THE GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



lo be very poisonous, except one, 8. potatorum, 

 Jie fruit of which is called the " clearing nut," 

 and is sold in every market in India to clear 

 muddy water. The natives never drink clear 

 well water if they can get pond or river water, 

 which is always more or less impure, according 

 to circumstances. One of the seeds is well 

 rubbed round the inside of the vessel, generally 

 an unglazed earthen one, containing the water, 

 which is then left to settle ; in a very short 

 time the impurities fall to the bottom, leaving 

 the water clear. One of the upas genus 

 (Antiaris) is used for making sacks in India, by 

 the following singular process : " A branch is 

 cut, corresponding to the length and diameter of 

 the sack wanted. It is soaked a little, and then 

 beaten with clubs till the fibre separates from 

 the wood. This done, the sack formed of the 

 bark is turned inside out, and pulled down till 

 the wood is sawn off, with the exception of a 

 small piece left to form the bottom of the sack. 

 These sacks are in general use." 



" No country is richer than Java in club 

 mosses (Lycopodium) and orchideous plants, 

 which overrun the trees in thousands in the 

 deep, dark, mountain forests, choked by huge 

 creeping plants, with an undergrowth of gigantic 

 grasses, through which not a ray of light pene- 

 trates. Sir Stamford Raffles describes the 

 vegetation of Java as l fearful.' In these forests, 

 the air is heavily charged with damp and deadly 

 vapours, never agitated by a breath of wind ; 

 the soil, of the deepest black vegetable mould, 



