Palm of the low grounds near Trinidad, with the flower stalks.

The Cupidon, a glorious hybiscus with rosy red blossoms, makes a great show in the Plaza. The Mango-Tree, which greatly resembles in form the Horsechest-nut, is one of the best shade trees of the island, and here most be noted the new fact to us, that scarcely any person ever plants a shade tree near his dwelling; the sea breezes from either ocean are found to be better than shade. In this respect, the residences of the wealthy have to us an unimproved aspect, which it is hard to reconcile with wealth or even comfort The Cocoa-Nat and the Royal Palm are, however, incorporated in every scene on the cultivated portion of the island, and one never gets tired of their beauty.

The reader will suppose that, after a glance at the town, peeling numerous oranges, and being astonished at the novel fruit and wonderful fish markets, we at once began to sally out among the gardens, plantations, and trees. But how to describe what is so novel! The difficulty is appalling, and, in a limited space, impossible; impressions only can be attempted. Sir J. E. Smith, the eminent botanist, strikingly remarks that " no writer whatever has rendered the natural productions of the happiest and most luxurious climate of the globe half so interesting or instructive as Linnaeus has made those of his own northern country." This is eminently true, and it remains, as far as we know, a delightful task unfulfilled, to convey by means of the pen, the grand ideas which tropical vegetation, and its accompanying scenes, naturally call forth. But it must be remembered, that all is not beautiful. It had been one of our ambitions to see an Aloe hedge,* and to ride along roads bordered with our greenhouse plants. Alas 1 a hedge of Aloe is but a sorry sight; it is grown up and over with a thousand other plants and vines running riot in wild neglect, and really presenting little or none of the beauty we had anticipated.

The Cherokee Rose about Natchez, is ten times more beautiful, and yet, with care the Aloe would make a superb fence; and it is a most useful one, but it occupies a large space that would otherwise be converted to profitable cultivation. All the energies of the landholders seem to be given to the cultivation of sugar, coffee, or tobacco. The ornamental, where beauty would spring up from every touch of taste, forms but little of the studies of the Cubans; but, even with their utter neglect, as a general thing, nature and the climate assert their supremacy. At every turn, some new surprise awakens the imagination, and obliges us to remember that we are in one of the richest botanical regions of the globe. But these riches are unappreciated, and as for our greenhouse plants being seen at every step, you find yourself in a region where they are too common to be admired, except by the very few.

A short ride on the Paseo (the afternoon drive of all that can afford to keep a volante) brings us to the Governor-General's garden, lately invaded by the railroad, but possessing some beautiful plants and superb vines. Orange-trees in full bearing and in flower, the Matnmea and Sugar apples hanging on the trees all winter, and hundreds of novel specimens, would occupy a person of leisure for weeks. The botanical knowledge of the most scientific is put to an immediate and trying test in Cuba. Recognition is attempted as visions of dried herbariums float on the memory, but in general, all our party, after puzzling themselves for names, gave it up as a labor which took too much from the zest of the feast spread before us; and it was no uncommon thing for the savan of the party to be seen placing his specimen carelessly in his pocket, while he accepted a basket of oranges, or a bunch of bananas, or watched the tearinp-up process, employing forks instead of knives to the pine-apple. For the purposes of study, we all determined to repeat the trip the very next very cold winter, and remain longer in this noble field of nature.

* The hedge most used is of the Pine-Apple family, Bremelia pinon, of Spanish botanists.

Count Fernandina's garden, on the Cerro Road, a short distance from Havana, is the best worth visiting of any that we could hear of, and is accessible to all strangers. It occupies but a few acres, in the English style. The Araucaria Braziliensis is one of the most striking trees; it has attained a height of about twenty feet, and forms of course, a magnificent object. There is almost a total absence, in Cuba, of coniferous trees; what we call " evergreens" are not required, because they have broad, shining-leaved trees that are evergreen, which they value more highly. There is a very fine collection of palms here, including the fan-palm and one with a frond at. least six feet in length. The Caoutchouc, or India-rubber tree, is also a great ornament, and attains considerable height. The Copaiba-tree and the Mahogany here first strike the eye, though common on the island. This garden is kept in the highest order, and is a grand treat to the eye. Amid the palms, the old Count has built a most sumptuous cold-water bath - quite good enough to enchant Juno, or to lave the beauties of Calypso. It is entirely lined with exquisite tiles, and the walls of the building are frescoed with mythological legends; the steps to the water are of the finest material; the colored glass of the windows throws a red tinge upon the skin, and the faultless transparency of the water tempts the eye.

The garden possesses twelve native palms, inclnding the screw palm, and six foreign kinds. The night-blooming Cereus runs riot over an immense arbor, and vines, of colors and appearances which we never saw before, festoon themselves from every support. The Pimento, the Mammea Apple, the Gourd, or Calabash-tree, bearing calabashes sometimes large enough to be employed for a child's bathing-tub, each fruit hanging with its great weight on a slender limb, are astonishments which we must not go out of our way too far to describe. The gardener has succeeded in making a good lawn, by constant attention, and you soon satisfy yourself that a paradise might readily be created with the aid of such climatic accompaniments.

The house is in elegant taste, filled with European specimens of the fine arts, and luxurious furniture; hanging baskets on the inclosed piazza, look like civilization ; various colored Thunbergias run riot over the lattices, of a strength and size unknown to us; and altogether, this is one of the best garden experiences to be had in Cuba; it is laid out in perfect taste, with English gardenesqne effects much increased by tropical advantages. The Count is a widower, and rarely resides here. His income is perfectly beyond one's conception; they say, three thousand dollars a day I His nephew, who had been implicated in some political transactions, we found at Natchez, Mississippi, teaching Spanish to a small class, while the uncle or the Government have clutched his purse-strings, and refuse him a dollar. The name of this most gentlemanly exile is Don Manuel de Santa Cruz, and his title, by inheritance, should be Count Fernandina, Jaruco, and Mopox; he was for eight months confined in the Moro, from which he most ingeniously escaped.

There is a " skeleton" even in palaces.