Over time, sometimes a very long time, the nature of all countries changes. It is happening to many low-lying countries at present as sea levels rise in both the tropics and temperate regions.But consider just how dramatic some changes have been. The British Isles comprises 6000 islands and 11,000 miles of coast. It was not always so.
Over two hundred thousand years ago Britain did not exist as it is today. It was part of mainland Europe. Then the ridge which linked the continent and Britain was breached – perhaps by an earthquake – and the waters of a giant lake where the North Sea is now surged into what we know as the English Channel. At one time too, much of Britain was under ice − 18,000 years ago Manchester and Birmingham were under 300ft of ice − but then the ice started to melt, leaving great valleys and lakes, particularly in the northern part of Britain. The landscape was formed and since animals and plants could not cross freely from Europe any longer, the plant distribution was influenced by the rocks which formed the land. There are to date over ten million kinds of rock collected and stored by the British Museum.
There is a specialist public house in Scotland (which we would call a rum shop) which has the largest collection of whisky brands in existence. Two hundred and fifty different kinds, each with a distinctive flavour. It’s a kind of heaven on earth, derived from granites, limestone, volcanic rock and sandstone/peat, and the taste comes from the water that washes over all of them. This is one of the benefits of living in Scotland. It is colder and wetter than the rest of Britain, and because of this Scots pines thrive there, as do larch trees, fallow deer, grouse, pheasant and partridge. The red squirrel (you might mistake it for a mongoose) is being pushed further north by the invasive grey squirrel (an import from North America).
There is of course continuous exchange of plants and animals between Guyana and our neighbours, and in that we are very lucky. Plants and animals recognize no borders. Human beings have travelled all over the world and have enriched each other’s countries and lives by their collecting. May it long continue.
From a health and safety point of view the absence of an effective public education programme means that few adults and a frighteningly large number of children know nothing about the possible risks involved in handling chemicals used for the control of garden pests and diseases. Now after this rain season we are all going to be troubled by pests and diseases which thrive in damp conditions when there are succulent young shoots to feed on, so first let me give you a few golden rules to guide you through the nightmare of the chemical store.
There are seven golden rules in all:
1. Always follow exactly the instructions on the label.
2. Always use the correct amount.
3. If they say use gloves or goggles, then use them.
4. Don’t use on windy days. You owe it to yourself, your family and your neighbours.
5. Don’t smoke, eat or drink when handling chemicals.
6. Wash your hands thoroughly, and if necessary change your clothing and wash it.
7. And for heaven’s sake keep chemicals locked up and out of the way of children, pets and grown-ups who might not understand the dangers. Get rid of empty containers properly.
More of this next week. Until then take great care with chemicals and may your God go with you.
