1859.] ADDRESS OP THE EDITOR. 9 



and if we cannot agree about the fact^ we should do as opposing 

 religionists propose to do^ viz. " agree to differ.^' 



It must be admitted that it is an all but universally accredited 

 fact, that all cultivated or domesticated things (plants and ani- 

 mals) existed originally^ or from the beginning, in a wild state, 

 and that they were accidentally discovered, as " Anah found the 

 mules in the wilderness, when he was herding the asses of Zibeon 

 his father,^' and rendered useful by cultivation and domestica- 

 tion. Is this one of our time-honoured, hereditary beliefs, or is 

 it capable of proof either by historical evidence or by a prioi'i 

 or a posteriori argument ? Questions about the domesticity of 

 animals, and the origin of useful and ornamental objects of agri- 

 culture, horticulture, and floriculture, are more easily asked than 

 answered. 



An apology is owing to several correspondents for an apparent, 

 not a real neglect of their communications on cases of poisoning. 

 The cases to which allusion is now made, had all been circu- 

 lated in the newspapers, weeks before they could have appeared 

 in our pages. It was too late to publish as news what all our 

 readers knew already from other sources of intelligence. Every 

 one who can and does read, knows that the berries of the Deadly 

 jSTightshade are a certain and speedy poison ; would that all, and 

 especially children, knew the plant when they saw it, and knew 

 also its virulent qualities ! The schoolmaster, as they say, does 

 not appear to be at home on this subject. Surely the knowledge 

 of poisonous plants cannot be said to be useless knowledge I The 

 berries of the Woody Nightshade [Solanum Dulcamara) are sus- 

 picious, but they are not very tempting. Are there any known 

 cases of persons poisoned by them ? Are there any reported ? 

 The prevalent opinion that the berries of the Mountain Ash are 

 poisonous is not easily accounted for. In the south of England, 

 where this tree is commonly planted — and very ornamental it is 

 — in shrubberies and in small gardens where it does not occupy 

 much room, the berries hang unmolested by the smock-frocks of 

 the country and the gutter-bloods or Arabs of the town-popula- 

 tions, till the birds have time to eat them at their leisure. The 

 birds, in these parts, are better judges of wholesome fruit than 

 the unfledged (wingless) bipeds. In Scotland the berries are 

 sometimes kept till they are dry, like currants. In harvest they 

 used to be thrown on or among the sheaves, on the cornricks, 



x\, S, VOL. III. c 



