598 CAssembly 



the editions of 1833, 1835, and lastly thatof l841, fn whifh are de- 

 scribed eleven kinds of the native United States grapes, presented as 

 producing fruit good to eat or to make wine. In that number, figure 

 the Isabella and Alexander. And I am sure that in the descriptions 

 there given of these two grapes and ot the other nine grapes, there 

 is not one word which can relate to the extraordinary grape in ques- 

 tion, the one we call Cassis grape. And as Mr. Kenrick mentions 

 very carefully, the taste and the bouquet of all the grapes he describes, 

 it appears to me certain, that our Cassis grape is neither the Isabella 

 nor the Alexander, nor any of the American grapes described by Mr. 

 Kenrick who is in our opinion, a methodical and exact writer worthy 

 of confidence. 



At a meeting of the society, on the 21st of October there was pre- 

 sented a beautiful Angevine pear, weighing 2| pounds. In Novem- 

 ber another weighing upwards of five pounds — -a model of this pear 

 was made and presented to Mr. Carim Gridaine, the minister of ag- 

 riculture. In December, another from Tours, was presented to Ma- 

 dame Gridaine, which weighed five pounds and a qiiarter. Revue 

 HoRTicoLE, Paris, February, 1847. 



Mexico, which is so rich in ornamental plants, has furnished us 

 with a new species of Cuphea, described by M. Bentham, under the 

 name of Cuphea Platyantra. The scarlet flowers, very abundant and 

 of long duration, are highly ornamental in flower beds. It is easily 

 propagated by seeds and buds. 



A charming variety of Chrysanthemum under the name of Paque- 

 rette of Chusan is also mtroduced. 



THE PRANOO. 



About 25 years ago, the attention of Agriculturists in Grreat Bri- 

 tain, was drawn to a new grass, sent by an English agent from the 

 northern mountains of India. Mr. Moorecroft, the agent, thought it 

 would prove to be a superior article. It is umbelliferous and is de- 

 scribed by Dr. Wallich the superintendent of the Botanic Garden of 

 Calcutta by the name of Prangos Pabularia. 



Its quality as feed is to produce fat in an extremely short period, 

 and to destroy the disease of the liver, which is fatal to thousands of 

 sheep in England^ 



