534 [Assembly 



washed out, and only phosphate (if lime left. Fourthly, it must 

 be on an island, or else it will be mixed with sand and earth. 

 Fiftlily, it must be accessible to shipping. 



Senor Francisco de Rivero, the representative of the Peruvian 

 government at the court of St. James, has a thorough knowledge 

 of the Guano islands. In a report made by him to his government, 

 he estimated the quantity on three islands alone at 18,250,000 

 tons. 



The Guano islands are entirely devoid of the smallest appear- 

 ance of vegetation ; not a tree, not a blade of grass, not a lichen, 

 enlivens the spot. The earth, if there is any on the rocks, is bu- 

 ried at least thirty feet in guano. And yet these islands enjoy 

 their own peculiar blessings under the hand of the Almighty, for 

 a short residence on them speedily relieves suiferers from the 

 gout, gravel, urinary complaints, and particularly those hor- 

 rible diseases the scurvy, leprosy and king's evil. Many won- 

 derful cures are on record occasioned by a residence there, doubt- 

 less owing to the atmosphere being at all times saturated with 

 ammouiacal particles. The Indian Incas preserved the guano 

 with religious care. The Spanish conquerors followed more zeal- 

 ously in their footsteps. At one period it was death to disturb 

 the birds during the breeding season. 



Whence came the Seeds? — Spontaneous plants have excited 

 great curiosity, and but little is known as yet on that subject. 

 After the great fire of London in 166G, the entire surface of the 

 destroyed portion was covered with sucli a vast profusion of a 

 species of cruciferous plant, the Sysirabrium Irio of Linnseus, 

 that it was calculated that the whole of the rest of Europe did 

 not contain so many plants of it. 



PLANTS. 



Des Genres, Camellia, Rhododendrum, .Azalea, Epacris, Erica, and 

 of other cold cons(^rvatory plants. By M. Ch. Lemaire: Pre- 

 sented in August, 1851, t<» the American Institute, by Alexan- 

 der Vattemare. Extracts translated by H. Meigs. 



Rhododendrum in Latin, rhododendron in Greek is rose tree in 

 English. Linnseus established this genus and name in 1758. 



