We are not aware that Mr. Cuming, who 
is collecting in various branches of Natu- 
ral History in the Philippine and adjacent 
islands, has written to any of his botanical 
friends since his departure. But a mer- 
cantile friend of our's in Glasgow, has re- 
ceived a letter from a correspondent at 
Manilla, who met with Mr. Cuming, and 
traversed with him a considerable portion 
of the mountainous district of Lucon, a 
region probably never before trodden by 
an European, certainly not by an European 
Naturalist. The result of that excursion 
alone is stated to be a very considerable 
collection of plants, especially of Ferns. 
We have the pleasure to announce the 
first arrival of dried Brazilian plants from 
Mr. George Gardner, whose visit to South 
America has already been announced ; and 
the several packages addressed to the dif- 
ferent subscribers, will be forwarded to 
them immediately. From what we have 
yet seen of the specimens, they are ex- 
ceedingly well preserved, all of them num- 
bered with corresponding figures, and 
many of them (as far as Mr. Gardner had 
the opportunity of doing so) are named. 
A list of them will be hereafter published 
in this Journal. In the mean while, we 
are anxious to present our readers with 
such extracts from a very long letter which 
accompanied these plants to Europe, as 
ar most on the Botany or Natural His- 
tory generally of the neighbourhood of 
Rio, or upon Mr. Gardner’s prospects as a 
botanical collector. 
** Rio Camprido, near Rio de Janeiro, 
** Dec. 18, 1836. 
“ My DEAR Sra, —I have to return you 
my most sincere thanks for the books you 
were so kind as to send me, all of which, 
but especially Dr. Lindley's Natural Or- 
ers, will prove highly valuable. From 
the first place, I found, in my excursions, 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
so many things that I thought would pro 
acceptable to my subscribers, that it ap- 
peared to me advisable to continue collect 
ing. During this period, I have also been 
accustoming myself to exposure to the cli- 
mate, and have picked up a little of the 
language; besides making acquaintance — 
with several individuals who possess con- - 
siderable influence in the mining districts, 
and who will be of the utmost service to 
me when I shall visit that part ofthe — 
country. xs it 
“In this, my first shipment, I send, - 
including Cryptogamia, about four hun- is 
dred and eighteen species, and above six — 
thousand specimens. I shall wait with | 
much anxiety to learn your opinion about 
these; but may venture to remark, that I- 
am quite aware a few of the subscribers 
would have preferred receiving plants from — 
a more inland quarter; so that if any in- 
dividuals should express the least unwil- 
lingness to take these, they may be laid - 
aside along with those parcels which are 
not bespoken, until some future purchasers : 
should present themselves. As regards - 
the condition which these collections are - 
in, I need not say to you, how much the. 
difficulty of preserving plants is increased. É 
by the moisture of this climate, which m F 
the dryest months is very much greater - 
than in England, while during the heavy 
rains, which never last less than three or 
four days successively, it is utterly 1mpos- 
sible to prevent the larger specimens from 
becoming covered with a yellowish mould. | 
I have done all that lay in my power or 
render the collection a good one, and flat- 
ter myself that at least it is in as perfect a 
state as what is generally sent from Brazil. 
It was needful to send it by London, few 
vessels ever leaving this place for any 
other port in England -— 
of 
sisting of specimens of the p 
neighbourhood, the other a collection KL 
Brazilian Shells ; these can be sent to my 
