TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 275 



had been brought to this country. Only a few of 

 them were now there, most of them having gone 

 into the city, to carry about for sale, little articles 

 of Chinese manufacture, particularly cotton and 

 fire-works ; sickness and regret for their native 

 country had carried off many of them, and dislike 

 to their situation induced others to disperse. 

 Those who still live here, have made round their 

 low huts, which are kept very neat inside, little 

 plantations, which they adorn with coffee and their 

 favourite flower, the jessamine. It is well known, 

 that the Chinese in their own country, follow agri- 

 culture with great skill and care, and are even 

 well acquainted with the art of horticulture. We 

 were, therefore, surprised at this place, where a 

 considerable number of Chinese had been settled 

 for the purposes of agriculture, to find so few 

 traces of their labours. The botanic garden or 

 nursery, on the dechvity of a hill, almost resembles 

 a desolate wilderness ; and the kitchen garden near 

 the palace, being situated in a lower and moister 

 spot, is indeed more thriving but not better at- 

 tended to. They showed us a branch of grumi- 

 jama {Myrtus brasiliensis), which, after it had 

 attained a considerable height, had been taken in 

 the Chinese manner, as a layer from the parent 

 stock. The Chinese employ a very ingenious 

 method for this purpose, which is particularly 

 adapted to hot countries, where the vegetation is 

 stronger than among us. The method is this ; the 



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