THE MAGAZINE 



HORTICULTURE. 



DECEMBER, 1838. 

 MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



Art. I. Foreign Notices. 

 BRAZIL. 



[Concluded from page 436.] 



Mr. Gardner's Travels in Brazil. — " About sixteen or eighteen 

 miles west from Pernambuco tliere is a German colony. It was first 

 settled about ten or twelve years since, at the breaking up of a Ger- 

 man regiment, which had long been in the service of the Brazilian 

 government here. The colonists gain their livelihood principally 

 by making charcoal. It is called Catuca. Being desirous of spending 

 a day or two at this place, I started early one morninw in the be- 

 ginning of Novemi)er, accompanied by a young Englishman, with 

 whom I had first made acquaintance in the Organ Mountains, and guid- 

 ed by two Germans who were returning thither from Pernambuco, whose 

 horses carried our luggage. The route for about two hours lay through 

 a flat country, principally planted with INIandiocia, though a great part 

 was still uncleared; the larger trees only having been cut down, and 

 some of these yet remaining and rising hiah above their fellows of the 

 wood. After passing the cultivated ground, and ascendini;- a slight emi- 

 nence, we entered the virgin forest. Previously, the road had been of a 

 sandy nature, but now we found it to consist of hard clay. Many of the 

 trees were very lofty, thouirh they do not connnonly attain the stature 

 of those in the Province of Ilio. Amouir the shrubs that grow below 

 them I observed a few Mehtstomacecr^ Myrtacect, and Bubjacea, also a 

 beautiful scarlet-flowered acanthaceous climber. After riding for an 

 houl' through this wood, we reached the cleared valley, containing the 

 cottages of the colonists, passiuir several l)efore we reached the one at 

 which we meant to remain. The buildings arc generally small, but 

 much superior in cleanliness and neatness of arrangement to those be- 

 longing to the same class of Brazilians. Having partaken of some suj)- 

 per, we slung our hanimocks in a small apartment, and enjoyed sound 

 sleep till morning. 



"My friend, being desirous of having a day's huntinijin the woods with 

 one of the Germans, I determined to accompany them, in ho|)es of mak- 

 ing some additions to my botanical stores. We set oft' early, entering 

 the wood about a mile from the cottage. Here, as in similar situations 

 near the town, I observed a great deficiency of herliaceous plants, and 

 in a walk of about two hours only collected a few ferns. Passing 



VOL. IV. — NO. XII. 57 



