The Cupidon, a glorious hybiscus with rosy red blossoms, makes a great show 

 in the Plaza. The Mango-Tree, which greatly resembles in form the Horsechest- 

 nut, is one of the best shade trees of the island, and here must be noted the new 

 fact to us, that scarcely any person ever plants a shade tree near his dwelling ; 

 the sea breezes from either ocean are found to be better than shade. In this 

 respect, the residences of the wealthy have to us an unimproved aspect, which it 

 is hard to reconcile with wealth or even comfort. The Cocoa-Nut and the Royal 

 Palm are, however, incorporated in every scene on the cultivated portion of the 

 island, and one never gets tired of their beauty. 



The reader will suppose that, after a glance at the town, peeling numerous 

 oranges, and being astonished at the novel fruit and wonderful fish markets, we at 

 once began to sally out among the gardens, plantations, and trees. But how to 

 describe what is so novel ! The difficulty is appalling, and, in a limited space, 

 impossible ; impressions only can be attempted. Sir J. E. Smith, the eminent 

 botanist, strikingly remarks that " no writer whatever has rendered the natural 

 productions of the happiest and most luxurious climate of the globe half so inte- 

 resting or instructive as Linnteus has made those of his own northern country." 

 This is eminently true, and it remains, as far as we know, a delightful task unful- 

 filled, to convey by means of the pen, the grand ideas which tropical vegetation, 

 and its accompanying scenes, naturally call forth. But it must be remembered, 

 that all is not beautiful. It had been one of our ambitions to see an Aloe hedge,* 

 and to ride along roads bordered with our greenhouse plants. Alas ! a hedge of 

 Aloe is but a sorry sight ; it is grown up and over with a thousand other plants 

 and vines running riot in wild neglect, and really presenting little or none of the 

 beauty we had anticipated. The Cherokee Rose about Natchez, is tea times 

 more beautiful, and yet, with care the Aloe would make a superb fence ; and it is 

 a most useful one, but it occupies a large space that would otherwise be converted 

 to profitable cultivation. All the energies of the landholders seem to be given to 

 the cultivation of sugar, coffee, or tobacco. The ornamental, where beauty would 

 spring up from every touch of taste, forms but little of the studies of the Cubans ; 

 but, even with their utter neglect, as a general thing, nature and the climate assert 

 their supremacy. At every turn, some new surprise awakens the imagination, and 

 obliges us to remember that we are in one of the richest botanical regions of the 

 globe. But these riches are unappreciated, and as for our greenhouse plants being 

 seen at every step, you find yourself in a region where they are too common to be 

 admired, except by the very feiv. 



A short ride on the Paseo (the afternoon drive of all that can afford to keep a 

 volante) brings us to the Governor-General's garden, lately invaded by the rail- 

 road, but possessing some beautiful plants and superb vines. Orange-trees in full 

 bearing and in flower, the Mamraea and Sugar ai)ples hanging on the trees all win- 

 ter, and hundreds of novel specimens, would occupy a person of leisure for weeks. 

 The botanical knowledge of the most scientific is put to an immediate and trying 

 test in Cuba. Recognition is attempted as visions of dried herbariums float on 

 the memory, but in general, all our party, after puzzling themselves for names, 

 gave it up as a labor which took too much from the zest of the feast spread before 

 us ; and it was no uncommon thing for the savan of the party to be seen placing 

 his specimen carelessly in his pocket, while he accepted a basket of oranges, or a 

 bunch of bananas, or watched the teariny-up process, employing forks instead of 

 knives to the pine-apple. For the purposes of study, we all determined to repeat 



* The hedge most used is of the Pine-Apple family, Bromclia pinon, 

 botanists. 



