16 



The highly powerful Atropin is derived from it, besides 

 another alkaloid, the Belladonnin. 



Avena fatua, L. 



"Wild Oat. Europe, North Africa, North and Middle Asia, 

 eastward as far as Japan. The experiments of Professor 

 Buckman indicate, that our ordinary Culture- Oat (Avena 

 sativa, L.) is descended from this plant. 



Avena flavescens, 1^- (Trisetum flavescens, Beauv.) 



Yellowish Oat G-rass. Europe, North Africa, Middle and 

 North Asia, eastward as far as Japan. One of the best of 

 perennial meadow-grasses, living on dry soil ; fitted also for 

 our Alps. 



Avena pratensis, L. 



Meadow Oat Grass. Europe, North Asia. It thrives well 

 on dry, clayey soil ; it produces a sweet fodder, but not in 

 so great proportion as several other less nutritious grasses. 

 It is perennial, and well adapted for our snowy mountains, 

 where it would readily establish itself, even on heathy 

 moors. 



Avena pubescens, L. 



Downy Oat-Grrass. Europe, North and Middle Asia. A 

 sweet perennial grass, requiring dry but good soil, contain- 

 ing lime. It is nutritious and prolific. Several good Oat- 

 grasses are peculiar to North America and other parts of 

 the globe. Their relative value as fodder-grasses is in many 

 cases not exactly known, nor does the limit assigned to this 

 little treatise allow of their being enumerated on this occa- 

 sion. 



Bactris Gasipses, Humboldt. (Guilielma speciosa, Mart.) 



The Peach Palm of the Amazon Eiver, ascending to the 

 warm- temperate regions of the Andes. Stems clustered, 

 attaining a height of 90 feet. Dr. Spruce describes the 

 large bunches of fruits as possessing a thick, firm and mealy 

 pericarp, which, when cooked, has a flavor between Potato 

 and Chesnut, but superior to either. To us, however, this 

 palm would be mainly an object of grandeur. It is likely 

 to endure our clime in the fern-tree gullies. 



