Aatural History, 231 



come covered with leaves, and separating from the parent plant, 

 still continue to vegetate and increase. 



16. Culture of Aquatic Planta in, China. — The Chinese take 

 advantage of their lakes, pools, and rivulets, by cultivating different 

 aquatic plants in them, many of which are considered as food. The 

 government has planted these vegetables in the lakes, marshes, and 

 uncultivated watery grounds belonging to thie state, and the em- 

 peror has introduced them into all the canals of his gardens. These 

 and other aquatic vegetables may generally be introduced into Eu- 

 rope, for they are not sq sensible gf changes in climate as those 

 which grow in the eartl\. — BulL Univ. D. ix. 867. 



17. Benzoic Add in the Grosses.— ^Benzoic acid has been found 

 by M. Vogel in the sweet-scented vernal grass (anthoxanthum odo- 

 ratum), and in the sweet-scented soft grass (holcus odoratus). It 

 is these two grasses which communicate to hay the aroma peculiar 

 to themselves. 



18. Eradication of Meadow Saffron. — Colchicum, or meadow 

 saffron, is highly injurious in meadows, in consequence ofits poison- 

 ous qualities, especially when green. Instances are not at all un- 

 common of cattle, pigs, &c., being poisoned by it. It is not easily 

 eradicated, propagating itself readily both by its seeds and roots, 

 and the latter lying deep in the earth. The best method is to pull 

 it up in the beginning of May, before the seeds are ripe. It is only 

 necessary that the stem should be separated at the neck of the bulb, 

 for it has been ascertained that then the plant no longer has the 

 power of reproduction. — Bull. Univ. D. ix. 320. 



19. Native Arseniuretted Iron. — A mineral substance was given 

 to Professor SiUiman by Mr. P. Baldwin, who said that it was from 

 the Bedford county, Pennsylvania. Professor SiUiman considered it 

 as a new variety of native iron, and gave it to Mr. Shepard for ana- 

 lysis. The following are the general results : — 



The fragment weighed 2 or 3 ounces, and, though injured in 

 form, was evidently, a crystal. It was ascertained to belong- to the 

 class of rhombic prisms,, but whether right or oblique could not be 

 determined. The natural pJanes were not good, and although the 

 cleavage planes seemed fjuite perfect, they gave irregular results. 

 The inclination of the primary planes are about 121^ and 56®, those 

 of the secondary (intersecting the base parallel to its greatest dia- 

 gonal) to the primary 149°. With cleavage planes the angles were 

 120°, 121°, and 122°; cleavage parallel to the lateral planes is 

 easily effected. The fracture in the other direction is uneven and 

 sub-hackly. The original planes were dull, but fresh cleavages pre- 

 sented a fine metallic lustre, and a colour between silver-white and 

 steel-gray. The substance breaks with difficulty: small masses 



