] 38 Foreign Notices : — West Indies. 



Bauenandcrassifolia)on one trunk. The cyrtopodiums,dendrobiums,and other 

 species, were quite as unsightly as we see them in our houses, as the shoots 

 that have flowered cast their leaves and stand bare till they are quite withered 

 up ; and I found this to be the case with the epidendrons and maxillarias. I 

 think it is of the greatest importance to observe the different kinds of situ- 

 ations in which the Orchideas, &c, are found. Sometimes they grow in the 

 thickest forests, through which the sun's rays can hardly penetrate, and par- 

 ticularly on the ground ; sometimes, also, on an open plain and on the banks 

 of rivers, where they are exposed the whole day long to the burning sun. 

 The temperature there varies from 12° R. (59° Fahr.) the heat of the day, to 

 13°, 9°, and 6° R. (6 1 -25°, 52-25°, and 45*5° Fahr.), before sun-rising ; and, be- 

 sides the rainy season, they only have moisture during the night from very heavy 

 dews, and consequently must obtain their principal nourishment from the air. 



In applying these facts to the cultivation of Orchidese in our country, it 

 will be observed that, if the houses are heated, the heat should be diminished 

 during the night, and the plants should be but little watered ; and not in the 

 evening, but in the morning, and by clear daylight. 1 observed that the speci- 

 mens we collected had their tender roots attacked by insects in a similar way 

 as ours are gnawed by woodlice. Unfortunately, I could only find specimens 

 in flower of Epidendron coehleatum, and another doubtful species ; and an 

 oncidium, very much resembling O. altissimum in habit, only showed its 

 flower-stalk. I must wait for the flowers and seed of many beautiful plants, 

 apparently unknown to me, before I can decide what they are. 



Our excursion from Cafetal towards the sea-coast rewarded us much more 

 richly in a zoological than a botanical point of view. The vegetable kingdom 

 is but sparingly scattered in this neighbourhood, but large spaces are covered 

 with Coccoloba uvifera, and extend even as far as the sea-shore. Under these 

 trees, which are from 2 ft. to 15 ft. in height, grows the amaryllis in great 

 numbers ; also the jatropha and plumieria, in the greatest luxuriance. The 

 ferns look exceedingly beautiful on the trees ; and I saw a few glycines, with 

 very large leaves and red blossoms, which would be new in our gardens. 

 Large specimens of Pothos crassinervius, on rocks and old trunks of trees, 

 look extremely majestic ; and there were also other species, of Pothos climb- 

 ing up the trees. The hospitable reception we met with from our landlord 

 afforded us every possible convenience for preserving or sending off our col- 

 lection. Besides our apartments, he gave us possession of a large one which 

 had windows facing the east and west, through which we got a sight of 

 the lofty palms, under which large coffee plantations extend, protected by 

 them. 



The large coffee barns are at present empty, because, being about the end 

 of January, the coffee harvest has not yet begun ; but my particular attention 

 was directed to the preparation of sugar, and the almost incredible consump- 

 tion of the fruit of the pisang and the banana, which are prepared as food in 

 very different ways. I have not yet seen plantations of tobacco and cotton. 

 I could not get supplied with this latter necessary article for packing glass, 

 &c, either in Havanna or Matanzas ; and when a handful of it was obtained 

 in a shop which sold Nuremburg toys, they asked the sum of two reals ! 



The great stupidity of the negroes proved a serious obstacle to us, in col- 

 lecting and sending off what was worth our trouble. They generally broke 

 or injured whatever they set down ; and yet I was obliged to get their help, 

 as one individual could not always perform the office : and even when we had 

 our collection apparently secured in the laboratory, the next day we found 

 that the best part of it was either eaten up by the rats, or attacked by small 

 ants, which found their way through the smallest crevices, against which I 

 could take no other revenge than by capturing, and sending them, dead or 

 living, to Berlin for examination. Rather than be annoyed with these little 

 creatures, I should have preferred the all-dreaded mosquitoes, with which I 

 have not yet made acquaintance. Bats are not uncommon here, and even 

 sometimes became our bedfellows ; because the style of building is adapted to 



