ANS 
(mln & 
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Pek 
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3 450 | os ihe) and Ph hy siological 1 Bofanys 
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ravines, the ‘barrancas,’ which score the volcanoes on ae 2 
-pulque. The forests consist chiefly of oaks and Coniferee. ‘Sb 4 
was the only crop. The forests, however, soon disappear 
on ne coasts ; the ign St became the pie ee 
richer vegetation of tropical “growths fills hes moister 
sides. ‘The upper portion of the tropical zone is covered _ a 
by damp mountain-woods with evergreen foliage. _Asso-. a 
ciated with the lofty exogenous trees are tree-ferns, - ares 
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Sah 
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‘ 
borescent Liliaceze, numberless lianes, among which are the a 
sarsaparilla and the vanilla, an immense variety of copiously 
flowering Orchideze and Bromeliacez, including the pine- 
apple. The cultivation of the coffee, plantain, and a 4 
cane are here carried on with success. A striking contrast — 
to this wealth is presented by Yucatan, the chief product: of 
which is its logwood forests. The highland of tropical — 
Mexico enjoys an extremely uniform climate, with a tem- 4 
perature resembling that of the summer at Paris. In the : ; 
character of its vegetation, its agaves, spiny Mimosas, and» 
cacti, it approaches the southern prairies, but 1s admirably’ _ 
adapted to the cultivation of the olive, mulberry, and vine, 
and especially of the agaves which yield the drink known as 4 
ee 
The gradual slope of Mexico towards the Pacific, or Pacific 
zone, has a less uniform character than the narrow Gulf- — 
zone. Its flora is less rich than that of the Gulf-zone, the | § 
rainfall being less; but the sea-coast is bordered ig as 
tropical forest which yields logwood and the cocoa-naut. 
16. The West Indian Region. 
The West Indies form a phyto-geographical region of 4 . 
their own. Each of the solstices is followed by a rainy — ? 
season. which causes the West Indian archipelago to be well — 
wooded to the tops of the mountains. The present vegeta- 
tion is, however, different from the aboriginal. When first 
discovered by Europeans the whole of Jamaica was sie 
entirely covered with mahogany trees and Cedrelas ; 
tye § 
al EN 
