188 EVERLASTING FLOWERS. 



water). Its seeds are pounded into meal, from which is made excellent 

 and nutritious bread. The natives cultivate maize and other plants, includ- 

 ing the potato and batata (sweet potato). The potato grows wild in the 

 mountains of Palitera. In the Chibcha language the potato is Yomi ; in 

 Peru this root is known as Papa. The batata is called camote in Peru, 

 but its Quichna name is Apichu. With respect to the cultivation of the 

 quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoci), now abandoned, we have no particulars. The 

 seed of the plant is very nutritious, and it is probable it was eaten in the 

 form of a porridge, such as they made with maize, seasoning it with salt, 

 red pepper, and savoury herbs. In the hot valleys they had the yucca 

 (Jatropha Mdnihoi), the arracacha {Oxalis crenata) in the temperate region, 

 and some vegetables ; but we do not know if they used the fecula of the 

 Choco bianco (Lupinus), as they did in Quito. We are ignorant if they, as 

 the Mexicans, extracted sugar from the maize cane, not having the sugar 

 cane, which was brought from the Old World ; or if they only used honey, 

 found abundantly amongst the declivities of the Cordillera. The plantain 

 — now so abundant in New Granada, that it may be said to form half the 

 food of the population — was not cultivated in olden times, or known, ex- 

 cepting in the province of Choco. It is calculated that ground, yielding 

 wheat for the sustenance of one man, would grow plantains for twenty- 

 five men. 



The eastern and western slopes of the Cordilleras are densely covered 

 with every species of timber, including a large mahogany, out of which the 

 Indian scoops his canoe. The cotton and India rubber plants grow wild, 

 as also cocoa, canella (called by some cinnamon), coffee, the guayusa or 

 tea plant, vanilla, tobacco, indigo, orchella, wax palm, copal, storax, 

 spices, dyes, sugar cane, rice, maize, cinchona bark, cedron, &c. — indeed, a 

 paradise for the botanist. In the more temperate parts, there are large 

 grazing and arable farms. The mean temperature of the cinchona region 

 is about 62° F. ; from 4,000 to 10,000 feet above the level of the sea ; and 

 the region extends from 10° N. to 19° S. lat. As to mineral productions, 

 they are in abundance. The entire range of the Cordilleras abound with 

 gold, silver, and copper. Gold is also found on the banks and in the 

 channel of every river which has its source. It is often stated that Peru is 

 rich in emeralds : it should rather be said, the coast of Equador. I have 

 never heard of this gem having been found in Peru. At the Museum of 

 Practical Geology in London, there is an instructive collection of emeralds, 

 and rocks in which they are found. 



EVERLASTING FLOWERS. 



BY T. D. ROCK. 



Amongst the rich variety of natural objects with which a bountiful 

 Providence regales the sense of vision, few rank higher in the estimation of 

 mankind than flowers. We love these bright gems of the vegetable world 



