GARDENIA. 



GARKYA. 



922 



great part of the year, according to Roxburgh, but Marsden says 

 " the returns of its seasons are very irregular." So wedded is it to 

 its indigenous soil and climate, that the innumerable attempts made 

 to cultivate it elsewhere have uniformly failed. Dr. Roxburgh says, 

 " For these 35 years past I have laboured in vain to make it grow and 

 be fruitful 'on the continent of India. The plant has uniformly 

 become sickly when removed to the north or west of the Bay of 

 Bengal, and rarely rises beyond the height of two or three feet before it 

 perishes." The male and female flowers are sometimes on the same, 

 but usually on separate trees. The germ is superior, round, from 6- 

 to 8-ceJled, with one ovule in each, attached to the middle of the 

 axis. The ripe berry is spherical, of the size of a pretty large apple, 

 having the surface even, and crowned with the permanent peltate 6- 

 to 8-lobed stigma. The rind is thick, firm, though somewhat spongy, 

 of a dull-crimson colour, sometimes compared to that of the pome- 

 granate. Seeds as far as 8 in number inclosed in a very abundant 

 soft fleshy envelope which is delicately white, forming the edible part 

 of the fruit, described as delicious to the taste and as dissolving away 

 in the mouth. It is also extremely innocent in its nature, as almost 

 any quantity of it may be eaten without detriment, and persons sick 

 of almost any disease are allowed to partake freely of it without incon- 

 venience. The fruit before ripening is slightly acid. The rind is 

 powerfully astringent, and its decoction is employed in dysentery and 

 as a gargle in aphtha? of the mouth. The bark of the trunk and 

 branches is also considered astringent, and said to be employed by 

 the Chinese in dyeing. 



(!. cornea, has oblong elliptic leaves, solitary and umbellate flowers, 

 lateral, terminal, and drooping ; the stigma entire ; the berry the size 

 of a plumb. It is a native of the East Indies in the high remote 

 mountains of Amboyna. The trunk of this tree is very lofty, but 

 not very thick, it is covered with a black bark. The branches extend 

 wide, and divide into many short branches, which have a pair of leaves 

 at each joint, these are large, from 11 to 15 inches long and 4 inches 

 broad, but on old trees shorter, smooth, firm, and shining. The 

 flower rises between the upper leaves, drooping, having the form of a 

 small rose, of a yellow colour. The fruit is crowned by the entire 

 stigma, which appears like a wart. It is of a dusky-brown or smoky 

 colour on the outside, and within it has a mucous pulp, in which lie 

 a few seeds in the shape of a half-moon. It has a resinous smell 

 when fresh. The wood is heavy, and very hard like horn ; it is used 

 for the handles of tools, and the young ones in building, the old ones 

 being too hard to work. 



G. Cambogia has elliptic leaves tapering to both ends, terminal 

 solitary flowers, yellowish corollas, an 8-lobed stigma, the berry 8- 

 furrowed. It is a native of Malabar and other parts of the East Indies. 

 It is a tall tree with a trunk as thick as two men can compass, with 

 spreading opposite branches. The leaves are 5 inches long and half 

 that in breadth. The fruit is about 2 inches in diameter, drooping on 

 peduncles, 1 inch in length ; the rind is thin, smooth, and yellowish, 

 the pulp is yellow, succulent, sweet, and eatable. It is very common 

 about Siam and Cambodia, where incisions are made in the bark, and 

 a quantity of gum-resin, called Gamboge, flows out, and is exported 

 to foreign countries. 



It is called by the natives of Travancore Gharka Pulli, and 

 is therefore inferred to be Caeca Pulli of old writers. In Ceylon 

 the fruit is called Goraka, and much used by the natives in their 

 curries ; when ripe it is said to form a fine fruit as large as the Man- 

 gosteeti. Mrs. Colonel Walker, in her letters to Dr. Graham, describes 

 the outer husk of the fruit as being prepared by the natives by taking 

 out the pulp and seeds, bruising and then heaping it up until the 

 whole is soft. It is then smoked and kept within the influence of 

 smoke, being much used as a favourite ingredient in their curries and 

 also for preserving, along with salt, a small kind of fish, which thus 

 cured will keep for six or seven months. 



The name Cambogia is derived from the province Camboja, or 

 Cambodge, whence it comes. 



G. Cambogia, G. Cowa, G. lancecefolia, G.Kydia, G. peduncidata, and G. 

 paniculata,tA\ yield a kind of edible fruit, but of these the last is most 

 like the Mangosteen. From incisions madein the branches a yellow juice 

 exudes, and soon concretes, having a close resemblance to, and in fact 

 forming an inferior kind of gamboge ; whence it has been inferred 

 that the commercial gamboge is yielded by the species. Later 

 investigations have proved the incorrectness of the opinion, and the 

 true gamboge-tree of Ceylon has been determined to belong to a new 

 genus named llebradendran. [HEBRADENDRON.] G. Zeylona, G. comea, 

 and <!. pictoria (the last also supposed to be a species of Htbradendron), 

 all yield an inferior kind of gamboge. 



GARDK'NIA (named after Dr. Alexander Garden of Cbarlestown, 

 South Carolina, a correspondent of Linna?us), a genus of Plants 

 belonging to the natural order Cinchonaccce. It has the calyx usually 

 ribbed, with a tubular truncate limb divided into several lobes or 

 teeth ; the corolla funnel-shaped, or approaching salver-shaped, with 

 a tube much larger than the calyx, and a contorted spreading 

 5-9-parted limb; the anthers 5-9, linear, sessile in the throat; the 

 stigma clavate, bifid, or 2-toothed, with thick erect lobes; the dissepi- 

 ment* of the ovary 2-5, incompletely dividing it into cells; the berry 

 fleshy, crowned with the calyx, with a papery or bony lining, 

 incompletely 2-5-celled ; the seeds immersed in fleshy parietal placenta;. 



