Soptombpr 2:>, 1866. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



211 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 After the sitting of tlio Emit and Floral Committees of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society on Tuesday last, the 18th 

 inst., a general and joint Committee (Fruit and Floral), was 

 formod to consider the possibility and advantage of a turoo- 

 days continued exhibition for 1807. The Council propose one 

 continued meeting from Tuesday till Saturday, instead of three 

 groat exhibitions on threo distinct days. The suggestion was 

 favourably received, and will bo finally discussed at the next 

 Committee meeting — viz., on the 2nd of October, when all 

 parties interested are most earnestly requested to attend. We 

 aro sure that they will lend a helping hand, and, therefore, we 

 may expect that exhibitors, both amateur and professional, 

 will make a point of attending tho meeting, which will be held 

 after the business of the Fruit and Floral Committees has 

 boon finished. 



We remember a Grouse-shooting party resident for many 



days on a Scotch moor, the nearest village to which was twelve 

 miles distant. In the midst of that highland waste dwelt a 

 man, his wife, and bairns. Those " many days " were real 

 days of freedom — no letters, no morning callers came there. 

 This was delightful whilst health, that merry fellow, was 

 present ; but when he slipped away and sickness, sorrowful 

 beldame, took his place, what then ? This was thought, and 

 the Highlander's " bounie wee wife," was asked what she did 

 when that happened, and she revealed all her knowledge of 

 "simples." Most of these, unfortunately are forgotten, but it 

 is remembered that she used the juice of Buckthorn berries 

 (Rhamnus catharticus), as a purgative, and applied the common 

 Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans), to bruises, wounds, and inter- 

 nally for " shivering fits." All this was recalled to memory 

 by reading the excellent address of the President of the Phar- 

 maceutical Society, Professor Bentley, at the recent Conference 

 held at Nottingham. The following are only a few extracts : — 

 " A knowledge of the general properties of the various na- 

 tural orders of plants, will give us a clue in the search for new 

 remedies ; for it is very probable that in a country like our 

 own, which, as we have just seen, contains so many important 

 plants growing in a wild state, may also yield many others the 

 properties of which are as yet unknown ; and even should such 

 not be the case, it will, doubtless, direct more attention to the 

 properties of our native plants, some of which are but too little 

 appreciated at the present day, so that, in the event of war or 

 any other cause which may occasion a deficiency or withdrawal 

 of any of our important remedies now obtained from abroad, 

 we might find substitutes at home. I must content myself with 

 one illustration of the importance of keeping up a knowledge 

 of the properties of the plants of this country. This is afforded 

 us by the Aspidium or Nephrodium Filix-mas, the male Fern, 

 one of the commonest plauts of this country. The root, or 

 more properly the rhizome, of this plant had been reputed for 

 ages to possess powerful anthelmintic properties, but in con- 

 sequence of the common use of medicines of like properties ob- 

 tained from abroad, its virtues were almost lost sight of until 

 lately, when in consequence of the introduction from Abyssinia 

 of Kousso, a substance reputed to possess most powerful vermi- 

 fuge properties, attention was again directed to it, and it was 

 introduced into the 'British Pharmacopoeia;' andl believe most 

 persons will agree with me that its reputation is now established 

 ■as the most valuable and certain anthelmintic in that volume. 

 Besides this, there are without doubt many other indigenous 

 plants which are not at present officinal, or which are but very 

 little employed, or whose properties are altogether unknown, 

 which would be available, and would have their reputation 

 established as important remedial agents should any necessity 

 for their employment arise. 



" Thus, in the first place, we may take as illustrations the 

 natural orders Malvacese and Gentianacea;. The plants of the 

 former order are generally characterised by mucilaginous and 

 demulcent properties, and these are prominently manifested in 

 our indigenous Althiea officinalis, and Malva sylvestris, both of 

 which were, until the publication of the ' British-Pharmacopceia,' 

 officinal in this country ; and why the former, certainly one of 

 the best emollient and demulcent medicines known, should 

 have been omitted from that volume, I am at a loss to con- 

 ceive, for nothing has been introduced in its place which will 

 altogether replace it. Again, the plants of the Gentianacere 

 are all more or less bitter, and possess stomachic and tonic 

 properties ; and as we have many common plants indigenous to 

 this country belonging to that order, they might be employed, 

 if necessary, as substitutes for the officinal Gentian and Chi- 



retta, which are of foreign origin ; as, for instance, the Meny- 

 anthes trifoliata, Erythnra contaurium, Cblora perfoliata, 

 ( iemiana campestris, and other species of Gentiana, &c. In- 

 deed, the two former plants wero included in the last ' Edin- 

 burgh Pharmacopoeia,' but they were but littlo used, their pro- 

 perties being comparatively unknown, owing principally to tho 

 common use of the readily obtainable Gentian ; nevertheless 

 they both possess, particularly the former, well-marked sto- 

 machic and tonic properties, and aro probably equally effi- 

 cacious as the Ophelia chirata, now introduced into the British 

 Pharmacopieia. 



