' AND OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



103 



reaches the slopes of the mountains, and ascends to the height of 1600 yards. It 

 degenerates in proportion as it approaches the point where it ceases to vegetate. 



The Beech (Fagus sylvatica) makes its first appearance at the height of 600 

 yards above the sea, and its last at 200 yards above the Oak. The Silver- Fir {Pimts 

 picea), and the Ye^ (Taxus communis), show themselves at 1400 yards, and go on 

 to about 2000. The Scotch-Fir (Pinvs st/lvestris) , and Mugho Pine (Pinus pumi- 

 lio)j take their stations between the heights of 2000 and 2400 yards. 



There the trees stop, and shrubs, with a juiceless foliage, and low or creeping 

 stems, present themselves ; these lie hid beneath the snow in the winter. Among 

 them are some of the Rhododendrons, Daphnes, Passerinas, the Globularia repens, 

 the two species of Salix, herhacea, reticulata, &c. 



Soon after we meet only small herbs with perennial roots, spreading radical 

 leaves, and a naked stalk. These, with the lichens and Byssi, arrive at the height 

 of 3000, and even 3400 yards. The first that occur are the Gentiana campestris. 

 Primula villosa, Saxifraga longifolia, and Aizoon, &c. ; then Ranunculus alpes- 

 tris, nivalis, parnassif alius, Arctia alpina, and finally, Ranunculus glacialis, Saxi- 

 fraga c<ESpitosQ, oppositifolia, Androsacea, and Groenlandica. The last brings us 

 to the borders of eternal snow. 



Botanists who have explored the Alps, have remarked phenomena perfectly corre- 

 sponding with those observed by IM. Ramond in the Pyrenees. But it was reserved 

 for Jlessrs Humboldt and Bonpland to demonstrate the succession of modifications in 

 the vegetable structure on the highest mountains yet known, and in one of the hottest 

 and most fertile regions of our globe. 



In the equinoctial countries of America, vegetation displays itself to the view of 

 the observer as on the gradually rising steps of an immense amphitheatre, the base 

 of which sinks below the waters of the ocean, while its summit reaches to the foot of 

 the glaciers which crown the Andes, 5000 yards above the level of the sea; show, 

 ing that in America there are vegetables which grow at the height of 1600 or 1800 

 yards beyond the point where vegetation ceases in the Pyrenees and Alps ; a differ- 

 ence that does not depend solely upon latitude, but likewise, according to M. Ra- 

 mond, upon the breadth, or, if you will, the thickness of the chain of mountains. 

 In chains of but little breadth, such as those of Europe, the air and temperature of 

 the plains have an influence, which is constantly tending to confound the limits of 

 the different kinds of vegetables ; but this is not the case in the chain of the Andes, 

 which is from 48 to 60 leagues in breadth. Messieurs Humboldt and Bonpland have 

 had also this advantage in their researches, that as these were made under the Equa- 

 tor, they have been enabled to trace the whole series of modifications which are to 

 be met with between the two extremes of temperature found at the surface of the 

 globe; while other botanists, having explored none but the northern mountains of 

 the old Continent, could only trace the modifications between a mean temperature and 

 extreme cold. 



The Plants which belong to dark and humid abodes, such as Boletus ceratophorust 

 and hotrytes. Lichen verticillatus, Gymnoderma sinuata, and Byssus speciosa, are 

 found on the vaults of caverns and the woodwork of mines, as well in Mexico as in 

 Germany, England, and Italy. Concealed within the bowels of the earth, these less 

 perfect species constitute the last zone of vegetation. 



Next come the Plants which belong to fresh-water and salt-water. Of these, a 

 great portion grow without preference in every degree of latitude ; the medium in 

 which they exist preserving a more equable temperature than the atmosphere. 

 Duck-weed {Lemna minor), and the Greater Reedmace or Cat's-tail (Typha lati- 

 folia), grow in the marshes both of Asia, Europe, and America. The Typha latt^ 

 folia belongs in common to Jamaica, China, and Bengal. Probably there is no re- 

 gion on the globe where the Gray Bog-Moss (Sphagnum pulmtre) is not to be 

 found. This indifference to cHmate is still more remarkable in the Sca-pIants, such 

 as the Fuci, Lavers, and Ceramia. The Gulf-weed (Fucus natans), detaching it- 

 self from the rocks on which it grew, and forming shoals of an immense extent at the 

 surface of the water, obstructs the way of the ships as well towards the poles as un- 

 der the hne. On a level with the sea to the height of 1000 yards, we find the 

 palms, the liliaceous plants, the plantain trees, the Scitaminece, the genera Theo- 

 phrasta, Mussanda, Plumeria, Ca-salpinia, Hymenaa, the Cecropia peltata, the 

 Balsam of Tolu, the Cuspare or Cinchona of Carony, with crowds of other species 

 which grow only in a very hot temperature. This is the zone of the palms; a tribe 

 conspicuous for the elegance and grandeur of part of its species, and forming one of 

 the chief ornaments of the scorching plains that lie between the Tropics. Some of 

 them thrive, however, in more temperate regions. The Ceroxylon andicola, a fine 

 palm, rising 60 yards in height, grows in the Andes at Tolima and Quindiu, in the 

 4° 25' of northern latitude, setting off at 1860 yards above the sea, and continuing 

 to the height of 2870, an elevation where the atmosphere is at a moderate degree of 

 warmth. Another species has been discovered at tliR Straits of Magellan, towards 

 the 5.3° of southern latitude. Two sorts, the fan-palm {Chamcerops huviilis) and 

 date-tree, are even seen to grow on our side of Europe, upon the coasts of the Medi- 

 terranean, and not far from the foot of the Pyrenees, thus advancing their tribe to 

 beneath the 43d degree of northern latitude. But these are the exceptions; the 

 palms in general confining themselves to the hottest parts of the globe, and none 

 being met with towards the polar regions. 



