June i, 1892 .I 
THE TftOPieAL ACiai6tlLTUni8T. 
887 
do we find two of tho same kind growing in company, 
— nature delighting rather in variety and contrasts, — 
one tree upright as an Aroca palm, another sloping over a 
chasm ; one with bark smootti ns ivory, the next prickly 
as “Acacia horrida." Kxoeptions there are, and one 
might he seen on most river hanks, viz., the llalso wood 
(Ochroma pUcatorui], os if providently placed there for 
the natives, who invariably use its remarkably light 
wood for their rafts. The Ochronia has a cotton-like 
fruit which might bo used for stuffing beds, Ac. 
Tho graceful Ivory palm (I'hytelephas), may also he 
seen in small groups, indicating the very richest 
spots of soil. Near to this may no found a solitary 
Cacao {Theciti'Onia) 30 to 40 inches in circumference, 
and rising to the mature height of 60 feet. Coffee 
of course is not found wild here, but at intervals we 
came upon gigantic specimens of tho Cinchona, both 
Calisaya and Succirubra, 6 feet in circumference. 
The ii’a/nni of Peru is frequently seen in the Peren 6 
Valley, growing to a height of 60 to 70 feet. Satin- 
wood there is also, but not the Satinwood of Ceylon 
{CHoroxylony, for though the wood looks similar, the 
family (Klxmacea) is in no way related to our Ceylon 
tree. The indigenous Coca as an undergrowth wo 
rarely came across, except in semi-cultivated patches. 
Gigantic cottons, the Screw Pine (Carluifovica) from 
which tho famous Panama hat is made, the grand 
scarlet flowering h'n/thrina, and another tall and 
brilliant yellow flowering tree— probably tho Lahumunt 
of Peru — add much to tho beauty of the scene. 
Many other leguminous plants wo also noted, parti- 
cularly Callianara and Clitvria. 
Innumerable Orchids, mosses and /cins sufficiently 
indicated the humid nature of the climate and fully 
satisfied ns os to the rainfall. 
Probably the chief distinguishing feature in Peruvian 
vegetation is that it is an essentially flowering and 
fruit-bearing vegetation, rather than tho excessive 
leaf-producing which so distinguislies the luxuriant 
greenery on tho Island of Ceylon. Peru undoubtedly 
possesses a richer soil and a clitnate more favour- 
able to fruit bearing; while, compared with the 
massiveness and grandeur of the Trans-Andoan forest 
monarchs, tho jungles of Ceylon are somewhat dimi- 
nutive. A few x’lants we missed; tho beautiful and 
useful yellow Bamboo is not there, nor are the Palmyra, 
Talipot and Coconut Palms. TheJak and Ureadfruit 
trees might also be introduced with groat advantage. 
Tho cultivated grasses of the East, tho Ouiiica and 
Mauritius grass, ore here already, but as a nutritious 
fodder they cannot bo compared with the “ Alfalfa " 
(Lucerne). Of the leaf products, perhaps none are 
destined to become more important than the Coca 
(Erythroxylou), which is bound to increase in value 
commercially as its undoubted virtues become better 
known. Tho land we have spooially selected on 
the Peronfi, as hereafter shown, may be said to 
bo the native home of this invaluable plant, and as 
We doubt if it can be grown in uny other part of the 
World with equal success we would strongly rccommeod 
its being planted out ou an extensive rcsle to meet 
the growing demand. 
The various kinds of liubber found here might also 
be oullivaied, or rather planted out, on a large scale 
with much profit and at little cost. 
EOUTE8 TAKEN, WITH SUORT DEBCBIPTION OF THE 
codntbv passed through. 
Having thus indicated the nature of the climate, 
■oil, and vegetation of the country wo visited, it may 
be of some interest, before dealing spooifioally with the 
land selected, to state shortly the routes taken in our 
■oarch after land suitable for the purposes of tropical 
■gricnltare, and, as briefly, to describe the main 
features of the districts we passed through. 
The woetern slopes of tho Andean range 
extend, in the valley of the Bimao, from Callao, the 
port of our arrival, to Ohiola, the temporary terminus 
°f the Central railway. 
The altitude of Cbiola, at which the approximate 
utnit of cultivation is reached, is la, 215 foot above 
■«a level. 
tram the sea the valley is wide and flat, but it 
arrows beyond Lima, and becomes steeper and some- 
wn«t rugged uear Cboeica, vvheu the hills lose upon 
the plain. The valley is highly cultivated between 
Lima and Chosiev, and at Ohosica tillage of the 
lerraoea, at the base of and a'ong the mounldn slop is, 
begins. 
