NAT. ORDER. SOLANACE.E. 47 



even, flaf, veined, unequal, and alternately larg-er and smaller. Ac- 

 cording- to the account given by Miller, they came out single at some 

 joints, by pairs at others, and frequendy three or four at the upper 

 joints; i\\e petioles, ancipital, scarcely shorter than the leaves, smooth, 

 those belong-ing- to the upper leaves, vaguely ciliate ; the peduncles, 

 lateral, solitary, spreading a little, an inch long, one-flowered, round, 

 thicker at the top, and hairy ; Jloicers are inferior. 



This plant derived its name from nola, a little bell, on account of 

 the bell-shaped form of the corolla. It is a native of Java. 



Propagation and Cidture. These plants may be raised by sow- 

 ing the seeds on a hot-bed in March, or the begimiing of April. After 

 they have grown of sufficient size to move, they should be planted out 

 singly into small pots filled with light earth, and placed in a fresh hot- 

 bed for the pui-pose of bringing them forward. When their flowers 

 open in summer, which is mostly in July, they should have a large 

 share of air admitted, especially when the weather is warm, to pre- 

 vent their falling away without producing seeds. Under this manage- 

 ment the plants often continue flowering until the early frosts destroy 

 them, and ripe seeds are produced in the beginning of the autumn. 



Medical Properties and Uses. At first sight, this family would 

 seem to offer a strong exception to the general uniformity of stmcture 

 and property, containing as it does (in the natural order) the Night- 

 shade and Henbane, and the wholesome Potato and Tomato ; but a 

 little inquiry will explain diis apparent anomaly. The tubes of the 

 Potato are well known to be perfectly wholesome when cooked, that 

 acrid and narcotic property which they possess being wholly dissipat- 

 ed by heat. This is the case with other underground succulent stems 

 in equally dangerous families. The leaves and roots possess both 

 poisonous properties, and are but litde used in medicine. In the time 

 of Salmond Uiey were recommended for costiveness, but great caution 

 was necessary lest they took too much. 



