A IE Oe AP 
THE SEASONS IN GUIANA. 5 
Coming now to the time of the year when the seasons 
begin, it must be premised that all species do not open 
their flowers at the same time. In England some fruit 
trees blossom a month or six weeks before others, and 
similar differences appear here. Such cases we may 
consider as examples of the faét that the spring-time of 
all plants does not coincide, but this does not go to 
prove that there is no such season. 
In Guiana we may consider the year as beginning 
about February. The long drought of the dry season 
(August to November) aéts to some extent as a ripener 
of woody tissue as well as fruit. After the few weeks 
rain required to saturate the ground, the trees are 
stimulated to increased exertions and we get the result 
in a wealth of flowers. Some quick-growing plants 
recover quickly and flower as early as January but gene- 
rally speaking we must put the commencement of this 
first round of the year’s work a month later. At this 
time mangoes and hog plums are ripe, the fiddle-wood 
blossoms, and the cannon-ball and silk-cotton lose their 
leaves. This is the best time for orchids as they gene- 
rally burst into flower after the rest of the dry season. 
In the forest and along the creeks, the commencement 
of the cycle is charaéterised by a magnificent show of 
new foliage. Few travellers have noticed this, probably 
on account of its evanescent charaéter, but it is a striking 
peculiarity of the tropics. Every-one has noticed the 
delicate tints of the mango leaves when they first open, 
but this is nothing compared with some of the forest 
trees. The Mora for exaample is most beautiful for a 
day or two when the foliage is renewed and other trees 
also show to as great advantage in their new vesture. 
