A CHEMIST'S HOLIDAY IN FRANCE. 



439 



Wild fruits 



near 

 Brian?on. 



Artemisia, which is collected on the mountains, and held in high 1864. 

 estimation as an aromatic bitter. 



Another production of the same neighbourhood is a sort of 

 talc, once official under the name of Craie de Briangon, but now 

 chiefly used as " boot powder," and for taking out greasy stains. 



Near Brian 9on, the common gooseberry occurs very plentifully 

 in a wild state. Its fruit, though not larger than a pea, and 

 rather hard and bristly, has an excellent flavour, and the plant 

 is doubtless the progenitor of the gooseberry of our gardens. 

 It is rather curious how many other of our fruits may also be 

 noticed in this part of France, either wild or semi-wild. The 

 vine, apple, pear, medlar, quince, raspberry, cherry, and two 

 species of currant are all to be seen in greater or less abundance. 

 The currants, however, are specifically distinct from our garden 

 Ribes. In the alpine meadows the chive (Allium scJuznoprasum, L.) 

 is very frequent, and in August its pink flowers are ornamental 

 among the green grass. In England it is only known as a potherb, 

 which is also the case with savory (Saturefa montana, L.), which 

 I found on the dry hills of the Yal de Queyras. In this valley 

 I also gathered savine, which I had previously seen nowhere 

 else. Here, however, it is very plentiful,.covering the rocks with 

 a scrubby vegetation, and diffusing slightly its characteristic 

 odour. 



Dauphiny abounds in mineral wealth, including that most Dauphiny. 

 precious of all minerals, coal. It also possesses several medicinal 

 springs, that of Uriage, six miles from Grenoble, being the most 

 frequented. The water is sulphuretted alkaline, issuing from 

 its source slightly warm. It is both drunk, and used for baths. 

 There is also at Uriage a ferruginous spring, the water of which 

 is brought to the table d'hdte in decanters and drunk with wine 

 by those who require a mild chalybeate tonic. 



These, gentlemen, a,re the pharmaceutical memoranda of my 

 pleasant ramble, which came to a conclusion soon after I left 

 Uriage. I have offered them to you in default of a grave and 

 learned paper, and hope they may have afforded, if not amuse- 

 ment or instruction, at least a proof of my interest in the 

 welfare of the British Pharmaceutical Conference. 



