The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-01-11

Comparative yegetatlon Of Diaefent Cll-
mates.


MtMA - EArm.
That the character Of an kinds Of yegeta-
ton, as well as all animal life, depends upon
the character of the climate In which they
are produced, is too well known to Be ioubt-
ed, but we will examine how and Why GER
tain climates produce certain classes of VOICE
tation; first promising that . warmA Ssaisf
climate is the most favorable 10 the produc-
tion Of an exubersnt vegetation. Thus, in
South America where, more than any where
else, this is the predomiuating character et
the climate, we find no less than thirteen
thoasdnd distinct species OF plantss while in
dryer and colder North America not more
than four thousand have yet been discover
ed, although better known bctanicaiiy than
South America; and sll the eastern cont
nsnt produces only from three to four thou
sand. and much the greater in n1mber Of
these are found in the t~o Americas, leaving,
at any es.imzts, frsaA seven 20 ten tloasanI
kinds Of vegetation peculiar to the warm,
moist, enerva.ipg climate Of south America.
And yet some portions Of aha continent ere
so dry as to be almost deserts. Or st the best
are only sparsely covered by thin. feeble
coatsof stunted vegetAtson, presenting that
at one glance, from the SUBMITS of the An
des, on the one hand, CLINE Of the richest
of vegetation, and on the other, drouth and
. parched sou, its naksdness poorly conceal
ed BY its scattered grasses. These noun
tains separate these two climates by asb.p-
ly cut line and testify, with testimony
stronger and less improbable than mans,
to the importance Of the part performed by
the mouL..in range in regulating the condi-
ton Of climate by thar distribution Of rain
by msAos Of their relative position 70 the
prevailing wiads.
The <eat BASIN Of the Amaznpsr;-sr h the
true home o; the king Of he vegetable world
the palm tree, and no where elss-doss this
noble form OF vegetation show ssslf In the
OF so 1 reat number Of spssies.-
This Is the undevi, ting indexby which God.
through patnre, Civ V expression to. the in
influence of the warn and vaporous charac-
Ter Of the atmospber upon vegetable life
And All trees growing mere or elsewhere IN
the same conditions II climate, are distin-
grished by their k.!eass and in such q
ssatfon no tree bearing the thin, slender,
'shrunken leaf peculia. to the vegetation Of
Northern Europe, Africa, aud Eew Holland,
was ever known TO flourish. Dry or cold
climates produce trees Of such charscter -
the pine, Iarch, willow, &c, and warm, wet
climates, broad lsafed ones, such a. the king
~ palm, the thousaad-trunksd banana or the
gigantic boabsd. As there is nothing la
the western world tccompare with tho mgr
ties, metrosideri and acseias, who, while their
branches are covered BY flowers of brilliant
dyes, turn their thin, narrow leaves edge
wise 70 the burning sun, and scarcely cast
psrceptible shade upon the heated sands Of
The old world. Broad, luxuriant foliage of
IN intense grssnage, monstfeus trunks and
enormous branches charscterizs The trees u
tropical America. and not only is the vegsta-
ton ef Mexico md South Amerioa thus ttx'
uriant, but il b snsvlsssL Bst&esn sshs vast
Trucks Of these ants grow vines aad Aonr-
ishing Shrubs u hickly over great vooJsd
sl&ips along ~ mana 6r hpndrsds Of
th.t = & mnss clear his wsy with Axs
JukulG bsfsps hsA can pspstrzte This pEi-
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