Imperial Academy cf Sciences at SL Pe'crskirgh. 187 



upon grounds suflfici ully solid, nor applied to naval archi- 

 teclure in the nianntr the notice required, yet is preterable, 

 in some measure, to the theories of Rome, and of don George 

 Juan; ao-iees better wiih evperiments tlian the couunon 

 theory, and deserves therefore to be noticed advamageously : 

 the marine department, to recompense the author for his 

 trouble and laudable effvjrts, have decreed to him the prize of 

 lOy Dutch ducats, and the academy have given their sanc- 

 tion to this decision. The opening of the sealed note dis- 

 covered the author in the person of Mr. Zacarie Nordniark, 

 professor of mathematics in the university of Upsala. In 

 publishing; these judgments, and distribution of prizes for 

 the vear 1806, the acadciTiy proposes the following question 

 for the present year 1807 •■ 



Chemistry teaches us the means of discovering the noxi- 

 ous qualities of mineral bodies, whereas it ix only by em- 

 piricism that we have learned to distinguish noxious plants 

 from those that are not so ; even the characteristics by M'hich 

 we think ourselves enabled to determine on the presence or 

 absence of poison in vegetables are not always sufficiently 

 certain and incontestable. 



The livid colour, for example, which has rendered many 

 plants suspected, is a deceiving sign. The bur [Arcthiyn 

 Lappa) looks dull, and is of a pale colour, yet it is a whole- 

 some plant ; on tlie contrary, the laurel {Dupkne) is remark- 

 able for the beauty of its flowers and leaves, yet this is poi- 

 sonous. The families of Ranu/iciil//s and Anemone are as 

 beautiful 33 thev arc numerous, they are however for the 

 greater part noxious. 



The same may be said of the disagreeable sinelj of plants, 

 which is taken for a diagnostic of the poisonous quality, and 

 which sign is equally uncertain with the precedmg. 



The colour of the laurel is very agree;ii)le, wliile the 

 orachc {Clienn podium viilvariu), an innocent and even salu- 

 tary plant, is of a very disagreeable smell. The odour of the 

 coriander is disagreeable to many persons, yet of a very salu- 

 tary nature. 



The umbelliferous |)Iants which grow in damp and inun- 

 daleU situations, have the ri:nitation uf bcinj; poisonou:* : 



not- 



