“ When we take into consideration the several genera 
which we have so freguently seen occupying the more elevated 
belt of the Himalaya, one regrets the poverty of the language 
at present applied to the geography of plants, as it is impos- 
sible to indicate the nature of mountain vegetation by merely 
using the name of the range ; for as we have seen in the case 
of these mountains, the vegetation varies, and is analogous 
to that of very different countries, according to the elevation, 
or as peculiarities of local circumstances cause a variation in 
climate. 
* The inconveniences of this might, it appears, be con- 
siderably remedied, if botanical regions on the surface were 
more circumscribed according to their respective climates, or 
taking the several zones of latitude, as done by M. Mirbel; 
or arranging under them the several countries, as done by 
Mr. Bentham, but commencing with the eguatorial, and 
bringing together the two temperate, as well as the arctic 
and antarctic zones; or, if necessary, dividine the space 
between the eguator and poles into a greater number of zones, 
in conformity to Baron Humboldt's Isothermal lines; giving 
appropriate names to each, and arranging under them, ac- 
cording to their climates the several regions of the globe, &c. ; 
we should have brought together all those which corresponded 
in meteorological phenomena, in vegetation, and animal life, 
frequently in agriculture, often in manners and customs, as 
these so frequently depend upon climate. Mountains might 
be similarly divided into zones or belts, according as elevation, 
climate, and vegetation, displayed sufficient differences to 
warrant the distinction. 
“ We have frequently seen, that according as we observe 
the natural phenomena at the base, or towards the apex of 
these mountains, the correspondence is either with tropical, 
European, or polar regions; and this might be indicated by 
a word compounded of that of the mountain range, and of 
the zone to which the belt corresponded, as Tropico-Hima- 
layan, Arcto-Himalayan, Kc. which would sufficiently indi- 
cate the nature of the vegetation at different elevations, as 
well as the geographical situation.” 
