural Pacers, and none at all from Barbuda, which is a small and low Island, close to Antigua, and wholly belongs to Sir William Coddrington; We breed many, but wondrous rarely any fine ones. Except Irish Beef salted, Hams, pickled Salmon, Sturgeon and Oysters, ( all of which are brought to us from Europe, and the North American Colonies), we breed all out own Provisions, such as Rabbits, Pork, Veal, Mutton, Turkies, ( whose Capons are large fat and fine beyond compare), Geese, Ducks, and Fowls, except such as are brought from Boston, &c. We make a little Butter, which is not extraordinary good; and our New cheese is far worse; We have enough of Cheshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire Cheese. Our usual Butter is salted and brought to us from Ireland, in Firkins; Sometimes we have excellent Butter, from Bermudas but it is dear. We make no Hay, but our Stable Horses, for riding on, are fed with Grass, plucked up ( by way of weeding) from among our Sugar Canes, with the green Blades of Indian corn, Guinea Corn, with Scotch Grass, and with New England Oats; As for our Mill Horses, Mules, and Asses, they feed ordinarily in Pastures, but during Crop-time they live on Sugar-Cane tops, and the skimming of our Sugar-Croppers, which last, must be given them sparingly at first, for fear of griping, and perhaps killing them.”