Book I. 



AGRICULTURE IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



199 



a tea, which is known as a vertrif'uge. An acacia of the province of Quillota yields a balsam, that is 

 used in the cure of wounds ; and the palqui is esteemed as a febrifuge, superior to the Peruvian bark. 

 The cassia senna grows on the banks of the rivers Maypo and Salvia. Of ninety-seven kinds of trees 

 that diversify the beautiful forests of Chili, only thirteen lose their leaves in winter. Cypresses, pines, 

 and red and white cedars grow in the valleys of the Andes ; the red cedars, particularly in the isle of 

 Chiloe, are of an enonnous size, so that from 700 to 800 planks, twenty feet long, may be cut from one' 

 tree. The cinnamon-tree, that yields what is called winter's bark, is regarded as sacred by the Araucans, 

 who present it as a token of peace. Beautiful woods of various colors are supplied by the Chilese forests. 

 Vines, thougn none appear to be natives, flourish admirably well : they are found in the forests, arising 

 from seeds deposited by the birds : on the confines of the river Mauli they are three or four feet high, and 

 supported by stakes ; but further to the south they are left loose on the sides of the hills. The best wine 

 is that which is obtained from the banks of the river Itati, and is commonly called wine of Conception ; 

 it is red, generous, of an excellent flavor, and equal to the best in Europe. Muscatel wines are also ex- 

 cellent. The vintage is April and May. All the other European fruits attain the greatest perfection. 

 Most of tlie European animals have improved in this delicious climate and fertile country. The cele- 

 brated Spanish sheep have not lost any of their distinguished qualities; the horned cattle are larger than 

 those of Spain ; and the breed of horses surpasses both in beauty and spirit the famous Andalusian race 

 from which they spring. 



1206. Paraguay is a fertile province, and singularly prolific in native vegetables. The 

 climate is extremely hot : the surface of the country consists generally of extensive plains ; 

 but some tracts are very mountainous. The soil is every where rich and deep ; and the 

 native pastures so excellent, that the immense herds of wild oxen which feed on them are 

 only valued for their skins ; the flesh being left tp be consumed by ravenous beasts and 

 birds. Among the agricultural products may be mentioned the potatoe, of which they 

 have several sorts of a large size, red, white, and yellow cotton, maize, wheat, and the 

 vine. The latter is greatly injured by the ants ; but where that insect is kept under, the 

 wine of Paraguay is excellent. The bean, pea, melon, cucumber, lettuce, turnip, mus- 

 tard, cress, leek, onion, asparagus, and other European vegetables are found wild in the 

 plains. The forests abound in the most valuable trees, among which is the cinchona, 

 or Jesuits' bark, so called because the society of Jesus settled there had originally the 

 monopoly of this medicine ; the sarsaparilla, sa.ssafras, guaiacum, dragon's blood, nux 

 vomica, vanilla, theobroma, or chocolate plant {fig. 205.), several z05 

 species of the ceratonia, the seeds of which are ground and made 

 into bread. Palms, figs, peaches, pomegranates, lemons, oranges, 

 are cultivated ; and the jujube, mulberry, granadilla, banana, 

 pine -apple, and a great variety of other fruits, are found in 

 a wild state. Of the live stock, the most abundant are the ox | 

 and the camel ; but there are horses, asses, sheep, many wild 

 swine {jig, 206.), and poultry. The bear, elk, deer, ostrich, and 

 others, are in a wild state. 



1207. Brazil is a country growing fast into opulence and im- 

 portance. Its climate has been described by two eminent natu- 

 ralists, Piso and Margrave, who observed it with philosophical ac- 

 curacy, as temperate and mild, when compared with that of Africa. 

 This they chiefly ascribe to the refreshing wind which blows 



continually from the sea. The air is not only cool, 

 but chilly through the night, insomuch that the natives 

 kindle fires every evening in their huts. Nieuhoff, 

 ;^who resided long in Brazil, and Spix and Martins, 

 ;recent travellers, confirm their description. The 

 'rivers in this country annually overflow their banks, 

 and, like the Nile, leave a sort of slime upon the lands ; so that the soil, especially in the 

 vicinity of the rivers, is extremely rich. The northern provinces are subject to heavy 

 rains and storms ; but those of the south are more temperate and fertile. 



1208. Among the vegetable productions of Brazil ^ 

 we may reckon Indian corn, wheat, rice, manioc, 

 sugar-canes, coffee, cocoa or chocolate, indigo, 

 pepper, cactus, on which is bred the insect furnish- 

 ing cochineal, and the noted Brazilian tobacco. The 

 red, or Brazil wood, imported into this country, for 

 the purpose of dyeing, is the property of the crown. 

 To the class of esculent plants, we may refer those 

 that are common to all the tropical regions of Ame- 

 rica, such as, besides the cocoa and chocolate nut, 

 tlie plantain, the banana, palms, the yam, potatoe, 

 casava, together with many species of melons and 

 gourds. The principal fruits are the pine-apple, 

 the mango, and the tamarind. The warm aromatic 

 plants found here in a truly indigenous state, and 

 much used by the inhabitants as condiments to 

 their food, or as the basis of various drinks, are 

 the oranges and limes {Jig, 207,), the grapes, ginger, the turmeric, several species 



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