201 



The principal objections to the climate of Britain, as 

 regards the habits of these plants, is excessive humidity, 

 rather than any defect of temperature ; and to this circum- 

 stance the attention of those who are interested in their 

 cultivation should be chiefly directed. From the hilly 

 nature of the country they inhabit, and the moderate rains, 

 the soil retains little moisture during the season they are in 

 flower, and while they are seeding, the ground is perfectly 

 dry and hard. 



From what has been already said, it is evident that the 

 period when a Botanist will find the greatest number of 

 plants in blossom in the vallies and on the lower hills of Chili, 

 especially in the middle and northern provinces, is between 

 July and December, and he will experience little interrup- 

 tion to travelling, except while it is raining, and for a day 

 or two afterwards from the swelling of the rivers. But in 

 the south, the heavy rains render the roads almost impass- 

 able, and the traveller finds such indifferent accommodation, 

 that little can be done before October ; but as vegetation does 

 not advance there so rapidly as in the north, an ample field 

 presents itself for the four following months. In elevated 

 spots throughout Chili, where snow remains at the end of 

 the rainy season, many species will be found from December 

 to the end of February. 



The number of plants met with on the coast of Peru is 

 small, and they are mostly in flower between the middle of 

 June and the end of September, though some are to be 

 found in the vallies all the year. In the mountains, as well 

 on the eastern as the western side of the Cordillera, the 

 best time for botanizing is from January till June, and at 

 great elevations, several months later. But the roads are so 

 bad that travelling is difficult while the rains continue, and 

 the only plan for a collector at that season is, to fix his 

 residence in some town or village, and, as the rain generally 

 falls after noon, to make his excursion in the early part of 

 the day. 



It will give me great pleasure if these observations can 

 be in any way useful to you, or tend in the slightest degree 



