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Wanted. — Short notes of interest to the general bot- 

 anist are always in demand for this department. Our 

 readers are invited to make this the place of publication 

 for their botanical items. 



A Gigantic Bud. — If we define a bud as a cluster of 

 undeveloped leaves the lowly cabbage can probably lay 

 claim to being the largest leaf-bud in existence, though we 

 should dislike to state this as a fact until our readers in 

 the tropics have been heard from. Does anybody know 

 of a larger one ? Of course there are larger flower-buds. 



A Monstrous Flower. — There was in bloom a few 

 days back, in the Roj^al Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, a 

 plant o{ Aristolochia gigas var. Sturtevanti, which had a 

 flower which measured four feet one inch in length, and 

 proportionately wide. It was a fine sight w^ith its deep 

 purple throat, and attracted many insects by its horrible 

 stench. — Indian Planting and Gardening. [This species is 

 closely allied to the Dutchman's pipe vine so frequently 

 planted about American dwellings. — Ed.] 



Menthol. — Menthol, or peppermint camphor as it is 

 sometimes called, has become so well knov^n as an anti- 

 septic, stimulant, and carminative, as well as for outward 

 application in neuralgia and toothache, that any failure 

 or shortness of supply will be a matter of considerable 

 importance. The substance began to attract attention in 

 this country in 1879, and since then it has become an in- 

 creasing article of trade. It is a crystalline substance 

 resembling ordinary camphor, and is obtained by cooling 

 the volatile oil from the fresh herhoi Mentha arvensis var. 

 piperascens and var. glabrata. The best quality menthol 

 is that brought from Japan, and known in the market as 

 Kobayashi crystals. The oil, after the separation from it 

 of the menthol, is also an article of export from Japan. — 

 Gardeners Chronicle. 



