AND PORTO SANTO. 105 



height of 2700 feet above the level of the sea ; at the extremity of 

 this, the vine can scarcely be called flourishing, as no wine can be 

 made from it, still it produces eatable fruit. I am confirmed in 

 giving it this height, from finding the plants of tropical countries 

 flourishing, with cultivation, to the same extent''. Taking the 

 extreme of the Baron de Humboldt's vine region (corrected after 

 M. von Buch), there is a difference of about 170 feet between us ; 

 but the productions of the two exactly accord, excepting, that I 

 found a greater variety and mixture of European and tropical 

 plants'. M. von Buch has an intermediate region of African forms, 

 which will not apply to IMadeira ; and it must be understood, that 

 all these plants do not ascend to the extremity of this region ; for 

 instance, the little sida carpinifolia exists in profusion in the lower 

 parts of the island, but totally disappears after we have ascended 

 1000 feet ; the tropical plants are of course chiefli/ confined to the 

 gardens at, or near, Funchal, ^'c; the few mentioned in the note 

 as confirming the extent of this region, are successfully cultivated 

 in the garden of Mr. Veitch's Quinta, situated at its extremity. 



The second, still taking the extreme, extends to 3700 feet. It 

 cannot be compared to the laurel zone, (regio si/lvatica,) of Baron 

 de Humboldt (reaching to about 4360 feet), but appears interme- 

 diate, between the vine and laurel zone of Madeira. The broom 



^ According to Chaptal, the vine is found wild in Europe as far as 45° north, and 

 Catesby assigns the same hmit in America. 



' In it grow spontaneously, the Agave, Arundo, Canna, Citrm, Cactus, Dracoena, 

 Digitalis, Dioscorea, Euphorbia, Filices, Fagus, Ficus, Hepaticce, Jasminum, Liche- 

 nes, Lonicera, Musa, Myrtus, Phytolacca, Pelargonium, Rubus, Rosa, Sida, Sac- 

 charum. Tamarisk, Viola, Vinca, SfC, ; and, with cultivation, Aloe, Arachis, A<rave, 

 Annona, Bromelia, Bambusa, Coffea, Carica, Citrus, Canna, Datura, Dahlia, Doli- 

 chos, Duranta; European fruits, Erythrinum, Gossypium, Guinea-grass, Gomphrena, 

 Hibiscus, Jatropha, Justicia, Lantana, Laurus, Mangifera, Maranta, Melia, 

 Nerium, Oka, Psidium, Popvlus, Quercus, Ricinus, Rosa, Solanum, Sicyos, Vinca, 

 Zea, d^c, Sfc. 



P 



