Geology^ and Climate of the Island of Madeira. 367 



condition in which it is not injurious to those states of dis- 

 ease, for which invalids ought to be sent to Madeira, I consi- 

 der one of the chief elements in the excellence of the climate 

 of Funchal. So effectually is the temperature adequate to 

 prevent the appearance of any sensible humidity, maintained 

 by the perpetual motion and mingling of the regular breezes 

 and atmospheric currents, that, notwithstanding the great 

 quantity of moisture in the air, and the facility of radiation in 

 the extraordinary clearness of the nights, dew is scarcely ever 

 deposited.* 



The nature of the vegetation around Funchal displays the 

 genial warmth of its climate. The surrounding country has, 

 in many respects, quite a tropical appearance. The hill sides 

 are covered indeed with vineyards, amidst which are scattered 

 orange trees and cypresses and fig-trees, with hedges of rose 

 and myrtle ; and the inhabitants of the flower-beds, too, are 

 nmch the same as in the south of Europe. But, at the same 

 time, over the cottages and cabins of the peasants, the banana 

 waves its broad leaves ; the gardens are filled with the custard 

 apple, the guava, and other fruits of the West Indies ; there 

 are large plantations of coffee ; the cotton-tree and the sugar- 

 cane flourish ; the rocks, to a great height above the sea, are 

 covered with a southern cactus (the opuntia tuna) ; and every 

 where tropical flowers, in the greatest luxuriance, abound.t 



• These remarks, and most of what is said in different works concerning 

 the " climate of Madeira," refer, it is to be noted, only to the immediate vici- 

 nity of Funchal. They may not be applicable at a very short distance above 

 the city, or in other places on the coast. 



t In Loudon's Gardeners' Magazine for October 1838, vol. xiv., p. 449, there 

 is a description by Dr Lippold (a German botanist and natural history col- 

 lector in Madeira and the Canaries), of the villa and garden of Dr Renton' 

 at tlie Val. This garden is nearly 500 feet above the sea, and is in a most 

 beautiful situation. The ground is laid out in terraces ; and the culture, ir- 

 rigation, and all the arrangements of the place, indicate great skill and t ste 

 in tlie management of a garden which has the richest natural advantages. 

 The luxuriimcc and the diversity of the vegetivtion is astonishing. Dr Lip- 

 pold's list contains a great variety of rare fruits and flowers, and shews how 

 remarkably the trees of Australia, and of most other warm countries, thrive 

 in the climate of Madeira, The garden of the Mount Villa (belonging to Web- 

 ster Gordon, Esq.) is also extremely rich iu valuable plants. The groonda 

 are laid out with great tuste^ and present more variety of suxface and expo- 



