28 Captain Websfter on the Natural Productions of 



for none of it was found by the Adventure's officers on Terra 

 del Fuego ; and they were surprised when I showed it to them* 

 Large masses of this green wood are transmitted home as spe- 

 cimens, and blocks of it have been given by me to Captain 

 Foster. There is another species of beech in these regions 

 which is deciduous. It is more common at Cape Horn than 

 at Staten Land, where it is very rare. The change of colour 

 of its leaf gives the usual charm of autumnal scenery. The 

 Juncus grandiflorus, or Fuegian rush, appears worthy of being 

 introduced to your notice from its valuable qualities, which 

 are such as to induce me to hope that the introduction of it 

 to our own country will prove both advantageous and benefi- 

 cial. It makes most beautiful and excellent baskets, exceed- 

 ingly strong, durable, and elegant. The specimen of the 

 Fuegian basket procured at Cape Horn from the Indian tribe, 

 which I have deposited with Captain Foster, will confirm all 

 that I have said in its favour. It almost equals India cane 

 mats ; and may, in the hands of our ingenious countrymen, 

 be turned to many purposes, as the manufacture of baskets, 

 mats, brooms, and probably hats. The flower of this rush is 

 by no means inelegant. It grows in precisely similar situations 

 to our own rush, which it may very justly supplant by its su- 

 perior merits. I have gathered abundance of seeds, in order 

 that it may be tried either by the Society of Arts or Board 

 of Agriculture, if you should think fit to permit it. It may 

 not be irrelevant to mention, that the stem of this rush is very 

 sweet, and when dry it resembles coarse hay. How far it can 

 in any way be rendered available as fodder in cases of emer- 

 gency, must be left to proper and competent judges. The 

 ashes of the rush are very alkaline. 



I am much indebted to the Horticultural Society for two 

 reams of brown paper, for the preservation of seeds and plants. 

 I have not been negligent of their interest in this respect, and 

 have gathered and preserved every seed and plant that came 

 within my reach. They are in an excellent state of preserva- 

 tion, and have been given to Captain Foster for forwarding to 

 the Admiralty. Among the more immediately useful ones I 

 beg to enumerate the Berheris microphylla, a free and copious 

 bearer. The berries are intermediate between a gooseberry 



