Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0692
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[Page 692]
588.
Some account of St Helena
recon the Meadow grass Anthoxanthum odoratum which is the cheif covering of their pastures & to which I am much inclind to atribute the verdure of the Island which far exceeds any thing I have before seen in Equaly low latitudes the Furze also ulex Europeus the seeds of which were brought over in the beginning of this Century Thrives wonderfully & is highly praisd by the Islanders as a great improvement tho they make no use of it except heating their ovens
Barley has been sown upon this Island about 40 years ago it producd sufficient to supply itself without any being sent from home its cultivation was however suddenly drop'd for what reason I could not find out & since that time has never been atempted Yams the same as are calld Cocos in the West Indies is what they cheifly depend upon to supply their numerous Slaves with provision these however are not cultivated in half the perfecton that I have seen in the South Sea Islands