AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 125 



Fish arc to be sent from France to stock Algerian rivers, &c. 



No. 4 of the bulletin of the Agricultural Society of Algiers contains 

 a note on the Angora goat. 



CHINESE YAM. {Dioscoren Batata.) 

 This valuable tuber is now found to be remarkably easy to cultivate. 

 It remains in the ground during the winter and multiplies in summer. It 

 may be left in the ground like our Jerusalem artichoke which takes care of 

 itself entirely. The large tubers may be taken for use and the small ones 

 left to grow large in time. The vines and leaves of this yam will cover 

 the ground sufficiently, with some help, to keep down weeds. If it is as a 

 table vegetable, not equal to good potatoes, it will add much to the vege- 

 table courses both in its natural condition, plain boiled, or in a sort of 

 custard which is readily made of it, very pleasing to the palate and very 

 wholesome. So that its hardihood, resisting frost, and keeping perfectly 

 in its field, render it greatly superior to those vegetables which we are 

 compelled to house every winter. It is also less exacting of manures than 

 most plants. The Chinese say it hates manure, especially that which is 

 valued above all others, that is flight .''oil ! 



[Revue Ilorticole, Journal D'llorticulture Pratique, Paris, May, 1858.] 



J. Gra3nland, on the peculiar functions of leaves, by careful experiments, 

 has decided the fact that dew on the leaves of plants does not enter them 

 at all. That the benefit is of the dew on the ground. The leaves breathe, 

 transpiring carbonic acid and inspiring oxygen by night, and absorbing 

 carbonic acid and transpiring oxygen by day. The common opinion that 

 leaves absorb dew is an error ! The functions of the leaves are limited to 

 the breathing and the transpiration of the fluids they contain in themselves, 

 and not to absorption of water from atmosphere. 



PLANTS SUITED TO AN AQUARIUM. 



The thirty plants enumerated all flourish either in water or on the mar- 

 gins of water. Those who wish to ornament their aquarium should seek 

 for such as they may like. This rather new taste is merely an extension 

 of the gold fish apparatus and may ultimately lead to the breeding of fish 

 in parlors, as some now breed Canary birds and others. The nursery of 

 valuable fishes will form an immensely useful as well as a very agreeable 

 amusement. For breeding 'trout the water in the aquarium should be kept 

 in agitation by a wheel of suitable size working in a trough, to create and 

 maintain current and agitation. From extensive practice we may derive 

 the knowledge of the best modes of raising all kinds for our waters, that 

 they may teem with abundance and come to our markets from our waters, 

 fattened, as poultry comes from the land. 



THE OAK SILK WORM 



occupies much attention among the silk growers of France. Mons, 

 Jacquemart reminded the imperial society, that from its foundation, eff"ort3 



