_ hitherto escaped the ravages of the axe and 
_ of fire, resemble a park, being quite free 
fore unseen, shoots up, particularly on the 
lofty mountains, which presents indeed a 
lovely spectacle, being loaded with flowers, 
but forms an impenetrable thicket. In 
places where not a single tree has escaped 
the devouring element arises a bushy Oak, 
the Scrub Oak (Quercus ilicifolia), im- 
peding the progress of the hunter, and 
proving the greatest enemy to the farmer, 
as its roots run deep and throw up new 
shoots so readily, that it is almost impossi- 
ble to eradicate it. In the warmer tracts 
of this part of the world, the consequences 
are still more apparent. The formidable 
stinging Tree-Nettle (Urtica baccifera, 
Linn.), the ugly species of Psychotria and 
Piper, presently occupy the bounds of the 
woods in Cuba, and where cultivation is 
hot promptly and speedily employed, an 
Impenetrable mass of crooked-thorned 
es, Ipomeas, and other climbing 
Plants soon occupy the soil. How similar 
Causes are seen to operate on the vegetable 
E kingdom in the Andes of Peru, and in the 
= Primitive forests of Maynas, I shall here- 
_ alter take occasion to mention. 
In Chili such burned places soon pre- 
Sent the powerfully-stinging Loasas, with 
erect or climbing stems, followed by shrubs 
. Whose seeds are prickly, and attach them- 
selves. to every surrounding object, Acc- 
= "as, Uncinias, and many others: shortly 
after, the Colliguaja gets a footing, an 
; arborescent grass which characterizes the 
districts of Chili, as does the Bamboo the 
Warm climes of Asia, and as the endless 
TETE 1: SP ee N LA 
: eR fropical parts of America. The stems 
s the Colliguaja shoot up in great num- 
* from their creeping roots, and in a rich 
: ‘Soil attain an elevation of twelve to eighteen 
ud tufted, for their whole length, with 
E og green leaves, and covered with 
Pa ard a polished yellow bark as resists 
€ knife: they are, moreover, extremely 
x i and by incautiously bending them, 
^L. I. 
ACCOUNT OF THE ARAUCARIA IMBRICATA OF CHILI. 
353 
you may chance to receive a smart blow. 
Every where, from the sea to the Upper 
Andes, these trees seem to find a suitable 
habitat, byt near the snow-line they dwin- 
dle to mere shrubs, between which it is 
with great difficulty you can force a path, 
and not without many a fall, as the feet 
easily slip on their smooth stems, which 
stretch at length along the ground. This 
plant is no less useful to the Chileno than 
is the Bamboo to the native of Asia, man 
parts of his house consist of the Colligua- 
Ja. But the detriment this plant occasions 
is almost still greater when it has migrated 
into a field newly prepared for cultivation, 
for after the burning of the primitive fo- 
rests, living roots still remain, and in the 
first spring, the stems of this grass rapidly 
spring up between the young seed, and, as 
autumn draws on, prevent the harvest. It 
is hardly possible to succeed in extirpating 
the root, for where the smallest portion re- 
mains, there is a bud for a fresh brood, 
with which it requires continual labour to 
combat. The numerous fallen trunks 
obliged us to take circuitous ways over the 
pathless steep mountain-sides. Still, many 
beautiful plants rewarded this exertion, the 
beautiful Tropeolum (T. speciosissimum, 
Poepp.), with many other very remarkable 
plants, grew there; as Myrtus bullata, M. 
chrysocarpa, Perezia prenanthoides, Se- 
necio obscurus, Sida stelligera, Gerardia 
Chilensis, Dichroma pallens, and D. al- 
pinum, all new species: these present 
themselves abundantly over the shady 
bushes, and, with their red purple flowers, 
ler t] ] i f a great 
i 
distance. 
Towards the evening we had ascended 
the moderately high ridges that form the 
back-ground of the valley ; and the dense 
crown that was seen above these, from afar, 
had indicated our near approach to the de- 
sired aim, and added new vigour to our 
exertions. When we arrived at the first 
Araucarias, the sun had just set, still some 
time remained for their examination. 
What first struck our attention, were the 
thick roots of these trees, which lie spread 
Z 
