1885.] MISCELLANEOUS. 527 



The Food of Plants. — Plants feed from elements formed in 

 tlie soil, air, and water. The mineral food comes from the soil, 

 as does a large amount of their nitrogen. Their carbon, oxygen, 

 and hydrogen, and a part of their nitrogen, come from the air and 

 from water. Food for plants must he in solution before they can 

 appropriate it. Nothing, of course, can be taken up by the roots 

 except it is in solution. Hence the necessity of having the soil 

 moist, and hence the damage done by drought. 



EucALYPTS. — At the Linnean Society on November 5, there was 

 shown for the Baron von Mueller, of Melbourne, a characteristic 

 collection of skeleton leaves of species of eucalyptus prepared by 

 Mrs. Lewellin, of Melbourne. These confirm Baron von Mueller's 

 observations as to definite layers and the relation of these to the 

 skeletonizing process. The leaves in decaying produce no bad 

 odour. Mueller's observations do not support Mr. Eiviere's state- 

 ment that the bamboo is as good as eucalypts to subdue malaria ; 

 the former dry up, but do not exhale the volatile oil, as do the 

 latter, and the eucalypts, moreover, absorb moisture as quickly as 

 willows, poplars, and bamboos. 



Beech Leaves as Stuffing foe Mattkesses. — Sir J. D. Lauder 

 says : " We can from our own experience bear testimony to the truth 

 of what Evelyn says as to the excellence of beech leaves for 

 mattresses. We used always to think that tlie most luxurious and 

 refreshing bed is that which prevails universally in Italy, which 

 consists of an absolute pile of mattresses filled with the elastic 

 spathe of the Indian corn, — we mean that delicate blade from 

 which the large head of the plant bursts forth. Those beds have the 

 advantage of being soft as well as elastic, and we have always found 

 the sleep enjoyed on them to be peculiarly sound and restorative ; 

 but the bed made of beech leaves is really no whit behind them in 

 those qualities, whilst tlie fragrant smell of green tea, which they 

 retain, is most gratifying. The only objection to them is, the slight 

 crackling noise which they occasion when a person turns in bed ; 

 but this is no inconvenience at all, or if so it is an inconvenience 

 which is much overbalanced by the advantages of this most luxuriant 

 couch." 



Trees of the United States. — We learn from the Scientific 

 American that there has recently been added to the collection of the 

 Museum of Natural History, New York, an almost complete series of 

 samples of the trees of the United States. There are between 400 and 

 500 sections of the trunks of different species. The specimens 

 are about 5 feet 8 in. long each, and cut in such a manner as to display 

 their bark and the transverse and longitudinal sections of the wood. 

 This is done by cutting away one side of each specimen at the top 



