AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 341 



of China ; also tlie tubers of Cara (Dioscorea alata and Bulblfera.? 

 The two latter grow wild at Rio, and require only one planting) 

 after which they keep possession of 'the ground. 



The Japan potatoes sent by Dr. Sacc, raised by him without 

 any special care, are absolutely like our common potatoes. 



Mr. Lacoste said that Mr. Vialle, a distiller at Orleans, has in- 

 vented an apparatus for obtaining the syrup of the Sorgho by cold 

 maceration. 



Translations fi"om periodicals received by the Institute in Oct. 

 1856 : by H. Meigs. 



[Bulletin Mensuel De La Societe Imperiale Zoologique D'Acclimatation, Septem- 

 ber 1856.] 



SEEDS AND ROOTS FROM THE ANTILLES RECOMMENDED 

 FOR TRIAL IN ACCLIMATION. 



Canna gigantea or Toloman of Guadaloupe, yielding starch equal 

 to arrow root, yellow igname, saffron, Angola peas, twenty thou- 

 sand franc peas, Doliques or Jerusalem peas, are most esteemed in 

 the Antilles, (West Indies.) Several others will be tried. 



The Sugar Sorgho from the north of Cliina meets encourage- 

 ment in France, and more in her African colonies. Near Toulon 

 the juice of it has been mixed with that of the grape and produced 

 a pleasant wine. 



We think it a duty to speak of another Sorgho, the introduc- 

 tion of which into Provence, is due to Mr. Grellet Balgnerie of 

 Guadaloupe. This Sorgho which has been an object of study by 

 Mr. Leopold Wray, (the botanist,) is the Imp hy of the Caffres; and 

 the one that Pietro Arduino tried (probably,) in Italy in 1766. 



Mr. Grellet Balgnerie declares that its grain is very superior to 

 that of the Sugar Sorgho, and being ripe earlier. In the island of 

 Martinique, Mr. Hayot has cultivated it for food for his Indian 

 Coolies, because its farina is preferable to that of Coaley rice, and 

 is more nourishing — its leaves are relished by the cattle, and ex- 

 cellent Tafia is made from its sugary juice. But the Sorgho pre- 

 sents a peculiar feature in the coloring matter contained in its 

 glumes — the seed covers — a rich and new product. The coloring 

 matter extracted from these glumes is a very fine solid carmine, 

 and is sought for by the silk manufacturers of Lyons for dyeing 



their silks. 



[Am. Inst.] 33 



