32 
A copy of ‘‘Specrrum Awnatysis”’ by Mr. W. T. Surroux, was 
presented to the Club by the Author, to whom a vote of thanks 
was passed. 
Dr. Carpenter then referring to a plant which was a con- 
spicuous object on the table, said it was a plant which was foreign 
to this country but was discovered last: year growing in a shrubbery 
at Shirley. .How it came there no one knew. There were several 
of them, and as the plant seemed to be of a very handsome shape, 
he cut down a branch of it, and took it home to his house. A 
lady afterwards came and inquired the name of the plant. Upon 
his telling her, she said it was very curious, but there was one 
growing at Streatham in a gentleman’s garden, and how it came 
there they did not know. The plant was called the Phytolacca 
Decandria, or American Poke Weed. It was a common weed in 
America, but had lately become acclimatised in Southern Europe. 
He did not know of any plants which approximated to it in its 
botanical character, but it belonged to an order with which they 
were well acquainted—namely, the beet-root, which was the one 
redeeming exception to a large lot of useless rubbish. In America 
the fresh young shoots were used instead of asparagus or spinach, 
and were cooked very much in the same way. The plant bore a 
curious fruit, very much like raspberries or blackberries, but grow- 
ing in spikes instead of being single berries. They were nauseous 
to the taste, and contained a strong tinted juice, said to be used 
by the Portuguese for colouring port wine. This might account for 
the acclimatisation of the plant i in some portions of Portugal, Spain, 
and Italy. If the tint were capable of being fixed, it would make 
a beautiful dye. The plant was a prolific bearer of fruit, and grew 
to a considerable size. Last year it was killed down by the frost, 
but it shot up again, and probably from the ease with which it had 
taken root, it would become acclimatised in this country. 
The Rev. R. R. Surrrerp asked if the juice were medically 
wholesome ? 
Dr. Carpenter said he hardly thought it was. It was a vista 
purgative, and the leaves had the reputation of curing cancer. 
Many things had that reputation, but he did not know of any cures 
that had ever been effected by them. As the birds were said to be 
fond of the seeds, the probability was that they would get well 
distributed, and some day the plant would prove a valuable one. 
Mr. Jones asked if phe plants were not mentioned in home- 
pathy ? 
Dr. CARPENTER was not aware that it was. The term “lac” 
was derived from the juice being of a beautiful red colour. 
