1899} BRIEFER ARTICLES 123 
The La Guayra and Caracas railway has some of the most pictur- 
esque scenery in the world. - Twenty-three miles of track are neces- 
sary to cover seven as the crow flies, and the curves and ziyzags along 
the coast give glimpses of great grandeur. The disappointing part of 
the landscape lies in barren soil and unmistakable signs of aridity. 
Curious cereuses and acacias or Prosopis, and a gigantic species of Ascle- 
pias with flowers three times the size of our A. Cornufti attract one’s 
attention, while the fine-leaved forest trees in the valleys give the land- 
scapeéa much more northern aspect than would be expected. ‘Iwo 
views strike the traveler most favorably ; one from a curve in the road 
which overlooks the coast, where, spread out below, are plantations 
of sugar cane and banana, fringed with the most graceful of cocoanut 
palms that stand out like dark green plumes against the white surf ; 
and the second, some distance nearer Caracas, where the road crosses 
aravine which drops into a narrow valley, 1500 feet deep and com- 
pletely clothed with forest. 
The vegetation effect, while most impressive, is not truly luxuriant, 
amd unmistakable signs of aridity are everywhere present. Curious 
arid ridges and isolated peaks along the sides of scantily covered val- 
leys give the impression of poor soil and rapid erosion. There isa 
Tumor that these arid patches were once wooded, but that injudicious 
Po constant forest fires, and later prairie fires have denuded them. 
bai atts the ? Venezuelan botanical authority in Caracas, does not 
The this. He declares they have been barren from prehistoric 
Caracas lies 2632 feet above the sea, surrounded by barren hillsides 
wh : 
Ptheciadg are covered with dense forest. 
; “te Is very little of botanical interest in Caracas itself. A few 
'nterestin 
through a gardens lie across the small stream which flows 
cultivated he = One In particular contained a number of curious 
seen, Ma 2 “4 In it was the most remarkable fountain I have ever 
4 small nbain ace iit aia imitation of a boa constrictor spouted 
Wes of storks (Of water. Around, on little artificial islands, were stat- 
were large oe the act of swallowing. Growing on these islands 
Tus, while i tase Oranges in fruit, and tufts of Egyptian papy- 
Plants and Chin ihe the basin a row of blossoming strawberry 
he coffee =e hibiscus bushes had been planted. ~ 
few Within th ‘a et Sefior R. Dalla Costa Mosquera, one of the 
© city limits, is well worth a visit and has in it a magnifi- 
