June 14 , 1858 .] 
ADDITIONAL NOTICES. 
367 
island, ought at the same time to indicate the geographical distribution of its 
most abundant and characteristic plants. Along the shore the culture of the 
vine is general, and to the greater extent in the southern part of the island. 
It prevails especially in the gorges of the narrow valleys, as, for example, 
adjacent to Camara de Lobos, in the Caldeira, and Estreito ; and near Funchal, 
in the valley of Santa Lucia, on the declivity of St. Roque. Under the 
branches of the vines, which are trained over trellis- work of reeds, legumes 
are raised in great quantities, and even the sugar-cane, followed closely by the 
coffee-plant and the yam {Arum peregrinum ; Arum colocasia ), which requires 
humidity for its growth, as well as heat. Rye and wheat are cultivated above 
the chesnut woods to a height of even 2500 feet on the north coast, where the 
inhabitants have farmed in the Mato region extensive lands for some years 
past. The vine succeeds perfectly on the southern coast in positions open to 
south and east winds, even at an elevation of nearly 1500 feet. On the 
northern side of the island it thrives in the valleys, and especially in places 
sheltered from the west wind, interlacing its branches with those of the 
chesnut-trees. In the eastern part of the island the vine is cultivated to a 
considerable extent, but on the western side vineyards are exceptionally met 
with only in two localities, near Porto do Pargo and Porto Moniz. It must 
be remarked that these two places have suffered least from the grape-disease, 
which for four years has caused much calamity to all the inhabitants of 
Madeira. Above the vine, the chesnut forests ( Castanea vesca ) extend on the 
southern declivities, between the altitudes of 1000 and 2000 feet above the 
sea : at Jardin da Serra and Curral they reach 2500 feet of elevation. On the 
north coast the chesnut constantly follows the vine ; it avoids there the wind 
which it easily supports on the south side of the island. The laurel every- 
where avoids strong currents of air. The fine and often very large trees of 
this order comprise the following species : Laurus-canariensis ; the til of the 
Portuguese, Oreodaphne foetens ; and the Persea Indica i or vinhatico of the 
natives. It is only in the north of the island that virgin forests of these 
trees are found ; in the south they are concealed in narrow crevices, and are 
scarcely ever met with in considerable clusters, except at Curral in the Serra 
d’ Agoa, and on the Serra di Fora. The pine {Finns 'pinaster') is of a different 
nature. It seeks localities exposed to currents of air ; it is not found in the 
ravines ; and it does not thrive in the northern parts of the island, where sea- 
breezes are not effectually experienced. It conforms in its character with 
our pines in preferring sandy situations and a dry soil. Above the region 
of the laurel extends that of the Mato , especially on the northern declivities, 
covered everywhere with shrubs equal in height to trees, and in some places 
collected in impenetrable thickets. The plants contained in this region are 
the Erica arborea , Vaccinium Maderense , genista , and ulex. There is but 
one place at which this region is interspersed with a group of laurels. The 
Chao do Caramujo (plain of snails), elevated above the south extremity of the 
valley of St. Vincent, is surrounded by a thick bush of genista and erica. 
The plants of this region, the lower ones being represented chiefly by the 
uveira of the natives ( Vaccinium ), in common with the laurels, do not well 
bear the westerly winds. They grow indeed on the upper slopes under the 
influence of these winds ; but they diminish in height, and are farther sepa- 
rated from each other in proportion as they are exposed to the inclemency of 
the atmosphere. This is readily seen at Paul da Serra and at Poizo, a short 
distance below that crest (col), toward the north. On arriving at Feiteiras the 
luxuriance of the genistas and ericas is suddenly manifested, and it increases 
until we arrive in the laurel forest of Rio Frio. The same thing is met with 
on the banks of the Sao Vicente, at Calheta. Having left the groups of 
chesnut-trees, we cross some rye-fields, and arrive at the Mato , which is intro- 
duced by the beautiful airelle ( Vaccinium ), surpassing in height a horse and 
VOL. II. 2 F 
