broken up into peninsulas and islands; Greece and its archipelago, Italy and its isles, Spain and its sierras, are so many new individuals, exciting each other reciprocally to animation. The ground is everywhere cut and crossed by chains of mountains, moulded in a thousand fashions, in such a way as to present, within the smallest possible space, the greatest number of districts physically independent.

Add to all these advantages that of a temperate climate, rather cold than hot, requiring of men more labour and effort, and you will be satisfied that nature is nowhere better suited to exalt man, by the exertion of his powers, to the grandeur of his destination.

Nevertheless, the earliest civilized societies do not spring up in Europe; she is too far removed from the cradle of the nations, and the beginnings are less easy there. But these first difficulties once overcome, civilization grows and prospers with a vigour unknown to Asia. In Asia it is in the great plains, on the banks of the rivers, that civilization first shews itself. In Europe, it is on the peninsulas and the margin of the seas.

Europe is thus the continent most favoured, considered with respect to the education of man, and the wise discipline it exercises upon him. More than any other it calls into full play his latent forces, which cannot appear and display themselves except by their own activity. Nowhere can man better learn to subdue nature, and make her minister to his ends. No continent is more fitted, by the multiplicity of the physical regions it presents, to bring into being, and to raise up, so many different nations and peoples.

But it is not alone for the individual education of each people that Europe excels; it is still more admirably adapted than any other continent to favour the mutual relations of the countries with each other; to increase their reciprocal influence, to stimulate them to mutual intercourse. The smallness of the areas, the near neighbourhood, the midland seas thick strown with islands, the permeability of the entire continent-pardon me the word—everything conspires to establish between the European nations that community of life and of civilization which forms one of the most essential and precious characteristics of their social state.

America, finally, the third continent of the North, presents itself to us under an aspect entirely different. We are already acquainted with its structure, founded on a plan widely departing from that of Asia-Europe; we know that its characteristic is simplicity, unity. Add to this feature, its vast extents, its fruitful plains, its numberless rivers, the prodigious facility of communication, nowhere impeded by serious obstacles, its oceanic position, finally, and we shall see that it is made, not to give birth and growth to a new civilization, but to receive one ready made, and to furnish forth for man, whose education the Old World has completed, the most magnificent theatre, the scene most worthy of his activity. It is here that all the peoples of Europe may meet together with room enough to move VOL. XLVII. NO. XCIV.-OCTOBER 1849. 2 B

in; may commingle their efforts and their gifts, and carry out upon a scale of grandeur hitherto unknown, the life-giving principle of modern times the principle of free association.

The internal contrasts which assisted the development of the nations in their infancy and youth, exist not here; they would be useless. They are reduced to two general contrasts, which will preserve their importance; the coast and interior on one side, and the North and the South on the other. The last will be further softened down, when slavery, that fatal heritage of another age, which the Union still drags after it, as the convict drags his chain and ball, shall have disappeared from this free soil, freed in the name of liberty and Christian brotherhood, as it has disappeared from the fundamental principles of its law.

Thus America also seems invited, by its physical nature, and by its position, to play a part in the history of humanity, very'different indeed from that of Asia and Europe, but not less glorious, not less useful to all mankind.—(Arnold Guyot's Physical Geography, p. 249.*

On the Aconitum ferox, Wall., which has recently flowered in the Garden of the Edinburgh Horticultural Society. By J. H. BALFOUR, M.D., F.L.S., Professor of Botany in the University of Edinburgh. (With a Plate.) Communicated by the Author.

ACONITUM FEROX, Wallich apud Seringe Mus. Helvet. i., p. 160, t. 15, f. 43, 44; Plant. Asiat. Rar. vol. i., p. 35, t. 41. De Candolle Prod. i., 64; Royle Flor. Himal., p. 46, 47; A. virosum, Don. Prod. Flor. Nepal., p. 196. Nat. Ord. Ranunculaceæ, Sub.-Ord. Helleboreæ, Class Polyandria, Ord. Tri-Pentagynia.

