ORDER MONOGYNIA. 211 



a plant.* In the same genus with the potatoe, is found the 

 Tomato and the Egg plant. In this natural family is the DA- 

 TURA stramonium, a large, ill looking, nauseous scented weed, 

 with a funnel form, plaited corolla, either white or purple, with 

 broad, dark green leaves ; when the corolla falls off and the 

 germ matures, it then becomes a large ovate, thorny pericarp, 

 often called Thorn-apple ; it continues to blossom during the 

 summer, is found by the sides of roads, around old buildings 

 and waste grounds. Yet even this disagreeable plant has an 

 important use ; it is, on account of its narcotic, and other ac- 

 tive properties, highly valuable in medicine. 



In the 'group of plants we are now considering, is the To- 

 bacco (NICOTIANA tdbacum). This is a native of America ; it 

 was imported into Europe about the middle of the 16th century. 

 It was presented to Catharine de Medicis, Queen of France, 

 as a plant from the New World possessing extraordinary vir- 

 tues. The generic name, Nicotiana, is derived from Nicot? 

 the name of the person who carried it to France. King James 

 I. of England, had such a dislike to the fumes of this plant, that 

 he wrote a pamphlet, which he called a " Counter blast to To- 

 bacco." It is highly narcotic, the excessive use of it produ- 

 cing sleep like opium. The oil of tobacco, when applied to a 

 wound, is said to be equally fatal as the poison of a viper. 



The Mandrake (ATROPA mandagora) was much used by the 

 ancients as an opiate ; they had many absurd notions respect- 

 ing this plant ; they fancied in its roots, which are very large 

 and of a peculiar appearance, a resemblance to the human form, 

 and thought that some judgment would follow those who took 

 them out of the ground. This superstition is not unlike that 

 which is sometimes discovered even in the present day by those 

 who are afraid to sow fennel, because they say it is " sowing 

 sorrow." Perhaps those very persons who would thus fear to 

 perform acts so innocent as to take a root from the ground, or 

 to put seeds into it, would have no hesitation in violating a 

 command of God, or neglecting to perform their known duties. 

 The Atropa mandagora must be distinguished from the 

 American mandrake ; the latter bears a fruit which is pleasant 

 to the taste and perfectly inoffensive ; its botanical name is 

 Podophyllum ; it is found in the class Polyandria. You can 

 see in this instance the importance of botanical names being 

 given in a language which shall be the same in all countries. 



"This is more properly a continuation of the plant than a reproduction , it 

 is observed that the vegetable thus continued appears in process of time to be- 

 come degenerated, and it is necessary to renew the race by reproducing it from 

 seed. 



Tobacco Mandrake American mandrake. 



