brated balm of Mecca, formerly in such high repute, but which avarice, defeating its own object by the amount of adulteration, has succeeded in bringing into disrepute.

The fruit, like the bark, abounds in a similar fragrant liquid resin, which is contained in small cells, resembling those found in the rind of the lemon or the orange. From these, as well as from the bark-this resinous balsam might be abundantly obtained.

The infusion of the leaves, taken in place of tea for breakfast, is strongly recommended by Long, who mentions the case of a gentleman who, after pursuing this plan for a considerable time, was able to read small print without the aid of glasses, which had not been the case before.

Dr. Wright conjectures, that an oil, equal to that of rhodium, might be obtained, by distillation, from its wood.

It appears not improbable, that, under the name of Amyris balsamifera, at least three species, botanically distinct, have been confounded from the neglect of careful examination; for practical purposes, this, however, is not likely to be very material, as a general sameness of properties appears to pervade the whole. Mr. Anthony Robinson speaks of meeting with three kinds differing from each other in the size of their stems, the dimensions of their leaves, and aromatic fragrance of their leaves and timber; these, however, may have been merely varieties, resulting from the accidents of soil and situation; or the same species at various stages of its growth. I shall notice them hereafter somewhat more at length.

In Nevis, on the contrary, I met with what, if my notes, made at the time, are to be depended upon, is not only specifically but generically distinct. Of this tree, which, under the impression that it constituted a species of Amyris, I named the Amyris hexandra, the following particulars are extracted from a little work published for me in 1825, by Treuttel and Würtz, of Soho Square, under the title of " Prodromus Plantarum India Occidentalis," p. 34.

"A. hexandra. Caule arboreo, procero [5-7 orgyali ] ramoso; foliis impari-pinnatis, trijugis; foliolis integerrimis, ovatis, breviter obtusè et subobliquè acuminatis, basi in petiolum brevem subdecurrentibus, utrinque glabris, subtùs reticulato-venosis; floribus paniculatis, parvis, viridescentibus, semper hexandris; paniculis axillaribus terminalbusque; calyce cyathiformi integerrimo; petalis tribus viridescentibus, integris; staminibus sex, brevissimis; ovario oblongo, glabro, infero; stylo brevi; stigmate obtuso; fructu [drupæ nucleus?] membranaceo, elliptico, utrinque acuminato, univalvo, rudimento seminis abortientis.

"GUM ELEMI TREE. GUM ELIM TREE.-Habitat in locis nemorocis subhumidis, subfrigidis atque subalpinis, montis centralis insulæ Nevis ; florens a Junio usque ad Septembrem. Arbor procera succo resinoso fragrante, è cortice lævi cinereo læso profluente, scatens. Ab Amyride floribus hexandris tripetalis, et ab A. elemifera, foliis utrinque glabris, nec subtus tomentosis, satis distincta; nonne generi prorsus diverso amandanda?

Referring to this plant, in a letter, dated "Angers, 7ème Janvier, 1827," my learned friend, M. Desvaux, late curator of the Jardin des Plantes at that place, and a distinguished botanist, wrote to me as follows:

"M. de Candolle ayant adopté les genres Icica et Amyris; un pen eloignés même l'un de l'autre, votre espece me semble se rapprocher du genre Amyris, et malgré sa difference de parts 3-6, au lieu de 4-8, devoir s'y rattacher; car souvent cette variation ne forme même qu'un caractére d'individu. Le caractére du fruit est tres bien: Drupa nucleo chartaceo indehiscente monospermo. Dans tous les cases l'espece est publié et nouvelle; ainsi vos observations existent; au surplus le nom ELIMIA n'est point employé encore.'

"

Notwithstanding this high authority, in the absence of a further examination, either of the living plants at Nevis, or well preserved specimens obtained from thence, I should hesitate in acting upon Professor Desvaux's suggestion, and constituting this into a distinct genus, under the appropriate name of ELIMIA.

It appears to extend to most of the adjoining islands, as a tree, closely resembling it, is found in similar situations in St. Kitts, where it is called by the same name, and in the French islands, where the white concreted resin found adhering to its bark is termed encens, and employed as such in the ceremonies of the church. But as I never had an opportunity of examining the fruit or inflorescence of any of these, I cannot estimate the degree of affinity between them, and the trees from which I succeeded in procuring specimens for examination in Nevis; and for which I was indebted to the kindness of my lamented friend Mr. Tobin.

