54 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



every variety of so-called constitutions, and even where not successfully employed, no 

 ill effects have ever been observed thereafter. 



I always keep on hand a quantity of this medicinal agent— in the form of a tinc- 

 ture or dried plant, and when I can obtain enough of it, the expressed juice. I will 

 merely mention a case of ophthalmia cured incidentally hy Monotropa uniflora. Four- 

 teen years ago, it was in tlie early part of July, I went woodcock-shooting with two 

 friends, near Hack-ensack, N. J., and while taking some luncheon in a beech grove 

 along the course of Saddle River, found a large patch of ground literall)' covered with 

 Monotropa i/mflor<i in full bloom. I have never met with such another "find" of this 

 plant in all of my frequent rambles and excursions made in search of it. It covered 

 a space some five feet wide by nine feet long, a beautiful sight of snow-white stems and 

 nodding flowers. Being in need of some just then, I proceeded to fill my game-bag, 

 and to the question, what it was used for, answered "good for sore eyes," little thinking 

 that the i)arty addressed was suffering from a chronic inflamation of tlie eye lids, the 

 edges of which had a very fiery red appearance. No sooner said, than he proceeded to 

 take in his game-bag a supply also, and he made a very good use of it, as I ascertained 

 atterwards. His inflamed lids were entirely cured in four weeks' time and has had no 

 further trouble since, by applying the fresh juice of the stems he obtained while it lasted. 



Now in view of all this, and coupling it with the fact, that in physical properties 

 the Monotropa abounds in a muciiaginous and astringent properly, either of which are 

 ((uite innocuous, may it not liave been possible that the young lady in question, who 

 was sup|)Osed to have been poisoned by Muootropa uniflora, had come in contact with 

 some of the far-spreading roots of RInix Toxiroilendron, in the attempt to lift or pluck the 

 stem as close lo the ground as possi])leV I have been poisoned in just such a manner 

 mj'self, while collecting Monotnipo as well as otlier plants. Now I have a wholesome 

 fear of Poison Kltnx, and manage to get jjoisoned with it anyhow several times everj' 

 year — hardly ever by its leaves which I recognize at a long distance, never by its ex- 

 halations, but generally by coming in contact with its twining stems, or roots and fibrils 

 so difficult to distinguish when undeiground or covered bj' decayed vegetable matter. 

 The erni)tion following contact with Pitisoii Rhus, when not accompanied by any swell- 

 ing, only lasts a few days, just like that case referred to. I have often inoculated mj'- 

 self and others with Poison Rhus in order to antidote its disagreeable efiects with dif- 

 ferent remedies, and have seen its action in every conceivable appearance. 



But I am digressing from my subject. May it not have been possible that a few 

 fibrils of P/tuK were adherent to the scales or bracts of the stem, or passing through 

 the matted fibrous rootlets of the Mo/iotropo, \vh\v\i in handling could not have been 

 avoided of being touched V May that lady not, therefore, have been an unsuspecting 

 victim to the lurking poison of R/iux Toxiroilinnlmn''. — Richard E. Kunzk, M. D. 



Fkhns op Kentucky. — I have received from Mr. John Williamson, of Louisville, 

 Ky., who is preparing a "Hand-Book" of the native ferns of that State, some etchings 

 that have given to me, and others, so much pleasure, and which augur so well for the 

 success of his work, that I am temjJted to otter lliis notice in advance of publication. 



These etchings are most charmingly ami faithfully executed, and the graceful and 

 successful management of the larger species in adapting them to the limited space they 

 will occupy in the plates shows that Mr. Williamson possesses the true artistic feeling, 

 and enters fully iiito the poetic nature of the beautiful plants that he is aiming to de- 

 scribe and portray. 



The small species — esiiecially 'Prichoinoiics rmliruns — have all the ease and natural 

 grace of the terns themselves, while the extra plates giving the mode of the fructifica- 

 tion of each genus are very tdcarly and strongly de|)icted, and materially increase the 

 value of the work as a whole. 



