H. BOTANY AND HORTICULTURE. 283 



THE EUROPEAN PLANE-TREE IN CITIES. 



No tree resists so well the smoke and impure air of Euro- 

 pean cities as the plane (Platanus occidentalis), although it 

 is not a native of that continent. It is the tree most gener- 

 ally seen in the church-yards, squares, and other open spaces 

 in London, thriving well, and living to a considerable age. 

 This is probably in part due to the fact of the outer layer of 

 bark being shed yearly, and thus not becoming choked with 

 smoke so that its functions are destroyed. The rows of 

 young plane-trees planted along the recently opened portion 

 of the Thames embankment, from the Houses of Parliament 

 to Charing Cross and the Temple, are growing vigorously, 

 and promise in a few years to afford a grateful shade, and to 

 add much to the beauty of the banks of the river. 



NEW FODDER PLANT. 



A new kind of fodder plant (Gymnothrix latifolia) has re- 

 cently been introduced into France from Uruguay. It is not 

 unlike the sugar-cane in appearance, grows eight or nine feet 

 high, and is said to make excellent fodder either when green 

 or cured. 9(7, 1871, in., 21. 



NEW MILK-PRODUCING TREE. 



A new milk-producing tree in the Valley of the Amazon 

 has recently been brought to the notice of Europeans. It is 

 known as the Massaranduba, and appears to be a species of 

 Mimusops, of the natural order Sapotacece. The wood is 

 valuable, and used for various purposes, and the milk flows 

 freely from the trunk upon incision, but hardens on exposure 

 to the air, and then has an elastic property similar to that of 

 gutta-percha. This juice is used as food when fresh, but never 

 in its pure state, being either mixed with a small quantity of 

 water, or with coffee or tea like ordinary milk. 



ETYMOLOGY OF THE NAME " HORSE-CHESTNUT." 



Considerable speculation has been expended in regard to 

 the derivation of the term " horse-chestnut," any apparent 

 connection between the fruit and the animal being, to say the 

 least, very remote. It is now suggested that the name was 

 originally " harsh-chestnut," as expressive of its peculiar bit- 



