480 BOTANICAL NOTES^ NOTICES, AND QUERIES. {JilTie. 



a soil merely moist, without being inmidated, the result is the Ranunculus 

 hederaceus — -the presumed distinct species — with short stalks, and none of 

 the leaves divided into hairy cut-work ! To come to a more familiar in- 

 stance. The various bread-forming grains. Wheat, Barley, Oats, Rye, are 

 found to be resolvable into one. If Wheat be sown in June, and mown 

 down, so as not to be allowed to come to ear till the next season, the pro- 

 duct will be found to consist partly of Eye, or some other of the cereals. 

 Oats have, in like manner, been transformed into Eye, Barley, and even 

 Wheat. Till a recent period this phenomenon was doubted ; but it has 

 been tested by experiment, and reported on by so many credible persons, 

 that it can no longer be rejected. — From a Correspondent. 



Mountain Ash {Pyrus Aucuparia). 



This tree is seldom described by any author unaccompanied by a more 

 or less uninteresting account of superstitious usages respecting it ; for 

 example, Lightfoot, in his ' Flora Scotica,' Smith, in his ' EngKsh Flora, 

 and Hooker, in his ' British Flora,' give publicity to these somewhat de- 

 grading facts. In Loudon's Arboretum et Fruticetum Brit, there is a sum- 

 mary of what was written previously to the publication of this elaborate 

 work. None of these relations is it needful to repeat. We had experience 

 in our youth of the prevalence of this superstition, and of many other 

 similar anilities ; but it is perhaps better to let them remain in oblivion. 



We have heard that the Cambro-Britons brew a strong drink from the 

 berries of the tree, and it generally produces them in abundance. We 

 should be obliged to any correspondent who will be so kind as to tell 

 us how a fruit which in the south of England is deemed poisonous, can 

 be made useful. We know by experience that it is not poisonous, and 

 we further believe that a very wholesome preserve might be made by 

 boiling the ripe berries in a sufficient quantity of sugar. That the fruit 

 is good can be affirmed on the ci'ede experto principle ; but we cannot say 

 how it may be most usefully and economically employed. 



QUEKCUS INTERMEDIA. 



Note. — A correspondent writes, " In the last London Catalogiie (last 

 edition), it, Quercus intermedia, is considered a variety. In this Catalogue 

 is (are) many discrepancies, much too full of varieties. But it is not for 

 me to criticize." 



Communications have been received from 



Fred. Currey, F.L.S. ; J. G. Baker; H. Stock; J. Matthew, jun. ; 

 W. Borrer, F.E.S. ; G. E. S. ; Frugilegus ; John Windsor, F.L.S. ; 

 A. G. More, F.L.S. 



BOOKS RECEIVED FOR REVIEW. 



Natural History Bevieto for April, 1858. 

 The Friend. 



EEEATA IN 'BRITISH BOTANY.' 



Page 206, Rosa villosa, after e.b. 583. Sup., add " excluding syn. aud fruit." 

 Under var. mollis, e.b. 459 should he e.b. 2459. 



