HARD WICKE 'S SCIENCE - G OSSIP. 



77 



Many are the recollections of past pleasure when we 

 think where this rarity was caught, or the lovely 

 scenes with which this or the other capture is con- 



Fig. 68. Maiden's Blush Moth EphyTa pwictaria). 



Fig. 69. The Flame [Antklea ritbidata). 



nected ; so that often the thought of pleasure gone by 

 is brought back to our memory, and Me can really 

 enjoy the pleasure over again. A. J. R. 



THE ECONOMICAL PRODUCTS OF 



PLANTS. 



By J. T. Riches. 



THE Bikh or Bish Poison of Nepal .—Thi?. most 

 virulent poison is the produce of one or more 

 species of Aconitiun, which is a very important genus 

 oi Raimnculacea:, and characterized by coloured sepals, 

 the upper one being large and helmet-shaped, from 

 which has originated the name of ' ' Monkshood," com- 

 monly applied to the plants belonging to the genus. 

 It is well known that A. ferox, Wallich, which is 

 thought by some botanists to be a variety of A. 

 Napcllns, is the principal species from which the 

 poison is obtained, although other species may also 

 yield it. It is obtained from the leaves and roots of 

 the plant. The plant is a native of Nepal. The 

 root-stock is perennial, sending up an annual her- 

 baceous stem, with acuminately-lobed leaves, purple 

 flowers, with a semicircular helmet. The poison is 

 used to a great extent in Northern Hindostan for 

 poisoning the arrows used for tiger-shooting. The 

 effect very rapidly reveals itself, for we have read of 

 a tiger shot from a bow in Assam being found dead 

 only sixty yards from the spot. 



Aconite Root. — This drug is the produce oi Aconi- 

 turn Napellns, Linn. ; a plant very commonly grown 

 in gardens, and which was originally thought to be 

 indigenous to Britain, but that is now open to doubt. 

 It is found wild in the South of Europe, and the 

 greater portion of the bulk used in this country is im- 

 ported from Germany. Some, however, is cultivated 

 in this country. The stem is about three feet in 

 height, with dark green glossy leaves deeply pal- 



mately divided. Flowers arranged in erect clusters, 

 of a dull purple colour. The roots are clustered and 

 tapering, dark brown externally and white internally . 

 The taste of the fresh root is bitter, but after a while 

 a numbness and tingling of the lips and tongue is ex- 

 perienced. The acrid narcotic principle of the root 

 is due to the presence of an alkaloid known as 

 " Acotine," which is a white amorphous solid sub- 

 stance, extremely virulent ; so much so that one- 

 fiftieth part of a grain would kill a cock-robin. The 

 alkaloid is prepared from the roots, and is used, as 

 well as a tincture of the root occasionally, with suc- 

 cess externally for the removal of neuralgic and 

 rheumatic pains. And it need scarcely be said, that 

 the greatest caution is necessary in using it. This 

 root has often produced fatal results by being mis- 

 taken for horseradish root : probably this has beeii 

 brought about by taking up the root after the flowers 

 and leaves have died away, as it would be impossible 

 for such a terrible blunder to occur when the plant is 

 in a state of leaf and flower, owing to the great dis- 

 similarity of the two plants in that particulai'. The 

 root of the Horseradish may be distinguished from 

 the Aconite by being much larger, of a dirty yellow 

 colour externally, and having rings at the top of the 

 root, indicating the place of fallen leaves. It is ad- 

 visable that all young students should have in their 

 Materia Medica, or Herbaria, specimens of each 

 mounted side by side, when the distinction will be 

 obvious enough. Figures of the plant may be seen 

 in Wood's "Med. Bot," plate VI.; Lindley's 

 "Med. Bot.," p. 151. 



Sweet Sop, Sonr Sop, Ciistard-apple, and CJieri- 

 nioyer. — These are the names applied to four very 

 important and largely cultivated tropical fruits, fur- 

 nished by different species of the genus Anona, a 

 genus of trees and shrubs, natives of South America 

 and the West Indies. The flowers of the genus are 

 somewhat remarkable (although not an uncommon 

 exception) in having several ovaries placed on a re- 

 ceptacle slightly united at their bases, which, before 

 the fiuit matures, are completely united into a many- 

 celled fruit. The Sweet Sop is the produce of Anona 

 squamosa, Linn., a native of the Malay Archipelago, 

 as other genera of the family are, but is cultivated in 

 the East and West Indies. The fruit is ovate, scaly, 

 with a thick rind inclosing luscious pulp, concerning 

 which, however, tastes greatly differ. The Creoles 

 greatly fancy it, but the delicate palate of a European 

 requires time before the taste is appreciated. The 

 fruit produced in the Malay Islands is much superior 

 in flavour to any other. The Sour Sop is the produce 

 of Anona muricata, Linn., a native of the West Indies. 

 The fruit of this species is very large, often weighing 

 two pounds. It is greenish and covered with prickles, 

 with a moderately thick rind inclosing a white pulp 

 of a very agreeable sub-acid flavour. The Custard- 

 apple, or BuUock's-heart, is produced by A. reti- 

 culata, Linn,, a native of the West Indies, cultivated 



