ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 457 



up ; that which has been longer fown is in its blade, and the more advanced begins to 

 bloflbm. So that the declivities of the neighbouring hills exhibit all the beauties of the 

 four feafons at one fingle view. 



Though all this is generally feen, yet there is a fettled time for the grand harveft. 

 But fometimes the moil favourable feafon for fowing in one place, is a month or two 

 after that of another, though their diftance is not more than three or four leagues ; 

 and the time for another at the fame diftance not then arrived. Thus, in different 

 fpots, fometimes in one and the fame, fowing and reaping are performed throughout 

 the whole year, the forwardnefs or retardment naturally arifmg from the different 

 fituations, as mountains, rifmg grounds, plains, valleys, and breaches ; and the tem- 

 perature being different in each of thefe, the times for performing the feveral operations 

 of hufbandry muft alfo differ. Nor is this any contradiftion to what I have before 

 advanced, as will be feen in the following account of the jurifdidion. 



This remarkable fecundity of the foil is naturally productive of excellent fruits and 

 corn of every kind, as is evident from the delicacy of the beef, veal, mutton, pork, and 

 poultry of Quito. Here is alfo wheat bread in fufficient plenty ; but the fault is, that 

 the Indian women, whofe bufinefs it is to make it, are ignorant of the beft methods 

 both of kneading and baking it ; for the wheat of itfelf is excellent, and the bread 

 baked in private houfes equal to any in the known world. The beef, which is not 

 inferior to that of Europe, is fold in the markets by the quarter of the hundred 'for 

 four rials of that country money, and the buyer has the liberty of choofing what part 

 he pleafes. Mutton is fold either by the half or quarter of a flieep ; and when fat, 

 and in its prime, the whole carcafe is worth about five or fix rials. Other fpecies of 

 provifions are fold by the lump, without weight or meafure, and the price regulated 

 by cuftom. 



The only commodity of which there is here any fcarcity is pulfe ; but this deficiency is 

 fupplied by roots, the principal of which are the camates, arucachas, yucas, ocas, and 

 papas ; the three former are the natives of hot countries, and cultivated in the planta- 

 tions of fugar canes, and fuch fpots are called vallies, or yungas, though thefe names 

 have different fenfes, the former fignifying plains in a bottom, and the latter thofe 

 on the fides of the Cordillera ; but both in a hotter expofure. In thefe are produced 

 the plantains, guincos, Guinea-pepper, chirimogas, aguacates, granadillas, pinas, 

 guayabas, and others natural to fuch climates, as I have already obferved in other 

 countries. The colder parts produce pears, peaches, nedarines, quaitambos, aurimelos, 

 apricots, melons, and water-melons ; the lail have a particular feafon, but the others 

 abound equally throughout the whole year. The parts which cannot be denominated 

 either hot or cold, produce frutillas, or Peru ftrawberries, and apples. The fucculent 

 fruits, which require a warm climate, are in great plenty throughout the whole year, 

 as China and Seville oranges, citrons, lemons, limes, cidras, and toronjas. Thefe 

 trees are full of bloffoms and fruit all the year round, equally with thofe which are 

 natives of this climate. Thefe fruits abundantly fupply the tables of the inhabitants, 

 where they are always the firft ferved up, and the laft taken away. Befides the 

 beautiful contraft they form with the other difhes, they are alfo ufed for increafing the 

 pleafure of the palate, it being a cuftom among the people of rank here, to eat them 

 alternately with their other food, of which there is always a great variety. 



The chirimoyas, aguacates, guabas, granadillas, and Peruvian ftrawberries, being 

 fruits of which, as well as of the ocos and papas, I have not yet given any defcriprion, I 

 fliall here give the reader a brief account of them. The chirimoya is univerfally 

 allowed to be the moft delicious of any known fruit either of India or Europe* Its 



VOL. XIV. 3 N dimenfions 



