64 Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 



not exceed 220 to 230, exclusive of those which had been previously 

 found on my visit to the Essequibo. It is quite a mistaken idea to 

 conclude that a tropical heat is qualified to dry specimens better 

 than the temperate zone. I can assure you that the contrary is the 

 fact ; and I am but too frequently compelled to have recourse to ar- 

 tificial heat, to prevent the plants from spoiling. The dense wood 

 generates moisture at all times, even when the atmosphere appears 

 most clear and serene, which, alas ! has been a rare circumstance 

 during my stay in British Guiana, much to the injury of my astro- 

 nomical observations and botanical stores, During my visit to the 

 Berbice it rained almost daily, and from Christmas to the commence- 

 ment of April wet weather was incessant. I cannot sufficiently 

 regret that many of the Essequibo plants were in such a bad condi- 

 tion, as I would have made any sacrifice rather than cause dissatis- 

 faction to my subscribers ; and to obviate this, I have offered to de- 

 duct the amount of such, or to replace them, where practicable, with 

 more perfect samples, in order that botanists may become acquainted 

 with all that I have found, and have no reason for complaint. Of 

 No. 156, to which one of my subscribers objects as being without 

 inflorescence, I may state that I could only find three plants in flower, 

 which were, of course, destined for my first three subscribers ; but 

 as the juice of the species itself forms one of the ingredients in the 

 famous Wonrali poison, I considered it of sufficient interest to war- 

 rant my sending it. No. 157 is of similar interest, being the tree 

 which gives the Amapaima or Caska preciosa. Of No. 160 I have 

 only transmitted a portion of the leaves ; but Palms must not 

 henceforth be expected from me ; for if foliage, spathas and fruit are 

 looked for, how could these be transported in corials ? No. 168 has 

 leaves only, no flower ; but I considered that the tree which yields 

 the Guiana vegetable milk, and of which the juice is also used by 

 the natives as a varnish, was surely worth sending. I am thankful 

 to the individual who has drawn my attention to these and other 

 Nos. ; in some instances I may have been in fault, and I can only 

 repeat my offer that twelve specimens be deducted from my Berbice 

 plants, and that any sample to which a well-founded objection can 

 be made, should be rejected. If cabinet botanists, those who work 

 at home, did but know what trouble it costs to collect plants, espe- 

 cially in the tropics, where Nature seems only to exist in the ex- 

 tremes of either a burning sun or pelting rain, they would be lenient 

 in their judgments respecting those individuals, whose time, labour 

 and expenses it is out of the question to think of repaying. The 

 dense forests of this country are not very productive of those plants 



