editor's tablk. 



to exist. Sir William Hooker, by diligent iuquiriea, has asoertained that it is produced by 

 a \Vost Indian tree, described, years ago, by Swartz under the name of Hibiscus elatus, and 

 which seems to be nothing more than a variety of the common Jlihisciis liliaceous. A full 

 account of the discovery is given in the new number of the Jonnial <»/' liotatii/, from infor- 

 mation collected from Mr. II. Christy, Mr. Scharfenberg, and Mr. Wilson, tbe Sui)eriutend('nt 

 of the Botanic Garden, Jamaica. There is, therefore, some hope that this useful material 

 may now be sold at a lower price than it bears at present. 



Firewood. — Firewood is becoming scarce in Wisconsin and Illinois. The enormous con- 

 sumption of it by railroads is fast exterminating the forests of our country. Two years 

 ago, the price of cord-wood at Sodus Bay, N. Y., was $1 50 per cord ; this year, Canadians 

 from Toronto came over and purchased all that could be furnished for .§2 50 per cord. 



It will soon bo worth while for our cultivators to turn their attention to raising trees 

 expressly for the supply of many of our towns with liVewood. At present, wood is worth 

 prices averaging .§5 per cord, in Philadelphia. An acre planted with cherry — excellent fire- 

 wood, and a very rapid growing tree — would be worth, at a rough estimate, S200 in ten years. 

 As there are many tracts of land utterly useless for agricultural purposes, it is well to 

 consider whether this sum per acre, without any labor, is not worth waiting for ? P. 



Gossip. — In a quaint old book by Gabriel Thomas, will be found the following description 

 of Philadelpliia when it was a mere village : " In the said city are several good schools for 

 youth, for the attainment of arts and sciences — also reading and writing. Here is to be 

 had, on any day of the week, cakes, tarts, and pies ; we have also several cook-shops, both 

 roasting and boiling, as in the city of London : happy blessings, for whicli we owe the high- 

 est gratitude to our plentiful Provider, the great Creator of heaven and earth." Let us 

 describe this great city as it now is : In the said city are several small squares of ground 

 called "public squares," for youth and gray squirrels — also for the entertainment of jump- 

 ing the rope. Here is to be had, on every day in the week, except in winter, when they are 

 shut up, air a little purer only than in the streets, and the sight of a deer, which gores you 

 without charge. We have also belonging to the town a fine site for a park, both for land 

 and water, not improved as in the city of London. Happy blessings, for which we are called 

 upon for the highest gratitude to the great Councils who have taken us all in.— — India- 

 rubber, now so abundant, was thus noticed in the Montldij lievietv, in 1772 : " Our readers, 

 perhaps, who employ themselves in the art of drawing, will bo pleased with a transcript 

 of the following advertisement : ' I have seen,' says Dr. Priestley, ' a substance excellently 

 adapted to wiping from paper the marks of a black lead pencil. It must, therefore, be of 

 singular use to those who practise drawing. It is sold by Mr. Naime, mathematical instru- 

 ment maker, opposite the Royal Exchange. He sells a cubical piece, of about half an inch, 

 for three shillings, and he says it will last for several years.' " Chinese proverbs some- 

 times contain much jjith, as for instance: "Let every man sweep the snow from before his 

 own door, and not busy himself about the frost on his neighbors' tiles." Another: "The 

 ripest fruit will not fall into your mouth." And again : " Dig a well before you are thirsty." 



A monster pumpkin was raised, last season, in England — a "Citronille," measuring 



seven feet in circumference, and weighing 150 pounds ; previously, one of the weight of 212 

 had astonished the gazers. As these valuable articles do not keep well after having been 

 cut open, smaller kinds are greatly preferable. The French make great use of these, par- 

 ticularly the Yellow Poitron and the Brazilian Sugar Gourd. A larger weight of wholesome 

 winter food, both for man and his cattle, can hardly be obtained from the same space of 

 ground than from these articles ; the tender extremities of the shoots form the best spinach 

 known, though they are little employed in this way in America. The Truffle is now said. 