The species are armed or unarmed trees or shrubs, with axillary or 

 terminal, usually solitary, white and fragrant flowers. 



Q. campanulata is a shrubby plant with short branches, spiny at 

 the opex, the spines solitary; the leaves lanceolate, smooth, acumi- 

 nated at both ends ; the flowers on short pedicels in terminal and 

 lateral fascicles ; the limb of the calyx campauulate, with a short 

 acutely 5-toothed border; the corolla sub-campanulate, 6-lobed; the 

 berry, roundish, ovate. This plant is a shrub 5 to 10 feet in height, 

 and is a native of the East Indies, in the forests of Chittagong. The 

 berry, is about the size of a golden pippin apple, and is employed by 

 the natives of India as a cathartic and anthelmintic. 



G. arborea is an unarmed tree with ovate-oblong leaves, terminal, 

 almost sessile flowers, usually arranged in threes ; the corolla with a 

 filiform tube and a 5-parted limb ; the berry drupaceous, smooth, 

 containing a 4-5-valved shell. It is a native of the East Indies. The 

 fruit is eaten by the natives of India. It is one of the most beautiful 

 species of the genus, and deserves a place in every collection. 



There are about 50 species of Gardenia, which all bear elegant 

 sweet-scented flowers. They thrive best in a mixture of loam, peat, 

 and sand. Under the name of Cape Jasmines, double-flowered 

 varieties of G. florida and G. radicans are extensively cultivated. 

 Their flowers are very fragrant, and the best way of getting them 

 to bloom freely is to set them in a close frame with a gentle bottom 

 heat in the spring. In the winter they may be placed iu the green- 

 house. They may be increased by cuttings. 



(Lindley, Flora Medica ; Don, Dichlamydeous Plants.) 



GARLIC. [ALLIUM.] 



GARLIC-PEAR. [CHAT.EVA.] 



GARNET, a well-known precious stone, of which there arc many 

 varieties. Some of them are probably distinct species ; but agreeing 

 in form, and some other properties, they are classed together. This 

 mineral occurs crystallised, massive, and granular. The primary 

 form is a cube, but it occurs in the form of a rhombic dodecahedron. 

 The colour is various, and accordingly, as will be seen below, it has 

 received different names. It is transparent, translucent, rarely 

 opaque. Lustre vitreous, resinous. Specific gravity, 3'6 to 4'2. 

 Hardness, 6'5 to 7'5. Cleavage parallel to the planes of the rhombic 

 dodecahedron ; fracture uneven. 



This mineral occurs in the mountainous parts of most countries. 



The massive varieties are amorphous, structure granular, compact. 

 The crystalline varieties, according generally to their colour, have 

 received various names. Precious Garnet, Almandinc ; black, 

 Melanite, Pyreneite; greenish-yellow, Gi-ossularia ; yellow, crystal- 

 lised, Topazolite; granular, Succinite; brownish-yellow, granular, 

 Colophonite; greenish, .compact, Allochroite ; red, Pyrope, Carbuncle; 

 reddish-brown, Essonite, Cinnamon-Stone, Romanzov ite ; ma<*nesiau 

 Rothoffite. 



The following are the analyses of the Almandine, by the authors 

 named, and from the places mentioned : 



Bohemia. 



Silica . . . 3375 

 Alumina . . 27'25 

 Oxide of Iron . . 36 

 Oxide of Manganese 0'25 

 Lime . 



New York. 



42-51 



19-15 



33-57 



5-49 



1-07 



97-25 Klaproth 101'79 Wachtmeister. 



It appears that the essential ingredients of the Garnet are silica, 

 alumina, and oxide of iron ; these are frequently partially replaced 

 by oxide of manganese, lime, and magnesia. 



Garnet occurs abundantly in mica-slate, hornblende slate, and gneiss, 

 and less frequently in granite and granular limestone. It is found 

 sometimes in serpentine and lava. 



The best precious Garnets are from Ceylon and Greenland. 

 Groisularite occurs in the Wilin River, Siberia, and at Tellemarken in 

 Norway ; green Garnets are found at Swartzenburg, Saxony ; Melanite 

 in the Vesuvian Lavas ; Ouvarovite at Bissersk iu Russia ; Topazolite 

 at Mussa, Piedmont ; Aplome in Siberia on the Lena, and at Swartzen- 

 burg. Garnets also occur in several parts of the United States. 



The Garnet is the Carbunculus of the Romans. The Alabandic 

 Carbuncles of Pliny were so-called because they were cut and polished 

 at Alabanda. Hence the name Almandine. 



The clear deep red Garnets make a rich gem, and are much used 

 for ornament. Those obtained from Pegu are most vulufed. They 

 are cut quite thin on account of their deep colour. Cinnamon-Stone 

 is also used for the same purposes. Garnet when powdered is used 

 for the same purposes as emery. 



(Dana, Mineralogy.) 



GARROT. [DUCKS.] 



GARRULUS. [Convict] 



GARRYA, the only genus and type of the natural order of Incom- 

 plete Plants, Gairyacece. It was named by Mr. Douglas in compliment 

 to Nicholas Garry, Esq., secretary to the Hudsou's Bay Company. 

 The flowers of this genus are unisexual, the staminiforous and 

 pistiliferous flowers being upon distinct plants. The stiuniniferous 

 flowers are in pendulous catkin-like racemes, within connate bractetc. 

 They have a 4-leaved calyx and 4 stamens. The pistiliferous flowers 



