IN THE VALLEY OF CARACAS. % 269 
gombros." (The first edition of Gomara's ' Historia ' was published 
in Zaragoza in 1552 ; Acosta's work in Sevilla in 1590.) 
Beta vulgaris, Moq.— Little cultivated, under the name ' Rcmolacha.' 
Ft. Diez (Etymol. Worterb. ii. p. 169) refers this word to the. Latin 
amoracia, Italian ramolaccio, which, however, is another plant. Our 
plant was formerly called < Aeelga remoracha ' (Terreros, Diccionario 
Castcllano, Madrid, 1786), the first word being a contraction of Beta 
Sicula; the second, an adjective, which might be re-mo radio, i.e. very 
purple. 
Celery (' Apio de Espana ') is cultivated in some gardens, and thrives 
pretty well ; it wants, however, much care and good manuring. 
Parsley (' Perejil ') is grown as a potherb, but the roots remain 
Iways thin and woody. 
B. Plants cultivated on account of their Stems. 
Fourcroya gigantea, Vent., ' Cocuiza mansa ' (i.e. tame, as the leaves 
have no spines), and F. Cubensis, Haw., 'Cocuiza brava' (savage, the 
leaves being coarsely spinose-dentate ; the spines are generally geini- 
n &te, united at the base, but with separated and oppositely directed 
points). — The giant flower-stem of both species is called ■ Maguey.' 
Indigenous in the mountains of Caracas, but also cultivated for makim 
^penetrable fences. The fibres of the leaves are wrought into cordage. 
»"" - — — — o 
which is known under the names of ' Hecate,' ■ Pita/ and ■ Cocuiza' 
(the first of Aztec, the second and third of Haytian origin). Agave 
Americana, L. (« Cocui '), common in the Tierra Caliente, is used in the 
same manner. 
Saccharurnofficbiarmi, L. ■ Caila dulce.'— Until 1796 but two kinds 
of sugar-cane were cultivated in Venezuela, — c Caila morada ' (S. viola- 
<***, Tussac) and ' Cana criolla ' (S. officiuarum, var. a. commune). In 
t,le year mentioned, the ' Caila de Otaiti , (S. qfficinamm, var. (3. 
Tuhtmse) was introduced from Trinidad. Although the import of all 
Su gar-cane productions is prohibited in Venezuela, the cultivation of 
le cane in general is far from being flourishing. 
of 
1. Forage 
2ea iVa/fs, L.— Indian corn is, in this country, the staff of life for 
mau Mid beast. "When the grain is the object of cultivation, &f6 or 
Vo ^. V. [SEPTEMBER 1, 1807.] , U 