A tree, corresponding in description with that of Nevis, yields a similar production in the Hispano-American settlements of South America, where the resin is called tavanouca.

The finest specimen which I recollect to have seen, grew in a cool ravine in the Dodand of Nevis; a lovely spot, abounding in botanical rarities of the highest interest; this tree rose, with a straight branchless stem, to a height of at least sixty feet, where its branches formed a spreading head of the most exquisite sym metry, and afforded shelter to multitudes of monkeys who sported among the leaves, secure from all disturbance; for, from the smoothness of its greyish bark, and the enormous girth of its trunk, it was out of the question to climb, and would have been sacrilege to cut it down. It is more than probable that the very same giant of the forest, at whose blossoms, elevated far beyond my reach, I cast many a longing, lingering look, upwards of thirty years ago, still rears its proud head above its less aspiring companions, in the self-same spot, whence others more enterprising, or perhaps more fortunate than myself, may yet succeed in obtaining specimens of the fruit, leaves, and flowers. At the base of this tree I found numbers of the fallen fruits, from one of which my description was made after my return to Europe. The racemes of flowers were procured for

examination from some specimens of humbler growth, gathered for me by some of Mr. Tobin's negroes. It were much to be wished, that the account now given might attract the attention of some one resident on the spot, and induce him to fill up the blank, which circumstances compelled me to leave; either by making a fresh examination of the tree, or sending well preserved specimens to England.

A spirituous solution of the dried resin, is a popular remedy in cases of coughs.

The Amyris maritima, or sea-side balsam, is an unaspiring shrub, growing abundantly in the most arid and barren spots near the sea, in, I believe, every island in the West Indies; and, according to Lunan, is common on the banks of the Rio Cobre, blossoming from May to October. In Jamaica, it is called the rose-wood, yellow candle-wood, or yellow sanders; and in rich soils, where it attains any magnitude, is considered valuable, being of a yellowish white, handsomely clouded, and susceptible of a high polish. The leaves, when bruised, give out an odour less agreeable than that of the Amyris balsamifera, but as the plant is more abundant, and grows in the most barren soils, it is probable that the peculiar resin which distinguishes the genus, might be more economically obtained from it by distillation.

Barham speaks of a timber, which he calls rosemary wood, that was most probably obtained from some species of amyris. His account is as follows:

"

Pulling down some old houses, I smelt a very strong smell of rosemary, which made me inquire into the reason of it. They told me, that there was some rosemary wood among the timber of the houses. I then desired that they would get me some of it, which they did. I found it was only the bark that smelt, which no rosemary exceeded. Some will have it to be a sort of clove bark tree, which grows in great plenty upon the main continent. I first found this tree on Bachelor's Plantation, which was afterwards mine, and is now well known to all or most planters in Jamaica. I carried some of the bark with me to England in 1717, which kept its scent very well, and I question not, but it would be found, upon experience, to be very useful to distillers, and of many medicinal uses.”—Hort. Amer., p. 195.

Such is Barham's account, from which it appears somewhat extraordinary that no farther notice has been taken of it in the long interval of more than a century and a quarter which has since elapsed. What then is the plant which yields this fragrant bark? and to what purposes does it promise to be applicable?

The three species of Amyris of which I have already spoken, as discovered by Mr. Anthony Robinson, and regarded by him as distinct from the Amyris balsamifera, are described by that gentleman as follows:

1. Amyris foliis ternatis pinnatis, pediculis marginatis, racemis alaribus.-This he says, is a small tree of about fourteen or fifteen feet, with a trunk of about six inches in diameter, branching out at a little distance above the ground, and forming

a close, compact head. The bark, where not covered by lichens, is of a reddish brown, and the small racemes of minute white flowers proceed from the alæ of the leaves. Of the fruit he says nothing.

2. Amyris hypelate, with a calyx of five concave, roundish, unequal sepals, ciliated at the margin; a corolla of four roundish unequal petals, larger than the sepals, with a vacant space, as if designed for a fifth petal; a small three angled-ovary, resting upon eight glands, each of which gives origin to a filament shorter than the petals; the ovary was three-celled, the stigma capitate, and the anthers cordate.

