BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 513 
their clothes were ignited; and morning made matters little 
better, for the wind blew a complete hurricane, with driving 
gusts of rain. 
After collecting what I could of roots, specimens, seeds, 
&c., at eleven o'clock, a.m., we began our descent, which the 
rain had rendered very difficult, and many ludicrous sum- 
mersaults were performed, from the slippery nature of the 
soil, Wild hogs are abundant in these woods, and on our 
reaching the spring, two started up and were soon out of 
sight. About two o'clock, p.m., we emerged from the cloud 
that enveloped the Peak, and had a tolerably easy descent to 
Portland Gap; where, according to my directions, two mules 
were waiting, to the no small delight of the negroes, as this 
lightened their burdens. In a ravine, near the Gap, I found a 
singular species of Asplenium, its arborescent stem about 8 feet 
in length ; while securing plants of this, and as many things 
as I could conveniently take, a heavy hail-storm overtook us, 
rendering, on our descent, the atmosphere cool and pleasant ; 
thermometer 60°, With several times reloading, from the 
state of the roads and the difficulty of collecting Tree-ferns, I 
reached Radnor at five o'clock, p.m., quite satisfied that a 
botanical excursion to the Peak is not so easy as I had 
anticipated, 
After putting together my plants and specimens, I started 
on the 16th to Resource, a coffee plantation, belonging to 
J. Brooks, Esq., about ten miles distant, in St. Andrew's 
Mountains, Dr. Macfadyen, with his usual kindness, had 
Sven me a letter of introduction to this gentleman. On the 
Way, I gathered a beautiful species of Ipomea, with much the 
habit of 7. Horsfalliana, and lively pink flowers; of this I 
dug up roots, which were tuberous. The greater part of 
this district is occupied with Coffee plantations, and overrun 
With Zinnia coccinea and Browallia speciosa, probably intro- - 
duced. An account of the mode of rearing the coffee shrub 
may be interesting. Holes are prepared, and small plants 
selected from old plantations, of which there are always 
abundance, and which are set in moist weather ; all the care 
