HAllDWICK.E'S SCIENCE. GOSSIP. 



137 



Seaford, and 1 have no doubt but that it would ' 

 grow more luxuriantly under cultivation. It also 

 grows in one locality, at Clevedon, Somerset, but 

 small, and sparingly ; and I once met with it at 

 Hythe. The foliage is greenish silvery-white, 

 scented like garden southernwood, and the small 

 reddish-yellow flowers are in nearly unilateral 

 racemes, and are more delicate than those of the 

 commoner species of artemisia.— A'. Lily Grey. 



Gresford Yew.— I have read Mr. Lee's article 

 on the Yew, in the May number of Science-Gossip, 

 with considerable interest, but I cannot submit 

 either to his, or to any other man's theory, that the 

 Gresford Yew, about which we have heard so much 

 from time to time, is a single tree. I had examined 

 this tree, perfectly unprejudiced, before I had read 

 anything either about its supposed age, antiquity, 

 &c., and I then came to the conclusion, which I 

 have not yet seen cause to alter, that this tree is in 

 reality three trees ; i.e., three young shrubs have 

 many years since been planted, or sprang from 

 seeds, in close proximity ; these afterwards joined 

 in the (bole) stem, and now form what appears at 

 first sight only one stem ; but if it is carefully ex- 

 amined, it will be seen, where the joinings take 

 place, this union can be traced from the base upwards 

 to the branches. Again, there can be but little 

 doubt that all tbe trees, of which there are many in 

 Gresford churchyard (now very old), were all 

 planted at one and the same time : the reason why 

 the others seem to have but small stems, in com- 

 parison with the " old one," so called, is, that they 

 are single trees : in this only consists the difference. 

 If the Gresford yew is ever unfortunately cut 

 down, so as to divide the stem horizontally, it will 

 then be discovered, beyond the slightest doubt, that 

 there are three perfect trees, instead of one, as now 

 supposed. I have no doubt there are many yew- 

 trees in various parts of England of a much greater 

 age than the celebrated Gresford specimen.—/. F. 

 Robiiisoti. 



SowERBi's English Botany is published with 

 an index to each volume, but without a general index. 

 It is the intention, I believe, to publish a twelfth 

 volume, containing the ferns and their allies, and a 

 copious index ; but these will be some time in pre- 

 paration. In the meantime I have printed for my 

 own use an index to the genera in two pages, and 

 should be happy to forward a copy to any one 

 desiring it on receipt of six stamps, or twelve copies 

 for thirty stamps. It will be found by far the most 

 convenient arrangement to insert a general index 

 at the end of each vol., so that on taking any volume 

 in hand, any genus can be referred to without having 

 recourse to the twelfth YoivimQ.— Latimer Clark, 

 Sydenham Hill, London. 



British Hepatic^.— A long-felt want is at last 

 being supplied : Mr. Hardwicke, 192, Piccadilly, is 

 bringing out, in monthly parts, at 2s. 6d. plain and 

 3s. Gd. coloured, a magnificent "History of the 

 British IIcpatica^" from the pen of Dr. Carrington, 

 of Eccles. The plates (especially of the coloured 

 edition) are really artistic. The student is thus put 

 into possession of a most attractive work, one that 

 has long been wanted, in the cheapest and most 

 readily obtainable manner. As a rule, scientific stu- 

 dents are not overburdened with banking accounts, 

 and, therefore, it is with real pleasure that we 

 announce the publication of a first-class work that 

 is to be obtained by the poorest. Author, artist, and 

 publisher are to be complimented on the success 

 of the first number, just issued. 



Water Avens.— Smith speaks of Gcum ricale 

 as almost confined to the north, while Sowerby says, 

 " more sparingly distributed in the south," where it 

 appears to be absent from Cornwall, Kent, Surrey, 

 and a few other counties. He does not instance 

 Sussex. Yesterday (May 11) I saw this plant in 

 flower growing luxuriantly by the side of a stream 

 within five miles of Chichester, where its habitat 

 had been discovered by a friend. Through the 

 medium of your pages can you kindly aid our 

 recently established Chichester and West Sussex 

 Natural History Society by eliciting an answer to 

 the inquiry— Has it been observed by any one 

 elsewhere in Sussex ?—F. H. Arnold, LL.B., Fish- 

 bourne. 



The Potato.— In the report of the United States 

 Commissioner of Agriculture for the year 1870, it is 

 stated that this plant was growing in great abund- 

 ance in that portion of Northern New Mexico 

 lying between Port Wingate and Port Defiance. 

 The Navajo Indians inhabit this section, and the 

 native potato forms one of their chief articles of 

 diet in winter. The women dig the root with what- 

 ever implements they can get, often using a strong 

 smooth piece of wood with a wedge-shaped end. 

 The plant grows on low, rich spots, and by spring 

 the earth is torn up in every conceivable direction, 

 in the search for potatoes. The tubers are quite 

 small, one-half to three-quarters of an inch in 

 diameter, of good taste, and somewhat like boiled 

 chestnuts. The Navajo Indians consume so large 

 quantities at one time, as to cause griping pains, 

 and as a remedy take at the same meal a quantity 

 of earthy matter containing magnesia, which relieves 

 the stomach. In 1S69 a quantity of these roots 

 was received by the department of Agriculture 

 from New Mexico, and distributed to various parts 

 of the continent, where some of them Lave largely 

 increased in size. — //. G. G. 



Extirpation of Pare Plants.— The " Protest," 

 in Science-Gossip, No. Ill, page GS, is fortunately- 



