THE AQUARIUM, JULY, 1896. 



63 



dug up in the late summer when the 

 plant has gone to rest, split lengthwise, 

 cut into small pieces, strung on strings 

 and dried quickly in the oi:)en air and 

 by artificial heat, the product being 

 known as Chinese or India rhubarb 

 { Radix rhei chinensis v. indici ). 



In China, alon^ the borders of Russia, 

 is found the R. 2)almatum. This is ex- 

 tensively cultivated in China and Tar- 

 tary ; it is brouglit into commerce by 

 way of Russia and known as R. r. rosici 

 V. moscovitici. R. rhaponticmn is a 

 native of Siberia and extensively culti- 

 vated there, yielding the drug known 

 as Radix rliapontici, much used in 

 veterinary surgery. 



In Persia and Syria R. ribes is native. 

 It has been cultivated there for many 

 centuries, for the medicinal properties 

 found in the sap of the leaf stems, 

 which is made into the delicious Roob- 

 Ribes and Syrupus petiolum Rhei of 

 commerce. 



Many botanical travelers have de- 

 voted much of their time, while travel- 

 ing in Asia, to the study of the culti- 

 vation of this important plant. In 

 many localities of Europe Rliewn is 

 now cultivated with more or less suc- 

 cess ; in some parts for the purpose of 

 obtaining the high-priced roots of this 

 plant, while in other sections it is 

 extensively grown for the purpose of 

 manufacturing wine and champagne 

 out of the juice of the leaf stems. 



The various varieties now cultivated 

 by our gardeners for kitchen and 

 decorative purposes are products of 

 hybridization. 



The rhubarb {Rheum) is grown from 

 seed. It requires a light, rich soil, 

 about two and a half to three feet 

 deep, with perfect drainage. With a 

 little protection it is perfectly hardy in 

 our climate. 



On St. Mary, the largest of the Scilly 

 Islands, nearly one million (900,000) Nar- 

 cissus bulbs were planted this season, 

 while in Holland only about one-tenth of 

 this number were planted this year. 



Damage to Trees by Electric Wires. 

 — While we have had no cases of dam- 

 aged trees by wires running through 

 the tops, we have had repeated instances 

 of large trees being killed by the wire 

 to hold the pole in place being attached 

 to them. Every instance of fastening 

 such wires to trees has resulted in the 

 loss of the tree sooner or later, unless the 

 wu-e is removed. The loss is gradual, 

 taking several years. Leakage of under- 

 ground gas pipes is very destructive to 

 shade trees. I have often seen discussed 

 the question of the effect of electric light 

 on vegetation. There is an electric light 

 on the street at one corner of my nursery, 

 and I have never been able to detect the 

 slightest difference in growth of leaf or 

 wood of plants or trees within the radius of 

 the light or beyond it. — L. B. Rice, Mich. , 

 in Am. Qardening. 



The oldest bouquet of flowers in the 

 world is no doubt the one now on exhi- 

 bition in the Egyptian museum, at Cairo 

 (Egypt). This was found, together with a 

 piece of floral wreathing and a mummj', in 

 an ancient grave. Although these flowers 

 had been placed there more than 3,000 

 years ago, the natural colors of some of 

 them partly remain. A species of erica 

 (heather), popi)y, chrj'santhemums, willow, 

 pomegranate and dielj^tra can be plainly 

 distinguished among these ancient floral 

 ornaments. 



Aqfiatic Microscopy for Beginner^., by Dr. 

 Alfred C. Stokes. .$1.50 prepaid by mail. 

 E. F. Bigelow, publisher, Portland, Conn. 

 A very interesting book, well illustrated ; it 

 should be in the hands of every aquarist. 



