350 Cultivating a Railroad. [August, 



better known, perLaps, as grains of paradise; tte seeds of the red 

 thorn apple used by the Indians of the Andes, and all the seeds of 

 the common thorn apple, often employed to adulterate beer, the 

 active ingredient of -which is a colorless, crystaline substance, having 

 a basic reaction upon test paper, and exceedingly poisonous, to which 

 the name of Daturin has been given. 



Even in the icy regions of Siberia the inhabitants find a means 

 with which to gratify this universal craving for narcotic stimulants, 

 in a fungus, resembling our common mushroom in appearance, and 

 called by botanists the Amanita Muscaria. The effects upon the sys- 

 tem greatly resemble those of exhilarating gas. Under its influ- 

 ence a person can not restrain himself from performing the most 

 ludicrous antics ; all secrets are brought to light, and small impedi- 

 ments in the pathway seem almost insurmountable. It also possesses 

 the remarkable property of transmitting its intoxicating qualities to 

 the fluid excretions, and it is common for the people to save the 

 urine upon which they will again become intoxicated, and in this 

 way its effects may be propagated through five or six individuals. 

 The emetic Holly is used by the Indians of Florida to give clearness 

 to the mind before deciding upon any important question, but the 

 precise nature of its effects are not known. Other plants possessing 

 narcotic qualities arc used in medicine, but not as common stimu- 

 lants ; such as belladonna, common henbane, and others. The effects 

 of all the narcotics are owing to some peculiar ingredient which they 

 contain, and in those analyzed, the active component has been found 

 to be very poisonous and to possess the properties of bases. The 

 ve"-etable world affords to the chemist an infinitely extended field 

 for the prosecution of his discoveries and as we see more and more 

 of the manifold wonders of nature, our thoughts are naturally led 

 from the creature up to the Creator who, in his infinite wisdom, 

 called them all into existence. J. G. Taylor. 



Cultivating a Railroad. — The Auburn (X. Y.) American says 

 that "miles and scores of miles, within the fenced track of the Cen- 

 tral Railroad, arc planted with potatoes by the employees of that 

 great road." These "railroad farms " are attended to mostly by the 

 wives of the employees. 



