excellent Monograph of Dr. Meisner, to whom the honour 

 is due of having been the first to investigate scientifically 

 the structure and modifications of these plants. But the 

 fruit of this species being unknown, it is not at present 

 possible to refer it accurately to its station. In habit it 

 has most affinity with the Fagopyrum tribe ; but its ochrese 

 are cylindrical and truncated, not semi-cylindrical. Perhaps 

 this, and the Coccoloba sagittifolia of Ortega, are the repre- 

 sentatives of a new form of the order peculiar to South 

 America. 



The various species of Polygonum are better known as 

 troublesome or uninteresting weeds, than as useful or orna- 

 mental plants. We must not, however, be led to despise 

 the meanest herb that grows, because its value is unknown 

 to us : in proof of which, read the following extract from 

 Dr. Meisner's Monograph : — 



Of all the species, the most useful are V. fagopyrum and 

 tataricum, the grain of which supplies, in many parts of the 

 old world, the place of corn : they have in some places 

 acquired the name of Saracen wheat, in consequence of 

 supplying the only kind of corn used by some of the 

 wandering tribes of Asia : to people of this description, the 

 Fagopyrums are of the utmost value, as they grow readily 

 in any soil, and ripen their produce in a very short space of 

 time. The culture of the common species is not, however, 

 confined to Asia ; it is well known in almost every part of 

 Europe ; and in Nipal it is grown along with P. tatari- 

 cum and emaro-inatum. In Russia and Siberia the two first 

 of these species are used; but in Europe the V. fagopyrum 

 is preferred : nevertheless, according to M. Decandolle, the 

 farmers of Piedmont, especially in the valley of Lucerne, 

 chiefly employ the P. tataricum, because it ripens more 

 quickly, and is therefore less likely to sufi'er from cold 

 summers, or from being sown on the sides of the moun- 

 tains. The Piedmontese distinguish the P. fagopyrum by 

 the name of " Formentine de Savoie," and the P. tataricum 

 by that of " granette" and " Formentine de Luzerne." 

 The principal objection to the latter is, that its flowers 

 expand irregularly and unequally, and that the flour is 

 blackish and rather bitter. The 1? . fagopyrum is, however, 

 cultivated in the richer parts of Europe as a food for 

 domestic fowls or other birds, rather than for the use of 



