1843.] 
of food ?>—M. E. 
the use of man.] 
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE, 
Confluence of the Chadda and Niger.—We made this 
part of the river on the 17th of September, and landed at 
the late town of Pandiaki. This town was in a very 
flourishing state at the time the Liverpool expedition 
visited this river; but since that period it has been de- 
stroyed by the Felatas, and the inhabitants have been 
obliged to take refuge on the opposite side of the Niger. 
he soil, upon examination, was not found to answer the 
expectations previously: entertained of its fertility ; and 
Stirling Hill, situated about two miles further up, the 
river, was decided upon as the site for the model farm. 
Operations were immediately commenced in clearing land, 
building houses, &c. ; and several of the natives came and 
assisted to prepare the ground for planting Cotton. With 
regard to extensive cultivation, I think this will not be 
found to answer the expectations of the African. Agri- 
cultural Society, as the parts capable of tillage are con. 
fined to a few narrow valleys, the greater part of which are 
cultivated by the natives. Irom what I have seen of the 
African disposition, 1 do not think they will be inclined 
to give up the whole of their good land to a stranger, 
whether black or white. The soil is of a poor sandy 
description, the only vegetation flourishing being a species 
of Tephrésia, nearly related to T. toxicdria, which covers 
acres of land about Pandiaki and the Confluence. This 
plant is used by the natives to give the beautiful blue dye 
to their cloth. Indigo is also found, but not plentifully, 
neither does it seem to be taken notice of hy the people. 
Cotton of a good quality is frequently met with in.a wild 
as well as. a cultivated state. I have no doubt but the 
soil is better adapted for cultivation at a short’ distance 
from the banks of the stream, as I have always found it 
to improve the farther I proceeded from: the river, 
utmost distance, however, which I was enabled to go from 
the settlement, was six miles, having been taken with the 
fever two days.after the Albert proceeded wp the river, and 
tea ata H 1 
[Probably it would still be unfit for 
1 i romp Bees 
any farther. Macgregor states, that at the junction of the 
Shary (Chadda) with the Niger, itis covered, with. majestic 
trees ; but this part is now the least wooded of: an: 
met with after entering the Nun. The only large trees 
to be seen at the present time are a few specimens of the 
Adansénia digitata. The Flora is very similar to that on 
the coast, except that Palms and Orchiddcee are more 
yvare at this place. In the former tribe there are a few 
Specimens of a species of Areca, and at-a short distance in 
the interior is found the Elais guineénsis ; but it is rare. 
The lovely Spathédea campanulata is plentiful in the 
moist valleys, and at this season they were covered with 
its large scarlet flowers. On the banks of the river 
Were also two species of Combretum, and a_beauti- 
ful Clerodendrum. . The natives prepare a red dye 
from some tree which they find at a distance from the 
Confluence; but I was. unfortunately. prevented from 
Secing it, by being taken ill, previously to the time which I 
had appointed to accompany one of the chiefs of the 
village to the place at which it was found. The natives 
_ cultivate Yams, Dhourra, Ground Nuts, Capsicums, 
Gourds, Tobacco, Papaws, Bananas, Limes, and a smal 
yellow fruit—a species of Chrysobalanus, They brought 
also to the settlement, for sale, goats, fowls, Guinea 
fowls, eggs, and honey. The manner of dyeing their 
cloth is as follows :—a number of deep, narrdéw jars are 
buried in the earth, so that the tops remain a few inches 
above the surface. A quantity of the Tephrésia is then 
Zathered, and the leaves, with the young shoots, after 
being bruised, are mixed with a certain quantity of water 
In those jars. After remaining fora few days, to get the 
liqnid to the proper degree of colour, the cloth is im- 
mersed, the tops of the jars are covered over, and they 
are left in this state fer about two days; after’ which, the 
cloth is taken out and dried. If the colour is not deep 
€nough, it is subjected to another immersion. I have no 
hesitation’ in saying, that the natives live nearly, if not 
tally, upon a vegetable diet. I could never see the 
80at used as food; and, the Guinea-fowl is either thrown 
away, or offered as a sacrifice ; but why offered as a.sacri- 
ce, I cannot say, except that it isa terrible enemy: to 
the crops of Ground Nuts and Dhourra. Some of the 
largest trees of Adansdnia are also objects of superstitious 
Yegard; those so distinguished, having their-tranks: stuck 
full of the barbed heads of arrows and spears, with the 
Skulls of birds andi animals. They have also a super- 
Stition with regard to Stirling Hill, and, say that it belongs 
0 an evil spirit, that will not let any one live upon it. A 
ay or'two after the Albert had proceeded up the river, a 
Village about two miles from us was: ransacked. by. the 
Felatas, and most, of the inhabitants: carried’ away. 
Could not see that any blood had been shed, but many of 
the huts were burned to the ground, The markets are 
Conducted by the women, who are very: just in their deal- 
Angs 5 they are: also very expert in numbers, soon counting 
Over several thousands of cowries, This operation. is 
Performed by reckoning three. at a times I may also 
State, that E think Lander was labouring under a mistake 
When he said that the Delta of the Niger produces Cedar, 
38, Upon the closest inspection, I could not see anything: 
“pproaching to the Conifers. He. probably meant some 
Plant allied to: Cedrela. 
NOTICES or NEW PLAN?S WHICH ARE BITHDR. 
