GOLDEN CLUB. 



GOOSE. 



century. The first are of an orange colour/ 

 with very shining scales, and finely variegated ; 

 with black and dark brown. The silver fish 

 are of the colour of silver tissue, with scarlet j 

 fins, with which colour they are curiously 

 marked in several parts of the body. These , 

 fish are usually kept in ponds, basins, and 

 small reservoirs of water, to which they are a 

 very great ornament. It is also a very com- 

 mon practice to keep them in large globular 

 glass vessels, frequently changing the water, 

 and feeding them with bread and gentles. The 

 gold fish is now abundant in the river Schuyl- 

 kill, near Philadelphia, into which they first 

 made their way in consequence of the over- 

 flowing of a fish-pond in Pratt's garden, where 

 considerable numbers were kept. 



GOLDEN CLUB, called also Never-Wet, 

 and Floating Arum (Orontium aquaticum). A 

 plant not unfrequent in pools along the fresh 

 water streams of the United States. It has a 

 perennial root, leaves enlarging, finally to 8, 

 10, or 12 inches long, and 3 to 5 inches wide, 

 a little succulent, very smooth, of a deep green 

 and velvety appearance on the upper surface, 

 paler and somewhat glaucous beneath. Flow- 

 ers yellow. 



GOLDEN OAT GRASS. See AVEXA. 



GOLDEN-ROD (Solidago, from solidare, to 

 unite, on account of the supposed vulnerary 

 qualities of the plants). This is an extensive 

 genus of coarse flowering plants suitable for 

 the back of flower borders. Any common soil 

 suits them, and they are readily increased by 

 division of the roots. The common golden- 

 rod, or wound-wort (S. virgaurea) is a native 

 of Britain, growing in woods, hedges, heaths, 

 and copses ; and on mountains at every degree 

 of elevation. It is perennial, and flowers from 

 July to September. It is a very variable plant 

 in magnitude, number, and size of flowers, and 

 s'-rriture of the leaves: nor do these varieties 

 altogether depend on situation, except that in 

 alpine specimens the flowers are larger and 

 fewer. The root is woody, with long, stout, 

 simple fibres; the stem usually from one to 

 three feet high, never quite straight, purple 

 below, most downy in the upper part, where it 

 terminates in a leafy cluster, either simple or 

 compound, of bright yellow flowers. When 

 bruised, the whole herb smells like wild car- 

 rot. Its qualities are diuretic, astringent, and 

 perhaps tonic ; and it has been recommended 

 as a vulnerary both externally and internally, 

 but it is now never used in medicine. It may, 

 with greater advantage.be employed as a dye- 

 ing drug, for both the leaves and flowers im- 

 part a beautiful yellow colour, which, accord- 

 ing to Bechstein, is even superior to that 

 obtained from woad. The Canada golden-rod 

 (S. Canadcnsis) is frequently used for this pur- 

 pose. (Eng. Flora, vol. iii. p. 439.) 



Solidago is exclusively a North American 

 genus of plants, with the exception of 5 or 6 

 species in Europe, and 2 found near Canton, 

 in China. About 50 species of golden-rod have 

 been enumerated by botanists in the United 

 States, some of which are, however, regarded as 

 mere varieties. (XittiaWs Genera. Flor. Cest.) 

 GOLDEN-SAXIFRAGE (Chrysosplenium, 

 from chrysos, gold, and sphn, the spleen, in 



reference to the deep yellow colour of the flow- 

 ers, and the supposed medicinal virtues of the 

 plant). This is a curious and rather pretty 

 genus. It requires a moist situation, and may 

 be increased by dividing the roots. The na- 

 tive species in England are found in the great- 

 est perfection upon the shady banks of small 

 rivulets. They are two in number, both peren- 

 nials, flowering in May. The alternate-leaved 

 golden-saxifrage (Ch.altcrnifulium} has the root 

 fibrous and creeping ; stems angular, decum- 

 bent, branched at the top only; leaves alter- 

 nate, reniform, rough on both sides the notches, 

 but the under disk pale and polished ; radical 

 leaves on long stalks, those of the summit 

 crowded and sessile ; flowers in a corymb, 

 deep yellow. The opposite-leaved golden- 

 saxifrage (Ch. oppositifolinm) resembles the 

 preceding, but is paler; the leaves smaller and 

 the flowers of a pale lemon yellow. (See SAXI- 

 FRAGE. 



GOLD OF PLEASURE (Camelina sativa, 

 wild flax). This is rather a dwarf plant, grow- 

 ing from 1 to 2 feet high, which is found in 

 cultivated fields, chiefly among flax, with whose 

 seeds it is often introduced from abroad ; but 

 it does not long propagate itself with us spon- 

 taneously. It is an annual, blowing small, 

 pale-yellow flowers in June. It is cultivated 

 in some parts of Europe for the sake of the 

 oil, which is obtained from the seeds. The 

 species of the genus to which it belongs have 

 but little beauty, and require to be sown in the 

 open border. See WILD FLAX. 



GOOSE. A well-known large, web-footed 

 bird, belonging to the order natutores, or swim- 

 mers. These are remarkable for their powers 

 of swimming and diving; they are commonly 

 called water-fowl, and, as an order, have fre- 

 quently been designated palmipedes, in reference 

 to their webbed feet. From the geographical 

 position, extent, and varied character of the 

 British islands, the species of this order are 

 very numerous, comprehending nearly one- 

 third of the whole number of our British birds. 

 The first family of this order, the anatida, is 

 also extensive ; including the geese, swans, 

 ducks, and mergansers. The first three por- 

 tions were formerly considered as belonging to 

 but one genus, anas; and hence the family 

 name, anatidee. Modern systematic authors 

 have found it more convenient, as well as de- 

 sirable, to divide them into smaller groups, 

 which are known to be distinct in their cha- 

 racter and habits. Many of the species are 

 of great interest and value. The present arti- 

 cle will, however, be restricted to some account 

 of tame geese. 



Two varieties of the domestic goose are in- 

 digenous to Great Britain, the gray and white 

 goose, and the pure white, which is of a larger 

 size. The first is our most plentiful breed : the 

 I second are bad breeders, seldom producing 

 more than three goslings at a brood, and that 

 j only every alternate year. There is, also, the 

 I Chinese breed, which is naturalized among us, 

 : valuable for their early breeding, and quick 

 j fattening. The Chinese goose lays about the 

 I end of November, if the weather is not severe, 

 | and produces her goslings in January. These 

 goslings, if kept dry and warm, are fit for the 



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