140 



Notes of a Visit to Mexico, 



Indians is prepared), and Indian Corn succeed at this elevation. 

 Moms multicaulis, which has lately been introduced for rearing 

 the silkworm, thrives most vigorously and produces leaves during 

 the whole year. The silk produced is of the finest quality and 

 promises to become an important article of exportation. The 

 greater part of the valley of Guatemala is under cultivation, and 

 produces excellent crops of Indian Corn ; the ravines by which it 

 is surrounded on three sides, vary in depth from 100 to 500 feet; 

 they have evidently been made, and are still being made daily, 

 by the water from the plain and surrounding mountains, after a 

 heavy shower, having washed away the thin cover of ferruginous 

 clay, till it reaches the crumbled pumicestone of which the plain is 

 composed, when that light material is also carried away by the flood. 

 The sides of these ravines slope at an angle of 45° more or less, 

 and a rivulet of insipid water winds its way through most of them. 

 The pumicestone is not suitable for vegetation, unless it is well 

 decomposed and mixed with vegetable matter ; in this state it is 

 the favourite soil of Sobralia macrantha, which is one of the most 

 splendid of the Guatemala Orchidacecs unfolding, for several weeks 

 in succession, rich crimson flowers, from 6 to 8 inches in diameter, 

 supported on a reed-like stem, and forming a beautiful contrast be- 

 tween the dwarf, but not less handsome, Achimenes longiflora, 

 growing by its side. This Achimenes, like pedunculata, has also 

 been materially improved by proper cultivation. The flowers 

 have become nearly double the size and are produced in greater 

 abundance than in its native place. 



The valley of Guatemala is destitute of trees, and for the greater 

 part also of shrubs; it is chiefly on the sides of the ravines that 

 Oncidium Cavendishianum, leucochilum and Epidendrum auran- 

 tiacum are to be found. 



One of my first excursions after examining the vegetation about 

 Guatemala was to the " Chorro," a little cascade by the roadside, 

 about 12 miles N.E. of the capital; here I found again, though 



