The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

FLORA OF THE AZOBES. 27
gardens. The decided predominance of the European flora is appealed to by those
geographers who claim the Azores as a natm-al dependency of Europe. Hence
the term " Western Islands " applied to them by English mariners, as to European
lands lying farther west than all others. Even the indigenous species nearly all
resemble European types, so that the question arises -whether they are to be
regarded as independent species, or merely simple varieties gradually trans-
formed by isolation. 'Nov is it any longer always possible to say with certainty
whether those common also to Europe have been introduced intentionallj- or uncon-
sciously, or whether they form part of the native flora assimilated by analogous
surroundings.
The original flora includes not more than five trees, and five or perhaps six
shrubs, all inferior in size to the allied plants in Madeira and the Canaries.
The palm family, so characteristic of the tropical regions, was absent at the time
of the discovery, the prevailing vegetable forms being grasses, reeds, sedge, ferns,
all suitable to a moist climate. At the arrival of the Europeans the hillsides
were clothed with timber. Fayal, that is the " Beech Grove," owed its name to
the forests of Mijrica faya, which the mariners mistook for beech-trees. Graciosa
and Flores were also indebted to their beautiful flora for these appellations, and
even so recently as the present century Flores still possessed magnificent groves of
the J'ew, all of which have since been cut down. In many parts may also still be
seen huge tranks almost concealed beneath the mosses and other lower growths,
while others have been partly covered by the lavas. The most remarkable of the
woody plants on the elevated lands are the faya, or "laurel of the Canaries," and
a species of jimiper ( Jiniipcriis o.rycedrus) spoken of by the natives as a cedar. It
is the only conifer in the archipelago, where it is found usually associated with
the arborescent heaths and myrsinse of African origin.
The heights, being now destitute of fine timber, mostly present a sombre and
monotonous aspect, while the ravines and lower valleys still reveal a varied and
picturesque vegetation. For although large trees have nearlj- everywhere dis-
appeared from the open tracts, all parts of the archipelago where the scoria had
not acquired a metallic hardness are clothed with verdure. Thanks to their
uniform and moist climate, the Azores are well adapted for experiments in
acclimatisation. A large number of species from the tropical and temperate
regions of Australia, the Old and New Worlds, have already been introduced, and
thrive admirably in this "natural conservatory." Hence the taste for pleasure-
grounds developed among the wealthy natives. In a few brief years they see
their poplars, eucalyptuses, casuarinas springing up to a height of 40 or even 60
feet, although still seldom rivalling in size their congeners in Europe, the Canaries,
and elsewhere. In the gardens of Fayal and San-Miguel the native shrubberies
have been replaced by thickets in which the oak, beech, and lime of Europe inter-
mingle their foliage with the taxodium (cypress) of Louisiana, the Virginian tulip-
tree, the Brazilian araucaria, the cedars of Lebanon and the Himalayas, the
camphor of Japan, the Australian acacia, and the palms of both hemispheres. The
fruit-trees and cultivated plants from the Portuguese orchards and arable lands,
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