Ch,V. south AMERICA; 241 



The great affinity between this climate and that 

 of Spain is evident from its produds, though there 

 is a remarkable difference with regard to their good- 

 ncfs and plenty, in both which this country has 

 greatly the advantage. The trees and plants of all 

 kinds have their regular feafons, embellifhing the 

 fields with their verdure, entertaining the fight with 

 their various flowers and bloffoms, and gratifying 

 the palate with their delicious fruits. It is need- 

 lefs to mention that the times of the feafon muft 

 be oppofite, confequently the winter in Spain is 

 their fummer, and the autumn of the former, the 

 fpring of the latter. In faying that this country 

 produces the fame corn and fruits as Spain, I do 

 not mean thofe of the moft fouthern parts; for 

 neither fugar-canes, oranges, nor lemons thrive here. 

 Nor is it well adapted to olive-yards, though fome 

 olives are produced here. But the fruits cultivated 

 in the center of Spain, are the fame with thofe pro- 

 duced here in a moft aftoniihing plenty, wheat and 

 other grain, generally producing an hundred fold. I 

 lhall here relate an inflance 1 myfelf faw and ex- 

 amined at Talcaguano, in a garden near the fea 

 fide, at a place called the Morro, very little more 

 than a quarter of a league from the harbour. A- 

 mong feveral ftalks of wheat that had grown there 

 without culture, I faw one whofe ftem was not 

 more than a foot from rhe ground, but from its 

 knots there afterwards fprung fo many ftalks, as 

 produced thirty-four ears % the largeft of which were 

 near three inches in length, and the lead not lefs 

 than two. The mafter of the houfe obferving; that 

 I viewed this production of nature with aftonifh- 

 ment, told me that it was nothing extraordinary, 

 for though the grain in the ground commonly fown, 

 did not often attain fuch a luxuriancy, it w^as com- 



* This fpecies of wheat is called Tritkum f^ica multiplici, and 

 is cultivated in Italy and Sicily. 



Vol. II, R mon 