" Then, again, amongst our indigenous plants, we have many 

 with well-marked purgative and astringent properties. Thus, 

 amongst those of a purgative nature we may mention tho 

 Linmn catharticum, Rhamnus catharticus, Euphorbia lathyris, 

 Helleborus fcatidus, and Helleborus viridis. Some of these 

 might be frequently substituted with advantage for drugs of 

 similar properties derived from foreign plants. Of astringent 

 plants we have a great many growing wild in this country, two 

 of which are especially valuable — namely, the Potentilla tor- 

 mentilla, and the Polygonum bistorta. With regard to the 

 former, Dr. Christison has justly remarked that ' it is equally 

 applicable with catechu, kino, and other astringents of foreign 

 origin in tho treatment of chronic dysentery and other chrome 

 mucous discharges.' 



" Another indigenous plant, of much value, is the Acorus 

 calamus. This is abundant in the marshes and by the sides of 

 rivers in some parts of this country. Many pharmacologists 

 have borne ample testimony to the value of its rhizome in me- 

 dicine, as a stimulant excitant, and mild aromatic tonie, and as 

 a remedy in intermittent fevers ; but it is scarcely or ever em- 

 ployed at the present time, though, as stated by Pereira, " it 

 might be frequently substituted, with good effect, for the more 

 costly Oriental aromatics." Again, as is well known, we can 

 obtain from the bark of various species of Salix and Populus, 

 the alkaloid salicine which has been found to possess well- 

 marked tonic, and to some extent anti-periodic properties, and 

 which has consequently been tried as a substitute for the alka- 

 loids quinia and ciuehonia. Some few years ago, in conse- 

 quence of an anticipated scarcity in our supplies of cinchona 

 barks, much attention was directed to salicine ; and, although, 

 in consequence of the successful cultivation of Cinchonas in 

 India, no deficiency of barks is now likely to occur, it is right 

 that we should not lose sight altogether of any substance which 

 is calculated even in the slightest degree to act as a substitute 

 for the valuable alkaloids obtainable from those barks. Again, 

 the Arum maculatum, so abundant in our hedges, &c, would 

 yield us, if required, abundance of starch, which might be em- 

 ployed as a substitute for sago, and the various kinds of arrow- 

 root now derived from abroad. The above are but a few of our in- 

 digenous plants which have been found to possess well-marked 

 medicinal properties ; if time allowed, I might refer to a host of 

 others, as the Chelidonium majus, Cochlearia officinalis, Sa- 

 ponaria officinalis. Viola odorata, Agrirnonia eupatoria, Bryonia 

 dioica, Archangelica officinalis, Daucus carota, Galium aparine, 

 Cotyledon umbilicus, Inula helenium, Artemisia absinthium, 

 Achillea millefolium, Lactuca virosa, Cyclamen hederafolium, 

 Borago officinalis, Melissa officinalis, Marrubium vulgare, Gra- 

 tiola officinalis, Chenopodiumolidum, Asarurn europaeum, Aris- 

 tolochia clematitis, &c. ; but they will be sufficient as illrK* 

 trations of the importance of a knowledge of botany to pharma- 

 ceutists resident in this country." 



The Professor then proceeded to remark upon the impor- 

 tance of a knowledge of the physiology and chemistry of plants, 

 from which we must make one interesting extract. 



" A knowledge of the influence of solar light upon the process 

 of assimilation shows us why plants, or parts of plants, when 

 grown in the dark become blanched, and generally deficient in 

 products and secretions ; and the same fact explains why the 

 secretions of plants are less perfectly or more sparingly formed 

 in cold, dull summers, than in light, sunny ones, and the con- 

 sequent greater activity of medicinal plants in the latter seasons. 

 The same cause also explains why plants of warmer regions 

 than our own are commonly remarkable for the more powerful 

 nature of their secretions ; and also the reason why such 

 plants when transported to this country and placed in our hot- 

 houses can never be made, in consequence, principally, of the 

 diminished intensity of light to which they are then exposed, 

 to form their peculiar secretions. We see, also, the cause why 

 such plants as Celery, Endive, Sea-kale, &c, which, when 

 grown under natural conditions, are rank and unwholesome 

 from the formation of their peculiar secretions, become, when 



