NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



the Chilian flora, allied to the pine-apple. The long 

 stiff leaves, edged with sharp teeth and radiating from 

 the lower part of the stem, are coloured bright red 

 along the centre and at the base, forming, when seen 

 from a distance, a brilliant, many-rayed red star. 

 Another novelty was Francoa sonchifolia, which also 

 clings to the rocks by the sea. It ha.s somewhat the 

 habit of a large crucifer, but the structure of the 

 flower and fruit is widely different. It was regarded 

 by Lindley as the type of a distinct natural family, 

 but has been, with one other Chilian genus {Tetilla), 

 classed as a tribe of the saxifrage family. 



Time passed quickly in such an interesting spot, 

 and the hour appointed for returning to the ship had 

 nearly arrived, when Mr. Reilly, the gardener who has 

 the management of the parque, invited me to see his 

 house. He came, as I learned, from Wexford, in 

 Ireland, had had some training in the Royal Gardens 

 at Kew, when his fortunate star led him to Chili. I 

 found him installed in a very pretty and comfortable 

 house, charmingly situated, in as full enjoyment of 

 one of the most beautiful gardens in the world as if 

 he were its absolute owner. This was only one more 

 instance of the success which so often attends my 

 countrymen when removed to a distance from their 

 native land. Freed from the evil influences that 

 seem indigenous to the soil of that unfortunate island, 

 they develop qualities that are too rarely perceptible 

 at home. The arguments for emigration are com- 

 monly based only on the economical necessity for 

 relieving the land of surplus population ; to my mind 

 it may be advocated on other and quite different 