The zone of the arborescent ferns and the cinchonas succeeds to that of the Palms 

 and ScitamineEe. The ferns begin at 400 yaids, and end at 1600." The cinchonas 

 grow to about 2900 yards high. The oaks begin to appear at 1700 yards. These 

 are deciduous, and by their periodical evolutions from the bud, remind the European, 

 while wandering in these distant regions, of the mild springs of his native land. 



Trees cease to grow at the elevation of 3500 yards, where the shrubs, which be- 

 fore had formed but a small part of the vegetation, take their place, and cover the 

 whole soil. 



A good deal lower, at about 2000 yards, the Gentians, Lobelias, Crowfoots, or 

 Ranunculuses, &c. which answer to our Alpine plants, have already begun to show 

 themselves, and keep on from thence to 4100 yards. 



At this point, where snow occasionally falls, the grasses, whose numerous species 

 were mingled in the vegetation of the lower steps of the amphitheatre, begin to reign 



alone. The oat-grasses {Avena), bent-grasses (Agrostis), cock's-foot-grasses (Dac- 

 tylis), panic-grasses (Panicum), feather-grasses (Stipa), Jarava, &c. here cover 

 the face of the mountains, and continue their career up to 4600 yards, the point at 

 which Phaenogamous vegetation ceases. 



THE COFFEE-TREE. 



The Coffee-tree (Coffea Arabica") seldom exceeds twelve feet in height, and 

 has a slender trunk, sending off long trailing branches at its upper part. The leaves 

 are elliptical, undulated, pointed, smooth, and opposite. The flowers are axiUar, 

 sessile, or on very short peduncles, two or three together ; the calyx very small, 

 tubular, with five teeth ; the corolla funnel-shaped, its limb deeply cut into five eliip- 

 tico-lanceolate, reflexed segments ; the stamens five, their filaments short, and at- 

 tached to the tube, their anthers linear ; the germen roundish, the style simple, the 

 stigma cleft, its segments reflexed. The fruit is a round fleshy red berry, which 

 contains two seeds, commonly called cofi'ee-beans. The plant thus belongs to Pen- 

 tandria monogynia of the Linnoean system, and is referred to the natural order of 

 Cinchonacea. 



It IS a native of Arabia and Ethiopia, but is cultivated in various parts of the 

 world. It was first describe! by Alpinus in 1591, and was planted by the Dutch in 

 Java in 1690, and by the English in Jamaica in 1732. The Mocha coffee, however, 

 is considered superior to all others. It is raised from seedlings, planted out in moist 

 shady places, and watered by artificial rills. When the fruit is mature, cloths are 

 spread under the trees, which are shaken. The berries are afterwards spread on 

 mats, and exposed to the sun until perfectly dry, when the husk is broken with heavy 

 rollers of wood or stone ; the kernels are again dried in the sun, and winnowed. It 

 is scarcely necessary to say, that coffee, as used by us, is an infusion of the powdered 

 seeds after they have been roasted. 



As an article of food, coffee owes its nutritious quality chiefly to the milk and sugar 

 used in preparing it. Considered medicinally, it counteracts the narcotic effects of 

 opium and spirituous liquors. On strong healthy constitutions it seems to have little 

 effect ; but on debilitated or nervous persons it acts injuriously, inducing, when used 

 to excess, headachs, giddiness, dimness of sight, and aggravating hysterical affections. 

 It is, therefore, less adapted for sedentary people than for those employed in the open 

 air ; but used moderately, as to strength and quantity, along with substantial food, 

 it produces no injurious action. Its effects in promoting digestion and obviating 

 drowsiness are well known ; but while, to persons in ordinary health, it forms a 

 wholesome diluent, or a grateful stimulant, neither it nor tea, especially when used 

 in large quantities, ought to be indulged in by those of a nervous temperament, or 

 who are debilitated by disease. 



Lamium album and L. maculatum not DisTiNCT — At a recent meeting of 

 the Botanical Society of London, Mr Thomas Hancock read a paper on these plants^ 

 which he considered as forming only one species, to which he proposed giving Dr 

 Lindley's name, L. vulgatum. He had been led to investigate the subject from hav- 

 ing seen many specimens of L. maculatum entirely destitute of the longitudinal white 

 patches on the leaves, so particularly insisted on by most authors as its most important 

 specific character, as well as from having several with white flowers, and approaching 

 so closely to L. album as to be scarcely distinguishable from it. He stated that 

 Reichenbach, in his figure and description of what he considered to be the true ma- 

 culatum, and Dr Hooker, in his adoption of the same as such, had fallen into an error,, 

 and that their plant was doubtless a variety of L. purpurcum. 



