6& TRINIDAD. 



distance appear as so many white sheep or cattle grazing in the 

 pasture. 



The soil of the savannas O'Mara and Piarquito, in the ward 

 of Arima, of Arouca and Piarco, in the ward of Arouca, is a 

 coarse, unproductive clay, with a layer of white sand ; that of 

 Aripo, Couva, and Savanetta light and poor — that of Aripo, 

 however, rather swampy; the savannas of Erin and Icacos are 

 sandy, but not altogether deficient in organic matter ; they 

 produce an abundance of Guinea Grass and another panicum 

 called Caricio. The Caroni savanna, and that at the back of 

 the Cocal, Nariva, differ from those already mentioned, not only 

 because they are partly under water during the wet season, but 

 because their soil being formed, to a great extent, of sedimentary 

 matter, supports a more varied and richer vegetation. These 

 savannas being rather level are very subject to become miry and 

 swampy under the prevalence of the periodical rains, whilst 

 during the dry months of the year they become indurated and 

 everywhere rent into ruts or chasms several feet in depth. It is 

 customary to fire these miniature prairies during the dry season, 

 in order to destroy the rank vegetation which had sprung up 

 during the rains, and thereby induce a fresh and tender growth 

 for the benefit of the stock which is sent to graze therein. 



The Caroni and Cocal savannas may be ranged among those 

 swamps which occupy more than one-seventeenth of the area of 

 the island. They are tracts of perfectly plane ground bordering 

 the sea, and extending more or less towards the interior. The 

 section adjacent to the shore is usually flooded by the tide, and 

 thickly overgrown by mangroves ; the portion towards the in- 

 terior is covered with a thick vegetation of graminacese, cyperacese, 

 and vines. The soil may be considered as made up of vegetable 

 debris in situ and sedimentary matter washed down by heavy 

 rains and periodical floods. 



Soil and Vegetation. — In its geological formation Trinidad 

 displays much variety. Volcanic rocks, however, are entirely 

 wanting. The soils of the island are generally in accordance 

 with the strata on which they rest, and are formed by the dis- 

 integration of those strata. Changes occur in the qualities of 

 our soils to such an extent as to have attracted the attention of 

 the least observant. The character of these soils being very 

 similar over one and the same formation will allow their classifi- 