GENERIC CHARACTER.—Calyx coloratus, pentaphyllus, foliolis æstivatione imbricatis, valde inæqualibus, postico (galea) maximo, concavo, cassidæformi, duobus lateralibus (alis) orbiculatis, duobus anticis oblongis. Corolla petala quinque vel interdum pauciora, tria antica minima, unguiformia, sæpius in stamina conversa, duo postica (cuculli) sub galea incumbentia, longe unguiculata, basi cucullata, cucullo superne calloso, incurvo, basi in limbum oblongum emarginatum producto. Stamina plurima, hypogyna.

that ere long a British edition of this remarkable volume, with ons and maps, will be added to our literature.-Editor.

Ovaria 3-5 libera, unilocularia. Ovulis ad suturam ventralem plurimis biseriatis. Capsula folliculares, membranaceæ, stylis rostratæ, intus longitudinaliter dehiscentes. Semina rugosa, testa crassiuscula, spongiosa, raphe valida.-Herbæ perennes, venenatæ, in Hemisphæræ Borealis temperatis et frigidis, montanis et alpinis obviæ; radicibus tuberosis, tuberibus nunc fibrilliferis, nunc napiformibus; foliis petiolatis, palmatim tri-quinque partitis, lobis inciso-dentatis vel multifidis; racemis terminalibus, pedicellis e bractearum axillis solitariis, unifloris, bibracteolatis; floribus ochroleucis, cœruleis purpureis vel albis. Endlicher. SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Floribus racemosis, paniculatis, villosis; galea semicirculari, antice acute porrecta, deorsum attenuata; cucullorum sacco longo, angusto, calcare inclinato, labio elongato, recurvo; filamentis alatis, subsagittatis, ciliatis; ovariis, capsulis, ramisque villosis; foliis quinquepartito-palmatis, subtus pubescentibus, lobis inciso-pinnatifidis, basi cuneatis, lobulis acutis divaricatis.

The plant has been found in the Himalaya at Gossain Than, at Sirmore and Kamaon, and on the summit of Sheopore in Nipal. It occupies the highest situation in the forest-belt investing the sides of the Himalaya. It flowers during the rainy season, and perfects its fruit in October and November. The name of the plant in Sanscrit is Visha, which means poison, and Ativisha, or virulent poison. In Hindustanee it is called Vish, Bish, or Bikh. It was introduced into the Saharunpore garden by Dr Royle, and the present specimen was raised from seeds sent by the energetic and talented superintendent, Dr William Jameson, nephew of Professor Jameson.

The specimen in the Horticultural Society's Garden (where it has flowered under Mr Evans's care), is about five feet high. Root perennial, having 2-3 fasciculated fusiform attenuated tubers, some of the recent ones being nearly 5 inches long and 1 inch in circumference, dark-brown externally, white within, sending off sparse longish branching fibres. Stem erect, nearly round, about the thickness of a swan quill, attenuated upwards, smooth at the lower part, pubescent above where it gives off flowering branches. Leaves alternate, remote, deep-green above, smooth and furrowed in the course of the ribs, paler below, covered with minute vesicular-like spots, and having prominent radiating veins, which form a beautiful angular net-work; lower and middle leaves petiolate, upper ones sessile; petioles varying in length, shorter than the lamina, smooth, deeply furrowed above, especially near

