96 BOTANICAL NOTES^ NOTICES, AND QUERIES. [JSlarch. 



iron-wood. It would make excellent bearings for machinery, and would 

 be much less costly while quite as durable as metal. There could not be - 

 a better wood in a ship-builder's yard tor laying keels and gunwales. It 

 has been used in this country for rowlocks, tool-handles, and for any pur- 

 pose in which hardness combined with durability is required. The Maire 

 possesses the peculiar quality that, although a nail or trenail might be 

 easily driven into it in a green state, it would be impossible to remove 

 them if allowed to remain until the timber had dried. — New Zealand 

 {London^ Examiner. 



Ranunculus sceleratus. 

 Besides the 72. aquatilis (Linn.), a variety of which has been found about 

 Saharunpore, this is the only species of Crowfoot hitherto discovered in 

 the plains of tropical India. The natives have no name for it, nor do 

 they use it. It is a very acrid plant, when applied fresh quickly producing a 

 blister. It is a native of Bengal, where it appears in shady places during 

 the cold season, a straggler fiom some temperate countries. — Roxb. TFigJd, 

 from ' Useful Plantfs of hidia,' p. 374. 



Economical (Superstitious ?) Uses op Plants. 



" If Mugwort be put into the shoes, a footman may travel forty miles 

 before noon and not be tired." — Cole's * Art of Sim.plmg.' 



" Wild Tansy, laid to soak in buttermilk nine days, will make the com- 

 plexion very fair." — Ibid. 



Epimedium alpinum. 

 A correspondent has sent a specimen of the above-named plant with 

 the locality of " Snowdon " annexed, and without the usual voucher of 

 the collector's name. Can any reader verify this station, or is Epiviedinm 

 alpinum known as a plant of North Wales ? Omicron. 



Herbarium for Exchange. 

 Having recently had placed in my hands the herbarium of an amateur 

 botanist, consisting of some 800 or 900 species, I shall be glad to ex- 

 change with any gentleman having any of our rarer British plants in du- 

 plicate. I should be willing to send three or four species of the above 

 collection in exchange for each received, if required. A list of desiderata 

 will be forwarded on application to 



Charles C. P. Hobkirk, Huddersfield. 



Communications have been received from. 

 Fred. Webb ; James Backhouse, jun. ; S. Beisly ; W. Pamplin ; John 

 Sim; E. P. Burcham; W. Ashley; (Jharles Howie; Earl of Ilchester; 

 A. G. More ; W. P. ; R. Kennedy ; C. P. Hobkirk. 



RECEIVED FOR REVIEW. 

 The Brisbane Courier, November \Mh. 

 The JBritish Workman, February Jst. 

 The Children's Friend, February \st. 



