44 THE PLANT WORLD. 



iiig to their freedom from dust and other impurities. This is one of 

 those i)huits whieh iiuve been factors in historv. The w.'ir of Enoland 

 aifainst China, to compel the sale of opium to the Chinese, opened the 

 ports of the latter country to the world. Tobacco is another such 

 ])lant. since, for its cultivation in ^'iririnia. slaves were hrou<:ht into 

 this country, giving rise to the slave trade with its unspeakable horrors, 

 the awful story ending with the chapter of our ci\ii war. Nicotine, 

 found in tobacco is a highly poisonous principle. 



The feiii faniil>' su])plies a very limited numltei' of our commercial 

 products. A few tree ferns, as ('i/afhru ninhillnris^ c(»ntain in their 

 })ith a mucilage which used as food. A drink has been sold in London 

 made of the juice of maiden hair fern. 



The .lananese extract the juice of the (iinkgo tree, called also the 

 iSfaiden-hair tree, and according: to their authorit\' the kernels of this 

 fruit are edible. 



Adder's tonijue is said to have a mucihiiie in its fronds which is 

 used in the j)reparation of salves. 



i*erfumes are obtained from many })lants, being the essential oils 

 in their leaves and Idossoms. I'atchouli, now little used, is taken from 

 a member of the mint family, J*n(/nstrni()n jKifchmi/l. Its leaves are 

 l)r()ad and oval shaped. Arabs carry the dried leaves of this plant in 

 })illows and mattresses on their travels, as a preventive of contagious 

 diseases. Pe})permint is extensively cultivated, cut when in flower, 

 and placed in "stills. After the oil is extracted, the refuse is given 

 to cattle to eat. 



Geranium oil is from Prhinidninin /■osiinn, a small fleshy-stemmed 

 plant from the Cape of (iood Hope. It is cultivated also in France, 

 for an acid used in flavorinir wine. 



Oil of lavender is distilled from a mint, and a second distillation 

 in s[)irits of wine, makes lavender water. It is a shrub, Jjaunuhiln 

 Ter<i, native of the south of Europe. 



Another mint, RoKiiKirimi.s ajficlnal lf<, yields an oil used for con- 

 serves, liqueurs and perfiunery. It enters into the composition of 

 ean-de cologne. 



o 



[To he continued. 1 



