CALACALA GARDENS. 



139 



the city; while here, the 15th of December, it has not commenced to 

 rain. 



In the garden of the minister of haciendas, we were shown the morus 

 multicaulis, which had been lately imported. In comparison with those 

 we have seen growing in North America, they appeared to be in a con- 

 genial climate and soil. The minister was fond of gardening, and was 

 at work early in the morning, giving the Indians instructions before he 

 went to a cabinet meeting. While the husband travelled about with the 

 government, his wife remained at home raising silk. She appeared with 

 a basket of cocoons. Most of the cabinet families were from Sucre. 

 The ladies of that city are celebrated through the country for elegant 

 manners. It is impossible to resist the temptation to notice the beauty 

 of the fair sex in this part of the country. 



Lemons, limes, and oranges are raised in Calacala, but not in perfec- 

 tion ; pumpkins and peppers seem to nourish better. Seven cuttings 

 of 'lucerne are made here in the year. The cattle and horses are kept 

 in fine order upon it. Donkeys are fastened by a fore-foot to a stake 

 driven in the ground ; cattle are tied by the horns and fed. They are 

 seldom turned out in the field to pasture. The Indians plant a row of 

 quinua round maize, sweet potatoes, or other patches. The animals will 

 not eat it, and are even afraid to touch it. This is the only fence we 

 have seen in the country, except those built of adobe, which are gen- 

 erally so high that the view of the garden is entirely obstructed from 

 the road. The quinua plant grows from four to six feet high, and looks 

 like a coarse weed. The grain is small, like turnip seed, and very nutri- 

 tious. It is an important crop in this country, particularly on the table- 

 lands. When boiled like rice, and eaten with milk, it is very savory. 



The flowers raised in the gardens are generally those imported from 

 other countries ; the tube rose and others are cultivated in perfection. 

 There are no pretty flowers indigenous to this part of the country, 

 except the Indian girls. 



The alameda is frequented in the evening ; there are plenty of seats, 

 but for the want of water the plants and. walks are in disorder. The 

 level walk is about eight hundred yards long from a large brick arched 

 entrance to the bank of the river. The arches were decorated with 

 representations of battles and great men. We noticed a white figure 

 very much besmeared with mud thrown at it. Over the head of the 

 figure, letters carved in stone expressed the name of balivian. He 

 had been thus pelted by the soldiers of his successor, each man as he 

 passed showing his love of country by flinging a handful of mud at the 

 image of the late President. # 



