96 TRINIDAD. 



the Mulatto- tree (Cassia), Bois-sang (Vismia), the Fox-tail grass, 

 Cortaderas (Selena), Caratas, Pine-apple, and Melastomaceous 

 plants grow in abundance, the soil may be pronounced poor and 

 unproductive. The Poui (Tecomd), Balata (Achras), Carapa, or 

 Orapaud (Carapa) , and Guatecaro (Lecythi*) 9 thrive both in good 

 and bad lands ; the two former, however, arrive at superior 

 growth in poor sandy soils, the two latter in damp clay-lands. 



There exist, in different parts of the island, what we term 

 natural savannahs to distinguish them from the artificial savannahs, 

 or pasture - grounds laid out for stock. These savannahs are, 

 generally, tracts of land skirted by forests, covered with a rank 

 vegetation of coarse GraminaceaB, Cyperoids, and others plants, and 

 studded with stunted dwarf-trees. Some of them are situated on 

 the flanks and summits of the mountains, others in the low lands. 

 The former may be seen in the northern range, from St. Joseph 

 to Arima ; and, though their soil is silicious and very poor, they 

 may, nevertheless, be said to be damp. They are dotted over 

 with large blocks of milky quartz, which, from a distance, appear 

 as so many white cattle grazing in the pasture. The low-land 

 savannahs are met with in various parts, and may be classed under 

 three heads, according to the quality of the soil ; this is either a 

 coarse unproductive clay with a layer of white sand, a rich sandy 

 loam, or a poor light soil. The savannahs of Arouca and Piarco 

 in the ward of Arouca ; of Piarquito, Arima, and O'Mara, in the 

 ward of Arima; that of Aripo, on the right bank of the river 

 Aripo ; and the Caroni, or Grand Savannah, are good specimens 

 of the first class of soil. Those of Icacos and the Cocal come 

 under the second head : they produce an abundance of Guinea 

 grass, and of another panicum called Carice. The savannahs of 

 Couva, Savanetta, and Erin, are intermediate between the clayey 

 and light loamy varieties. The low-land savannahs being flat, 

 are damp and very subject to become miry and swampy under, 

 the prevalence of the periodical rains; whilst during the dry 

 season, from the withdrawal of moisture through the excessive 

 heat, they are indurated and everywhere rent into regular ruts or 

 chasms of several feet in depth. This is well illustrated in the 

 Grand Savannah above mentioned. 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 