3. Amyris Philippaa.-Growing in dry rocky soils, and one of the handsomest trees in Jamaica; its bark is aromatic and bitter. The leaves are unequally pinnated, having the rhachis or common footstalk margined; the leaflets are sessile, obovate, veined, and of a lively green, consisting of one pair, with a terminal one. Mr. Robinson furnishes no other particulars, nor does he assign any particular localities to these new species. They appear however to merit further examination, the last more especially. 14, Octagon, Plymouth.

A NEW ALKALOID IN GUN COTTON.

BY MR. PORRET.

Ar a meeting of the Chemical Society, held on Monday, the 21st of December, Mr. Porret read a paper, in which he states that he has obtained evidence of the existence of an alkali in guncotton. He considers the explosive cotton to be a nitrate of this alkali, and he has succeeded in isolating the alkali in the following manner :-fzij. of nitric acid, sp. gr. 1.45 was added to 50 grains of gun-cotton, and the mixture heated to 240° Fahr., when solution of the cotton was effected, accompanied by the disengagement of hyponitrous acid (NO3). The same result took place on treating the gun-cotton with oil of vitriol. The solution in nitric acid, when cold, was nearly, but not quite, neutralized with carbonate of potash, and bicarbonate of potash was then added in sufficient quantity to completely neutralize the mixture. Heat was now applied, when a gray powder, consisting of nitrate of potash, mixed with the carbonate of the new alkali, was deposited. On treating this powder with alcohol, gr..813, the carbonate of the alkali was dissolved in small quantity, and obtained in crystals on the evaporation of the spirit. It was found to be strongly alkaline to test paper.

Mr. Porret had not further examined this alkali, which he proposes to call lignia. Having by previous experiments satisfied himself that gun-cotton consisted of the elements of lignine+ nitric acid, he concluded that lignia must be an oxide of lignine, consisting of lignine+02.

[The case cannot be considered proved until the new body has been more completely isolated and examined.]

VETERINARY MEDICINES.

(Continued from Vol. V., p. 426.)

Demulcents and Restoratives.-Demulcents (from demulceo, to soften) are softening and diluting medicines, intended to sheath the parts with which they come in contact, and protect them from irritating secretions or substances. The substances administered as demulcents, frequently act at the same time as Restoratives, such as gruel and bran mashes.

DEMULCENT DRENCHES.

No. 1.

R Linseed, bruised, 3iv-Boiling Water, Oilj-Honey Ziv. Let it stand till cold. To be given in two doses.

R Marshmallow Root, strain, then add Honey,

two doses.

No. 2.

iv-Water, Oij. Boil for a few minutes, and iv-Linseed Oil, Zij-Gum Arabic, Zij. Mix for

BRAN MASH.

Put half a peck of bran into a pail, and pour enough boiling water over it to thoroughly wet it; stir it well with a stick, cover it over and let it stand until of the temperature of new milk. Oats, malt, treacle, or honey, may be added to it, to render it more nutritious. [Bracy Clark.]

MALT MASH.

To be made with malt in the same way as the bran mash.

BLANCH WATER.

Pour boiling water over three or four handfuls of bran; stir it well up with a stick; cover it over, and let it stand for a few minutes; then add as much water as may be desired.

It is useful in cases of inflamed lungs or bowels, and after purging physic, being in these cases preferable to mere water. [Bracy Clark.]

OATMEAL GRUEL.

Put half a pint of good fresh oatmeal into a bowl, add about half a pint of cold water to it, and with a wooden spoon beat it well up for some time; then boil it with more water to form a gallon of gruel. Gruel for horses ought not to be thick. [Bracy Clark.]

Diuretics and Diaphoretics.-Diuretics (from dovpnois, a discharge of urine) are medicines which, when taken internally, augment the flow of urine from the kidneys. Diaphoretics (from Sapopew, to carry through) are medicines which, when taken internally, increase the discharge by the skin.

DIURETIC BALLS.

No. 1.

R Castile Soap-Resin, aa 3iij-Nitre, 3iv-Oil of Juniper, 3j-Honey, g. s. to make into a ball. [White.]