MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 243 



REMARKS. 

 BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



Tins Society held its seventh meeting for the season at the Botanic Gardens, 

 Dr. Neil], the President, in the chair. John Kirk, Esq., was elected a Resident 

 Fellow. Mr. Brand read a communication from Dr. Joseph Dickson of St. 

 Helier's, Jersey, respecting some recent discoveries in the Flora of that island. 

 Dr. Neill communicated an interesting letter from Mr. Brackenridge, who was 

 at one time a journeyman in the Experimental Garden here, and now holds the 

 post of Botanical Curator at Washington. We insert full excerpts from his 

 letter, the more readily, that his successful career may encourage others of his 

 profession to similar exertions. Mr. Brackenridge writes, " I spent the first 

 fourteen months in the United States very much to my satisfaction, as foreman 

 to Mr. Buist, who has one of the largest plant establishments in America. 

 When the South Sea expedition was organised, I was induced by Mr. Poinsette, 

 the secretary of war, to accompany it in the capacity of Assistant-Botanist and 

 Horticulturist. The voyage lasted nearly four years, and my compensation 

 during the last three years was 1200 dollars per annum. The squadron (under 

 the command of Lieutenant Wilkes) on its way out touched at Madeira, the 

 whole of which we scoured. I ascended the peak of Ruivo (6246 feet high) 

 almost to its very summit. It is covered with dense forests of Erica arborea 

 and Mediterranea (which some travellers have called Pine trees.) Several of 

 these Heath trees are forty feet high, aud at eighteen inches from the ground, 

 their stems are two feet in diameter,— E. Mediterranea, always the largest. At 

 the very summit is a small species (perhaps new) in habit like Mr. M'Nab's E. 

 ramulosa. The Madeira mahogany (Laurus Indica, and foetens) is in great 

 abundance, and as large as the English Oak. In five days we collected 460 

 species of plants on the island. At the Cape de Verds, Rubiaceous annuals and 

 grasses were the principal plants found. But Brazil, at which we next touched, 

 may be denominated the head quarters of Flora. I went about 150 miles inland, 

 in a N.E. direction, from Rio de Janeiro, travelling most of the way through 

 forests of flowering-trees, fantastically adorned with innumerable parasitical aud 

 epiphytical plants. These trees were often propped up by aerial roots, which 

 reminded one of the rigging or stays of a ship. The undergrowth in such 

 places consists of Palms, arborescent and many other Feins, with a goodly 

 number of Solanaceous and Rubiaceous shrubs. The Organ Mountains, seventy 

 miles from Rio, after all that Mr. Gardner and others have done, abound in 

 thousands of fine plants not yet known. I spent about eight days on these 

 mountains, and found plants so varied and attractive that I did not know well 

 which to select. On rocks there are Gesnerias, Gloxinias, Cacti, Tillandsias, 

 and Orchidea;, in the greatest profusion. I calculate that more than one-half of 

 the plants of Brazil are still unknown to botanists. Insects, birds, and qua- 

 drupeds are as varied, in proportion, as the vegetable kingdom. We spent about 

 two mouths on Tierra del Fuego. Here was a contrast to Brazilian vegetation : 

 Stunted Birches, with Misodendrums in tufts like birds' nests on their tops — 

 scrubby Berberries — Winter Bark — and Embothrium (a splendid proteaceous 

 shrub), were the characteristic features. The face of the hills is covered with 

 spongy, mossy turf, in which we found a Primula (like Scotica), Drosera, 

 Pinguicula, several species of Pernettyas, a Myrtus, and the charming Cal- 

 lixene — with many nice things which I thought well adapted for your alpine 

 frame. We reached Chili in the dry season, so that we did not find much in 

 flower till we arrived at the mountains. Behind Santiago, on the Andes, in the 

 region of perpetual snow, we found an immense number of Alpine plants belong- 

 ing to genera and tribes new to us. Figure to yourself 10 or 12 kinds of umbel- 

 liferous plants, with Heath-like leaves, and fruit as large as that of Heracleum, 

 and yet none of them over one inch in height. In Peru, behind Lima, we 

 crossed the Andes at the height of 16,000 feet, and descended a considerable 

 way on the opposite side, along one of the branches of the Amazon. This was 

 a rich journey for us in plants, — fine Rhododendrons (?) at the height of 

 13,000 feet. At the base of the snow was a dense sward of plants, none of them 

 over an inch high, principally composed of Saxifragas, Composites, Gentianas, 



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