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VEGETATION A.EIOTJXSJJD OOTJJST I’.R, Y IIOUdE ITsT IVtBO'CtC’O 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 1373, by D. D. T. Moons, In the offlco of the Libraries of Congress, at Washington.] 
Jlamlscajje dantynhtjj. 
ASPECTS OF VEGETATION. 
Constantly living in northern latitudes, 
■vve form but feeble notions of the extreme 
vigor and luxuriance of tropical vegetation, 
a vigor induced in a great measure by an 
enormous rainfall and the genial heat and 
brilliant light of a tropical sun. Bathed in 
constant heat and humidity, vegetath>u grows 
rampant; flowering, fruiting, reproduction, 
and decay go on simultaneously, or follow 
each other in quick succession. Travelers 
frequently tell us in their works of the won¬ 
drous vegetation they have met with in the 
tropics, but it is not every one who cares to 
wade through page after page of descriptive 
matter, and when wo attempt the task we 
often obtain but very faint ideas of the ef¬ 
fects described. H. is not every one who 
possesses the sparkling imaginel on and de¬ 
scriptive power of a Kingsley ; were it so, 
the tropics would be far better understood 
than they are at present, and it is only by 
the combined use of pen and pencil that, we 
can hope to make various aspects of vegeta¬ 
tion understood by our readers. In the illus¬ 
tration now before us, wc have a Mexican 
scene, showing a neat little hacienda, snugly 
embowered in a strip of forest, trees, among 
which rambling Lianas twist and twine 
themselves into giotesque and weird con¬ 
torted masses, or coil themselves round the 
stems and branches with all the grace of a 
serpent’s folds. Here and there in these 
strips of primaeval forests, these Lianas be¬ 
come partially detached by the fall of some 
mona’-cli of tho forest., and hang from the 
over-hauging branches of the surrounding 
troea in irregular wioaths of fresh drooping 
foliage and bright-colored sweetly-perfumed 
ilowei^. Here, in the no .ntido heat, flit 
gaily-painted butterflies—like living moving 
flowers—while richly enameled diurnal bee¬ 
tles flit to and fro In tho golden suul ght. In 
tho foreground of our picture we have an 
impenetrable fence formed by planting tho 
common American Aloe, or “Century plant” 
(/I gave A mericanu), Interspersed here and 
there with columnar Cacti (Cereus). Other 
succulent plants are used for forming fences 
and boundaries in Mexico, one of the most 
important being OpvnHn Tuna or Prickly 
Pear. Both the Opu/Htia and the Agave are 
also utilized iu other ways, the latter yielding 
a ‘valuable fiber and a vinous juice, which, 
after being fermented, is known by the ver¬ 
nacular name of “ pulque,” and is of a re¬ 
freshing nature, but characterized by the 
odor of decomposed moat. From this juice 
an intoxicating spirit is made, of an extreme¬ 
ly fiery nature, called “ Mexico!,” or “ Aguar¬ 
diente de Maguey.” On the left side of tho 
picture, graceful Palms throw up their fcath- 
ery foliage, and their fibrous roots, ever 
seeking for moisture, dive deep into the de¬ 
cayed bed of huiuus below. Tho little ranch 
is nearly covered with juicy Gourds and 
other rank trailing plants, and here, once 
more, we see nature striving for the mastery 
against all opposition. Great-leaved Musas 
and rank Grasses occupy the middle distance, 
and beyond arc two fine Palms, probably 
planted as ornaments to the little “ hacienda ” 
or planter’s house, which forms a prominent 
feature iu the annexed illustration. 
Wo here sec some of the picturesque, effects 
to be obtained by judiciously grouping 
I massive succulents along with graceful Palms 
I in our conservatories or sub-tropical grounds, 
j and this effect would bo all the more appa¬ 
rent if tho Agaves were in great clumps or 
irregular masses, instead of being in tho 
monotonous and formal lino of the fence. Jn 
tho picture before us, it, must be borne in 
mind that wo have little else but a natural 
scene pure and simple, and one in which 
planting for effect was perhaps the last con¬ 
sideration, if we except the pair of Fulms to 
which we have just alluded. Another lesson 
given here is, that extremely lino cfl’octs may 
be obtained in our gardens, during the sum¬ 
mer and autumn months, by planting somo 
of the strong-growing Gourds in light,, richly • 
manured earth, and training them over any 
low out-house or low retaining wail We 
, may hope that as our knowledge of tho 
1 varied aspects of the worl .’s vegetation in¬ 
creases, so will tho bounty of our gardens be 
also enhaneod by well-arranged group of 
varied and striking vegetation, amid sur¬ 
roundings that will show off their beauty to 
the best advantage, white characteristic vig¬ 
or and simple elegance of form shall at least 
be thought as effective in garden scenery as 
gaudy masses of color. There is great oppor¬ 
tunity for study iu this matter, and great 
need of it also. Yet there are thousands of 
our renders who will say “ Wherefore ?” 
VOL. XXVTII. No. 7. ( 
WHOLE No. 12-29. ) 
NEW YORK, AND ROCHESTER, N. Y, AUG. 16, 1873. 
( PRICE ®T3C CENTS. 
1 $12.50 PER YEAR. 
