NATURAL HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND. 63 



Agrimonia eupatoria. — Agrimony has been chiefly regarded as a medicinal 

 plant, and as such is often raised in gardens. The leaves have a slightly bitterish, 

 roughish taste, accompanied with an agreeable, though weak, aromatic flavour. 

 The flowers are in smell stronger, and more agreeable, than the leaves, and in 

 taste somewhat weaker. They readily give out their virtues both to water and 

 rectified spirit. The leaves impart to the former a greenish yellow, to the latter 

 a deep green colour. The Canadians are said to use an infusion of the root of 

 Agrimony in burning fevers with great success ; and an infusion of six ounces of 

 the crown of the root, in a quart of boiling water, sweetened with honey, and 

 half a pint of it three times a day, Dr. Hill says, is an effectual cure for the 

 jaundice. Infusions of the leaves, which are not disagreeable, may be used as 

 tea. Digested in whey, it affords a useful diet-drink, for the spring season, not 

 ungrateful to the palate or stomach. According to the observations of Linnaeus 

 Sheep or Goats eat it ; Cows, Horses, and Swine refuse it. The flowers when 

 fresh gathered smell like Apricots. 



Agrostemma. — From ay%os, a field, and a-rs^x, a coronet ; quasi the garland of 

 the fields, the flowers proving a great ornament. 



Agrostemma gitkago, Corn Cockle, Corn Campion, Wild Nigella. — This is a 

 very troublesome weed, and is too common in corn-fields ; it should be eradicated 

 by hand before it comes into flower. The seeds are large and heavy, and their 

 black husks, when mixed with Wheat, breaking so fine as to pass the boulters, 

 render the flour specky. They are, therefore, obnoxious to the millers, and 

 depreciate the sample of corn. Gerarde says, " What hurte it doth among corne, 

 the spoyle unto breade, as well in colour, taste, and vnwholesomnes, is better 

 known than desired." It is said sometimes to occur with a white flower. The 

 flowers are generally purple with bluish streaks or upright stalks, and, however 

 odious to the farmer, they must still be considered as very handsome. 



Woodside, near Liverpool, 

 Dec. 22, 1837. 



( To be continued.) 



ON THE NATURAL HISTORY, SCENERY, &c, OF NEW ZEALAND. 



By Thomas Kier Short, Esq. 



(Continued from p. 4.) 



I left the Mission station, on the second of May, for the Bay of Islands ; the 



first part of the journey is to be performed in boats on the river Whimar, a branch 



of the Hookeanga. After proceeding up the river for about five miles, I landed 



