g4 AVOYAQETO Book VII 



CHAP. VIIL 



Pertiiity of the Territories ofhiUA, and the 

 manner of cultivating the foil, 



IT is natural to think that a countryj where rain 

 is leldom or ever known, muO:, of neceflity, be 

 totally barren ; whereas the country of Lima enjoys 

 a fertility to be envied, producing, all kinds of grain, 

 and a prodigious wariety of fruits. Here induftry 

 and art fupply that moifture which the clouds feeni 

 to widihoki and the foil is by this means rendered 

 remarkably fruitful, amidft a continual drought. 



It has already been obferved, that one of the prin- 

 cipal cares of the Yncas was the cutting and dif- 

 pofing in the mod advantageous manner, trenches 

 or fmall canals, in order to conduCl the waters of 

 the rivers to nourifli every part, , and render large 

 £eids capable of producing grain. The Spaniards 

 finding thefe ufeful works ready executed to their 

 hands, took care to keep them in the fam^e order ; 

 and by thefe are watered the fpacious fields of 

 wheat and barley, large meadows, plantations of 

 fugar canes, and olive trees, vineyards and gardens! 

 of all kinds \ all yielding uncommon plenty. Lima 

 differs from Quito, where the fruits of the earth 

 have no determined feafons; but here the harvefts 

 are gathered in, and the trees drop their leaves, ac- 

 cording to their rcfpcdive natures ^ for thofe which 

 grow fpontancoufly in a hot climate, though the 

 livelinefs of their verdure fades, their leaves do not 

 fall off till others fupply their place. The blofToms 

 alfo have their refpecftive times, and are correfpon- 

 do^m^ij fucceeded by fruits \ fo that this country 

 refembles thofe of the temperate zones, no lefs ia 

 the produd and fealbns of corn, blolToais, fruits^ 



