BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 99 
bited, and are, moreover, destitute of roads. But, should 
these obstacles be permitted to prevent the gathering and 
drying of plants in Surinam, the European botanist must be 
content to want the productions of this country. For it is a 
well known fact, that not only the greater number of plants, 
but all our most interesting kinds, blossom at the rainy 
season, and then alone. While in the dry period, vegetation 
wholly disappears in some places, and everywhere is very 
languishing and poor, until revived by rain. 
Throughout Surinam, the climate is universally damp, and 
moisture abounds, all the year round. Even in the inhabited 
districts, a kind of Byssus is often.seen growing on articles 
made of leather, or woollen clothes which have not been 
used for some time. And when this is the case during the 
dry season, and in cultivated districts, how much worse may 
be expected, in the vicinity of large rivers, and morasses, 
under the dark shade of forests, through whose dense foliage 
no sunbeam ever penetrates, and particularly when incessant 
torrents of rain are pouring heavily down? Thus you may 
perceive, that while this colony largely shares the disadvan- 
tages of excessive tropical moisture, it does not present such 
a disparity of climate as constitutes what is called the dry 
season in other countries, and the botanist loses less comfort 
by travelling during wet weather, than would be the case in 
Brazil and British Guiana. 
You kindly recommend heavy pressure in drying plants. But 
it must be observed that the process which would preserve spe- 
cimens elsewhere, is inapplicable here: for the Trees, Shrubs, 
Aroidee, Orchidee, and such like, are sure, when subjected to 
pressure, to turn black, decay, and throw off their leaves. 
Artificial heat, and nothing else, can remedy the excess of 
damp, which otherwise forbids the preserving of plants, al- 
together, in this colony. This point I regard as perfectly 
settled. Difficult too, as it is, to dry specimens at first, in a 
tropical forest. it is equally hard, but no less essential to pre- 
vent their imbibing moisture afterwards. I think I have dis- 
covered a plan which obviates both these inconveniences, 
