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C O M P T O N I A. 



yellow colour, and contain an odoriferous resin, bitte 

 nauseating matter, yellow colouring matter, gallic acid 

 gum, albumen, and some salts. In its recent state 

 the plants excites sneezing in those who smell it. The 

 flowers and root are used medicinally. 



The plant has a bitter, acrid, and nauseous taste, 

 and possesses stimulating properties. It produces a 

 peculiar effect on the brain and nervous system, giv- 

 ing rise to headach, spasmodic motions of the limbs, 

 and difficulty of breathing. It has been used in inter- 

 mittent fever and dysentery ; and of late has been 

 prescribed in palsy, blindness, and various nervous 

 affections. It is administered in the form either of 

 infusion or powder. The dried leaves are sometimes 

 used as a sternutatory in place of tobacco. When 

 given in too large doses, arnica excites a feeling of 

 anxiety, shooting and burning pains, vomiting, giddi- 

 ness, and insensibility. In these alarming symptoms, 

 vinegar is said to be the best remedy. 



Inula Helenium, elecampane, is one of the largest 

 herbaceous plants of Britain. Its root contains albu- 

 men, a volatile concrete oil like camphor, and a pecu- 

 liar starch-like matter called inulin, which does not 

 gelatinise on the addition of hot water, but remains in 

 the form of powder. Elecampane is tonic, stimulant, 

 and diuretic. It is sometimes prescribed in the form 

 of infusion, powder, or wine, at the conclusion of 

 catarrhal affections. 



The young branches of Inula crithmifolia are sold 

 in London as a substitute for samphire. Pulicaria 

 dysenterica, common flea-bane, a plant found in 

 marshy places in Britain, is sometimes recommended 

 in dysenteric affections. Spilanthes olcracea has a hot 

 penetrating taste, and is one of the most powerful 

 anti-scorbutics which we possess. 



Santolina c/iam(scyparisnus, cypress-leaved lavender 

 cotton, has properties similar to tansy, while Solidago 

 virgaurea, common golden rod, is diuretic, aperient, and 

 vulnerary. 



Eupatorium perfoliatum, known in North America 

 under the name of Uoncscl, possesses important tonic 

 and diaphoretic properties. 



Eupatorium Ayapana is celebrated for its power of 

 curing the bites of serpents ; and Mikania Guaco is 

 used in Spanish America for a similar purpose. 



The various species of Guaphalium and Xerantke- 

 mum constitute the plants commonly known by the 

 name of Everlasting. Coreopsis tintoria is a very 

 handsome border annual, and Chrysanthemum Sinense 

 is one of the handsomest autumnal flowers. Asters, 

 Christmas daisies, or star-worts, although not of much 

 beauty, are prized on account of their flowering late 

 in the season. China asters are familiar to all as an- 

 nuals. 



Bellis perennis, common daisy, so abundant in every 

 pasture, is too often despised on account of the fre- 

 quency of its occurrence. How different are the feel- 

 ings with which this plant is contemplated by natives 

 of Britain, when resident in countries where the daisy 

 is not indigenous. How many pleasing and delight- 

 ful associations does it in such circumstances awaken, 

 when, perchance, it springs up along with other exo- 

 tics ! Among some English earth, in which seeds had 

 been conveyed to Dr. Carey in India, there sprang 

 up to his great delight the daisy ; and this he per- 

 petuated as an annual, raised by seed preserved from 

 season to season. The feelings excited in Dr. Carey's 

 mind by this incident are beautifully depicted by 

 Montgomery in his " Daisy in India." 



Thrice welcome little English flower ! 



My mother -country's white and red, 

 In rose or lily, till this hour, 



Never to me such beauty spread ; 

 Transplanted from tliine island bed, 



A treasure in a grain of earth, 

 Strange as a spirit from the dead, 



Thine embryo sprang: to birth- 



Thrice welcome little English flower I 



Of early scenes belov'd by me, 

 While happy in my father's bower, 



Thou shalt the blithe memorial be; 

 The fairy sports of infancy, 



Youth's golden age and manhood's prime, 

 Home, country, kindred, friends, with thee, 



I find in this far clime' 



Thrice welcome little English flower! 



To me the pledge of hope unseen j 

 When sorrow would my soul o'erpower, 



In joys that were, or might have been, 

 I'd call to mind how fresh and green 



I saw thee waking from the dust; 

 Then turn to heaven, with brow serene, 



And place in God my trust. 



Tiasllag(. farfara, coltsfoot, is common in moist 

 clayey soils in this country. The flowers appear early 

 in spring before the leaves. The plant is mucilagin- 

 ous, bitter, and astringent, and in the form of infusion 

 is used in chronic catarrhs, accompanied with cough 

 and expectoration. The leaves are sometimes smoked 

 like tobacco, for the relief of asthmatic complaints. 

 The down, or cottony web covering the leaves, is used 

 as tinder, and as a styptic for slight wounds. 



The flowers of Petasites vu/garis, common butter- 

 bur, are of a pale flesh colour, and grow in the form 

 of a thyrsus. In consequence of the plant flowering 

 early, it is placed by the Swedes near their bee-hives. 



The species belonging to the genus Senecio, or 

 groundsel, are found in every part of the world, more 

 especially in South Africa. Hiimboldt has observed 

 that they are very numerous in the upper regions of 

 the Andes, just below the limits of eternal snow. The 

 flower buds and young tops of the leaves serve as food 

 for birds, and canaries are particularly fond of them. 



The genus Dahlia is named after Andrew Duhl, a 

 Swedish botanist, and a pupil of Linnrcn?. Dahlia 

 superflua, is a native of Mexico. Till the peace of 

 1814, this plant was much more cultivated in France 

 than in Britain. It has now become a very fashion- 

 able plant in this country, and is considered one of 

 the finest ornaments of our gardens. The flowers are 

 showy, and continue to expand late in the season. 

 There are numerous single and double varieties of 

 the dahlia ; the former being procured from seeds, 

 the latter from cuttings, graftings, and divisions of the 

 roots. The roots are taken up in winter and kept 

 dry, and are again planted out in April. Benzoic acid 

 's said to exist in the dahlia. 



From the remarks which have been made on this 

 jomprehensive order, it will be seen that it contains 

 )lants possessing valuable medical properties, and 

 hat it also furnishes many of those vegetables which 

 are used for culinary purposes. Whether we regard 

 ;he vast number of species which this family contains, 

 :heir wide distribution over the globe, or the highly 

 mportant qualities with which they are endowed, we 

 must consider it as occupying a distinguished place 

 among the various tribes of vegetables which diver- 

 sify the surface of the earth. 



COMPTONIA (Banks). A North American 

 deciduous shrub, named in honour of, and to perpe- 

 tiate the memory of Henry Compton, bishop of 

 London, an indefatigable collector of useful plants in 



