201 
The principal objections to the climate of Britain, as 
regards the habits of these plants, is excessive humidity, 
rather than any defect of temperature; and to this circum- 
stance the attention of those who are interested in their 
cultivation should be chiefly directed. From the hilly 
nature of the country they inhabit, and the moderate rains, 
the soil retains little moisture during the season they are in 
flower, and while they are seeding, the ground is perfectly 
dry and hard. : 
From what has been already said, it is evident that the 
period when a Botanist will find the greatest number of 
plants in blossom in the vallies and on the lower hills of Chili, 
especially in the middle and northern provinces, is between 
July and December, and he will experience little interrup- 
tion to travelling, except while it is raining, and for a day 
or two afterwards from the swelling of the rivers. But in 
the south, the heavy rains render the roads almost impass- 
able, and the traveller finds such indifferent accommodation, 
that little can be done before October ; but as vegetation does 
not advance there so rapidly as in the north, an ample field 
presents itself for the four following months. In elevated 
spots thrdughout Chili, where snow remains at the end of 
the rainy season, many species will be found from December - 
tothe end of February. ~ 3 EE 
The number of plants met with on the coast of Peru is 
small, and they are mostly in flower betw: n the middle of 
June and the end of September, though some are to be. 
found in the vallies all the year. In the mountains, as well 
on the eastern as the western side of the Cordillera, the - 
best time for botanizing is from January till June, and at 
great elevations, several months later. But the roads are so 
bad that travelling is difficult while the rains continue, and 
the only plan for a collector at that season 1s, to fix his 
residence in some town or village, and, as the rain generally 
falls after noon, to make his excursion in the early part of 
the day. 
It will give me great pleasure if these observations can 
be in any way useful to you, or tend in the slightest degree 
