16 Meteorological Observations made in 



tme 



cacao. Yet 



ny tree, the " Guayacan.^^ Among plants, the Ccesalpinia^ Ipo- 

 mcBa quamodety most of the BignoiiiaSj Portlmidias^ the Van- 

 illa, Cassia alata and riparia^ the Poniaderia^ which forms the 

 ornament of tropical rivers. The palms ascend to the height of 

 6,000 feet ; the arborescent ferns, from the level of the sea, 

 amid the damp forest of Esmeraldas, to 7,000 feet. Of cultivated 

 plants the Cacao and indigo are most limited as to elevation, nei- 

 ther of which is cultivated with success at above 2,000 feet. 

 An attempt to raise indigo at Mindo (3,960 feet) completely failed. 

 It would seem that a dry climate is most favorable to indigo, such 

 as is found in the valleys of Aragua near Valencia; \vhile heat 

 and moisture, as Humboldt observes, are particularly required for 



cacao cultivated on lands which are flooded part of 

 the year, as is the case with the greater part raised in Guayaquil, 

 is of inferior quality, scarcely producing in the market a dollar 

 per cwt. That of Esmeraldas, on the contrary, where notwith- 

 standing the moisture of the climate, the waters never settle on 

 the soil, is of equal or superior quality to that of the valley of 

 Tuy near Caraccas. In Canigue, at an elevation of about 1,000 

 feet, the trees are loaded with fruit in less than two years from 

 the time of sowing the seed ; while generally three years is the 

 period at which they are reckoned to commence bearing. 



Coffee is abundantly raised from the level of the sea to eleva- 

 tions of 5,000 or 6,000 feet, or even higher in favorable situations. 



There are plantations near the valley of Banos in Q.uito at above 

 7,000 feet. 



Cotton requires, according to Humboldt, a mean temperature 

 of not less than 64^ — 60^, which would bring it to the elevation 

 of Loxa. 



■ 



The sugar cane is cultivated in Colombia from the level of the 

 sea to an elevation, which may appear extraordinary, of 7,865 feet 

 in the valley of Banos at the foot of Tunguragua, of 8,500 in the 

 valley of Chillo below dtn'to, and of nearly 9,000 feet near the 

 town of Hambato. It must be observed, however, with respect 

 to the latter, that the vegas or nooks formed by the windings of 

 the river, where alone it is raised, are so sheltered as to produce 

 almost an artificial temperature. A palm tree brought young 

 from Guayaquil flourishes there, and '' Aguacates,'' (the fruit of 

 Laurus persea) ripen perfectly, with oranges, limes, and other 



