210 A VISIT TO THE NORTHERNMOST FOREST OF CHILE. 
scarce enn as we had met with from Algarrobo to Frai Jorge. 
rrillos, which we reached at half-past ten, has a 
somewhat different aspect, being covered with lower shrubs, amongst 
which Chuquiraga acicularis Don is the most abundant. Before we 
reached this plain, Don Belisario showed us, at 500 m. from the 
road, an enormous willow-tree, which four men can scarcely span 
with their arms. From Cenillos ue took the diligence ig Ovalle, 
sending the ee Sia the serv 
Cerrillos age at at foot of the famous — de 
vo asa ots = ascends the railway from Tongoi to the 
copper-mines situated very high up the hill. The little village 
offers nothing of interest, neither were there on the way to Ovalle 
the slightest things of interest. We arrived after 24 hours’ voyage at 
Ovalle, early enough for arranging the collected plants and for taking 
leave of our acquaintances, and for thanking the gentlemen by whose 
kindness we had been enabled to reach the forest of Frai Jorge. 
ime an account of it, if agreeable to the readers of this J peed 
The forest of Frai Jorge is one of the most striking facts of 
tie tins ce of Alacama, and in the ae of it exists this wood formed 
nearly entirely of southern plants! Aewtowicon has hitherto not 
been found farther north than the neighbourhood of Valparaiso, 
outside of the Secs is much more like the southern form as 
Darwinii than those of Central Chile; the Colletia found there is 
muc e to a species of the sandy shore of Auraca; and indeed 
: : : i 
e 
forest more than of anything else. And with these Oa grow 
Eupatorium glechonophyllum, Linum Chamissonis, and K eneckia 
oblonga, which belong to the central flora. 
The mean temperature of Valdivia is of 11-01° Cels., and ie 
mean rainfall of 2557 mm., after four years’ observation ; ‘and 
observation of Chiloe shows a rainfall of 1820 mm. The 
‘75 Cels. (four years’ vel 
It is thus very remarkable Hage in ib midst of a desert flora 
there exists an oasis of southern plants. Two questions — 
themselves: how can these southern plants live there, an 
did they come ? 