the laminæ, slightly swollen where they join the stem; lamina orbiculato-cordate in circumscription, palmate, deeply five-lobed, lobes incised, lobules toothed, ending in sharp points. Bracts trifid, the divisions being cut or entire, two empty alternate bracteoles occurring about the middle of each single-flowered pedicel. Inflorescence laxly panicled, the peduncles and pedicels being erect, swollen upwards and covered with a glandular pubescence. Receptacle of the flower swollen and oblique. Estivation imbricate. Flowers large, blue. Calyx covered with glandular pubescence, helmet-shaped sepal gibbously-semicircular, prolonged in front into a short greenish point, which is turned upwards, two lateral sepals (wings) rounded, reniform with reflexed margins, lower sepals oblong, acute, deflexed, spreading, one usually larger than the other, occasionally three. Petals varying in size and form, upper ones cuculliform with scattered hairs and having narrowed grooved stalks ending in hollow incurved laminæ, which have their apices prolonged in a reflexed manner, other petals either wanting or mere filiform processes. Stamens indefinite. Filaments hairy, thickened below where they are margined with a broadish membrane. Anthers 2-lobed, with longitudinal dehiscence. Ovaries five, villous. Style single. Stigma obscurely 2-lobed. Ovules numerous, somewhat angular and winged, rugose. Fruit follicular, follicles oblong, villous, reticulated. black and pitted.

Seeds

The specimen does not agree completely, more especially as regards the form of the leaves, with the figure in Wallich's Plantæ Asiatica Rariores. The variation may depend on situation, for Wallich remarks, that on Sheopore in Nipal, where he gathered the plant at the height of 10,000 feet, it was a smaller, more slender, and smoother plant than in other parts of India, with an almost simple stem, narrow segments of the leaves, and thin racemes. As it approaches higher elevations, towards the Snowy Mountains, it attains a larger size and habit, and is covered with soft greyish hairs, the divisions of the leaves become broader, the spikes larger, and the flowers more dense and numerous. In Dr Hamilton's herbarium, in the University of Edinburgh, there are certain species of Aconite which are marked Caltha? The first, No. 1247, is called Bisma, Bishma, or Bikhma, Snowy Mountains, 1810. The second, No. 1248, Nirbisia, Nirbishi, or Nirbikhi, Snowy Mountains, 1810; pointed out by the mountaineers as a very poisonous root. There is a third in the catalogue, No. 1249, marked Codoa, Kodoya, Bish, or Bikh. This last, according to Dr Wallich's statement, is Aconitum ferox. The

specimen, however, is not to be found in Dr Hamilton's herba

rium at present.

and very

The root of the plant possesses extreme acrimony, marked narcotic properties. It is said to be the most poisonous of the genus, and as such has been employed in India. Wallich says, that in the Turraye, or low forest lands which skirt the approach to Nipal, and among the lower range of hills, especially at a place called Hetounra, quantities of the bruised root were thrown into wells and reservoirs, for the purpose of poisoning our men and cattle. By the vigilant precaution of our troops, however, these nefarious designs were providentially frustrated. In the northern parts of Hindustan, arrows poisoned with the root of Bikh are used for destroying tigers. The root, according to Royle, is sent down into the plains, and used in the cure of chronic rheumatism, under the name of Meetha tellia. Roots, apparently of this plant, were sent to Dr Christison from Madras under the name of Nabee. Pereira made a series of experiments on roots of Bikh, which had been kept for ten years in Dr Wallich's herbarium. These experiments are detailed in the Journal of Natural and Geographical Science for 1830, vol. ii., p. 235. The roots were administered to animals in the form of powder, and spirituous and watery extract. The spirituous extract was the most energetic. The poison was introduced into the stomach, the jugular vein, the cavity of the peritoneum, and the cellular tissue of the back. The effects produced were difficulty of breathing, weakness, and subsequently paralysis, which generally shewed itself first in the posterior extremities, vertigo, convulsions, dilatation of the pupil, and death apparently from asphyxia. One grain of the alcoholic extract, introduced into the peritoneal sac of a small rabbit, caused death in 9 minutes; and a similar quantity, introduced into the cellular tissue of the left lumbar region, proved fatal in 15 minutes. Two grains and a half of the same extract, introduced into the jugular vein of a strong dog, caused death in 3 minutes.

Explanation of Plate V.

The beautiful drawing has been executed by Mr James M'Nab, Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden.

1. Part of a flowering panicle of Aconitum ferox. 2. Five-lobed palmate leaf. 3. Peduncle and bracts, receptacle, stamens, and the two cuculliform petals. 4. A single cuculliform petal separated. 5. Five follicles forming the fruit.