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Most of the above-named species of woods are of large growth, and 

 well calculated for ship-building. It is remarkable that this district 

 produces none of the dye-wood called Brazil wood. 



Here are innumerable fruit-trees and shrubs which I have omitted 

 to particularize. Tobacco is cultivated in some parts, and is always 

 manufactured into roll by uniting the leaves with each other, and 

 twisting them with a winch. By this operation the juice is expressed, 

 and, after a short exposure to the atmosphere, the colour of the to- 

 bacco changes from green to black. 



Of wild animals, ounces are the most common ; they are met with 

 of various colours, some black and brown-red. Tapirs or antas are 

 not unfrequent, but I saw only the footsteps of some of them. Wild 

 hogs breed here in great numbers, and also long-bearded monkeys ; 

 the latter, when asleep, snore so loud as to astonish the traveller. 

 The most formidable reptiles are the corral snakcj the surrocuco, 

 the surrocuco-tinga, and the jararaca, all said to be mortally veno- 

 mous, none of which I ever saw on the journey, except a small one 

 of the former species. 



The prevailing method of clearing and cultivating the land here, 

 is precisely similar to that practised in the neighbourhood of 

 St. Paul's. After the timber and underwood have been cut down 

 and burnt (often very imperfectly), the women negroes dibble the 

 seed ; in about six weeks a slight weeding is performed, and then the 

 ground is let alone till harvest. The seed-time begins in October 

 and lasts to November ; the maize is ripe in four or five months. 

 The next year they commonly sow beans on the corn land, which 

 they then let lie, and proceed to clear new ground. It is not com- 

 mon to molest the land from which they have had two crops in suc- 

 cession, before eight or ten years have elapsed. 



The sugar-cane and mandioca require from fourteen to eighteen 

 months. Coffee planted by shoots bears fruit in two years, and is 

 in perfection in five or six years. Cottons and palma christi, raised 

 from seed, bear the first year. 



Transplanting is only practised with tobacco ; engrafting is little 

 known and rarely attempted. 



