78 Baron Von Buch's Observations on Madeira 



the month of May, carry their bee-hives, which are hollow stems 

 of the dragon-tree, to the circus of the peak, and place them in 

 the crevices of the rocks. Millions of bees then swarm around 

 the large and fragrant white bushes of {Spartium nubigenum) 

 the white retama, and very soon fill their hive. The honey 

 is taken from them twice every summer, always in great abun* 

 dance, and neither Hymettus nor Chamouny have ever pro- 

 duced any thing equal to it : — it is so pure and transparent, and 

 the taste so aromatic and delicious. Whoever, indeed, would 

 import this bush to the bees of Europe, would deserve as well 

 of his countrymen, as he who introduced the vine and fruit- 

 trees. And that would be by no means difficult, for spar- 

 tium grows perfectly well here, where snow lies almost continually 

 from December till the middle of April, and even where the low- 

 ness of the temperature checks the vegetation of every kind of 

 tree. It might thrive extremely well in the interior of Norway, 

 where the summer is warm and dry ; and equally upon heaths 

 in Austria and Poland. But no one has hitherto been success- 

 ful in rearing it in Europe ; and every thing that has been said 

 of its flourishing in botanical gardens is erroneous. 



On Wednesday 31st May, we descended to the sea-coast, to 

 Puerto de los Christianos, one of the best harbours, and the 

 southernmost part of the island. It was far from agreeable, how- 

 ever. The drought was dreadful. For miles round, not a 

 single habitation was to be seen, only one house upon Puerto 

 for ships, which, during summer, carry wheat from Santa Cruz 

 for the villages upon the height. Upon the white far-shining 

 surface of the layers of pumice, not a single particle of soil is 

 to be found, and every bush that grows on it is small-leaved and 

 grey, or entirely leafless, and covered with long prickles. The 

 fantastic Eupho7'bia canariensis creeps along the surface, in 

 the most whimsical forms, and Plocama pendula droops its thin 

 branches, like the weeping willow. Not a drop of water is to 

 be seen in the whole neighbourhood. In such a place, the soul 

 is seized with an indescribable feeling of depression, and we 

 gladly and hastily ascended from the desert to Adexe. A long 

 vista of blooming agave, upon both sides of the road, led us 

 to this friendly spot. We thence proceeded through a long 