Alter leaving Chicli, beyond Citsapalcs, Ibe Cor- 
dillera is enoountcroel amt crossrd. The Country— 
especially the first twelve or fifteen miles — is wild 
and rugged, produciog on the slopes and in the valleys 
only the shortest grass, affording but scanty food for 
the llainaB and doakeys proceeding to and returning 
from Cbiola and the railway, with ores, produce and 
n erebandise. 
From the summit, near Galera, the conutry bo- 
oomea moio undulating, and, as Purara and Paoba- 
ohaoa are reached, it is more soiled for grazing. Be- 
tween Pachachaca and Oroya lies a fine grazing 
Country, along which sheep in large nnmberg every- 
where find abundant pasturage. 
Greys, a hamlet ooneisting of an hotel or hostelry 
and a few huts, is at the point where, by a wire 
suspension bridge, the bridle road leading to 
Tarma, Janja, (fee., crosses the Oroya rivor. Thence 
about a milo and a-holf out, the roads to these 
towns diverge— for Tarma to the loft, and for Jaoja, 
Huancayo, Ac., to the right. The former road ascends 
abruptly to over 16iO(IO feet and. crossing tho Cordillera, 
descends towards Tarma by a rougli and steep path 
loading through populons and tliriving villages. 
Near that town the valley widens and becomes a 
scene of busy agricultural industry. Tho road to 
Jaujtt continnos through bold, undulating, grazing 
country, ranging from 12,000 to I.5,IX)0 feet altitude, 
till, from near Acola, the whole area appears torra<.'ed 
and cultivated, the soil being everywhere exceedingly 
rich an(I friable. 
Tarma is a town of imjiortuncc, having a popula- 
tion of about tl.txx), engaged chiefly in trading. 
Thoro are good hotels and schools, and a weeMy 
market, to which tho produce of the surrounding 
country is brought. It is tho centre of a considerahlo 
agricultural district, comprising a great portion of the 
terraces and slopes of the surrounding hills; and 
from it roads lead to Jauja, Cerro do Pasco, Chun- 
chaniayo and other places. 
The country along the above route is mountainous 
uud the slopes are steep, hut whore possible they 
are ten-aced and cultivated. A few miles below I'alca, 
however, agriculture ceases, and tho old bridle 
road— for whicli a fine new road at a gradient 
of 1 in 20 , and about 9 feet wide is being 
substituted — trends along the shoulder of a precipi- 
tous gorge, through which the Chanoliamayo river, 
in a series of tumbling rapids, finds a tortuous oonrse. 
Huacapostana, an hostelry, am] I’an da Azuoar, near 
tbe upper limit of tropical vegetation, are on tbe rivet 
bank, in a drop and narrow ravine. From the latter 
place to Chalwapuku and Naranjal, (the oammenoe- 
ment of tbe Chauchamayo Valley, where we first taw 
the cultivation of sugar-cane) tbe bills recede towarde 
Port San Ramon — Dear to which the road to Vitoo 
turns off to the right. The mountaine close in again 
near and beyond La Merced, a thriving village, having 
two hotels, some gool shops and stores, and situated 
in the otntro of a sugar-oaue and coffee growing 
distriot, tho cultivated portion of which is now oonfizel 
chiefly to the river hanks. 
The valley is limited in area, and is bounded on all 
sides, especially on tbe south, by high and somewhat 
precipitous hills and ranges. 
From the Bio BIsnoo, near the eastern boundary of 
Chanebamayo, the road trends along the left 
bauk of the Chauchamayo River to its junotion 
at Pork Werllieman with the Bio Pancartambo, 
The whole country along this road, exoepting two or 
three small <‘obaoraB,” or gardens belonging to natives, 
is nncloired ; but on tho right bank of the Ohanoh- 
amayo, which U rocky and bare, Iheie is forest only 
at the bass of the bills. 
From Port Wertheman, where there is a fine fiat 
of limited extent, to San Luis do Schnaro, is a continu- 
ation of country as above desoribed. Opposite tho 
latter place, which consists of a convent and a few 
huta, begins the western boundary of the lands s«s 
leoted by us atoog the valley q( the Kio Pereuij, 