“i USEFUL OR ORNAMENTAL, 
onteinsra SPEENDENS. Splendid Fuchsia. (Greenhouse Shrub). 
ie hagricer, Octandri fonogynia. Fine a plant as’, fulgens 
+S, We regard this as being still more beautiful, because of the 
The | » 
hardiest of its race, for it was found by Mr. Hartweg 0} 
| Mountain called Totontepeque, at the height of ten thousand feet 
above the sea, or little more than 5,500 feet lower than the frozen 
summit of Mont Blanc. This species should neither be cultivated 
in very rich soil nor in a large pot, for both these circumstances 
have a. tendency to prevent its flowering freely. It will grow 
well enough in any free soil, and flowers abundantly in the 
Young plants are easily struck from 
i@ young shoots, when ted in> sand and 
treated in the usugl way. Like other Mexican and Peruvian 
species, it is not sufficiently. hardy to stand a severe winter out 
of doors about London.—Bot. Reg, 
GRAMMATOPHYLLUM MULTIFLORUM; Var. tigrinum. The Tiger- 
spotted Letter-leaf. Orchidacese 
t 
almost as rich a colouring as those of Oncidium papilio. It is a 
stove-plant, and succeeds easily in the hot damp Orehidaceous 
house. It may either be grown in turfy peat, in a pot, or sus- 
pended from. the rafters; if cultivated as an air plant, the 
roots should be surrounded with some substance, such as 
sphagnum, or peat, and liberally supplied with water. When 
well managed it flowers regularly every year, and continues in 
flower longer than any plant of its ra 
quainted. It is propagated in the usual 
Zicn¥A vitnosa, Villous Zichya, (Greenhouse Climber). Papi- 
liondcexe. Diadélphia Decdndr' This plant was raised from 
wan River seeds by Mr. Standish, Nurseryman, Bagshot. It 
is a free-growing greenhouse climber, well suited for either 
training round some ornamental wirework, fastened to a pot, or 
to the pillars or rafters of a greenhouse. The plant grows freely 
in a mixture of loam and sandy peat, when not broken very 
fine, if the pots are well drained. It is easily increased by cut- 
tings, or by seeds, which are produced freely when the plants 
get large. It flowers the greater part of summer, if properly 
treated, and placed where it has plenty of light and air 
it should never be placed out of doors during summier (as is fre- 
quently done), as the plants are generally injured in such asitua- 
tion by either the rain or wind. best when kept all 
summer in a cold frame, with the back turned to the sun, but with 
| the lights off during fine weather.— Bot. Reg. 
i MISCELLANEOUS, 
Pruning.—In order to secure the regular bursting of 
uds, along the branches of a tree, ‘the 
| shoots should be left for shortening in the spring, just 
| before the opening of the leaf; when the sap, then becom- 
ing active, and each bud left—being equallymatured, will 
rapidly distribute its impulse over the whole. On the 
other hand, if shortened early in winter, the sap, whilst 
deficient. of energy to produce any apparent effect, will 
gradually ascend to the ends of the branches, become there 
deposited, and in the spring, being roused into’ quick ac- 
tion, impel the terminating buds into rapid growth, which 
will rob all. below them of that stimulating fluid of which. 
they themselves have become the greedy consumers,””— 
Maund’s Bot. Gard: 
Botanical Garden, Launceston, New South Wales.— 
We learn: from the Launcestom papers, that arrangements 
are being’ made for establishing a Botanical Garden in 
that town, the local government having granted. to 
the inhabitants 7 acres: of land for that purpose. At a 
meeting held on the 6th of July, it was resolved that the 
management of the Garden should be placed in, the hands 
of the Committee of the Horticultural Society, amongst 
whom we observe the names of the Rev. J. Bishton, Rev. 
R. H. Davies, R. €. Gunn, C. S. and W. Henty, Esqrs. 
Greenhouse Plants,—The following isa list. of choice 
plants. for Greenhouse cultivation :—Bordnia pinnata, Bi 
serrulata, and B. anemonefélia, Polygala oppositifélia 
and P. cortlifélia, Gardéquia Hookeri, Roella ciliata, 
Hevea. celsi, and H.. pungens; Chorizema varium, €. 
Dicksoni, and: C. Henchmanni; Mirbélia floribunda, Swain- 
sonia galegifélia and S, gal. alba, $ heterophylla, 
Helichrysum proliferumand H. spectabile; Pimeleahispida, 
P. decussate, and P. spectébilis; Bossiwa linophylla, 
Hutéxia myrtifélia, DillwYnia floribunda, Genista cana- 
riensis, Cytisus rhodopnexa, Erythrina Cristagalli ; 
Acacia vestita, A. armata, A. hybrida, and A. pulchella; 
Leschenatiltia formosa and L. biloba, Colecnema tenuifelia: 
Correa. Cavendishii, C. Lindleyana, and C. speciosa; 
Styphélia, tubiflora, Sprengélia incarnata, Créwea saligna, 
Luculia gratissima, Gardénia florida and G. radicans ; with 
Ericas, Epacrises, Pachsias, Camellias, Oranges, and. In- 
dian Azaleas. Climbing plants. may consist. of Séllya 
linearis, Gompholdbium polymorphum, Kennédya Marry- 
atte, Hardenbérgiz monophylla a dH. macrophylla 3 
Zichya glabrata, Z. villosa, and Z. inophylla ; Tropa’olum 
tricolor, T., aztireum, and T. brachyce: as; Mandevilla 
suavéolens, Ipomoea Ledrii; Thunbergia alata, 'T. alata 
alba, and aurantiaca. 
Guano.—From. a tabular statement, published in the 
Bristol Gazette, relative’ to the effects of this manure, we 
extract the following results :—The experiment was made 
with Turnips, and three species of manure were used. 
Five ewt. of guano produced a crop weighing 17 tons per 
acre, at a cost (for manure) of 2s. Id. per ton of produce. 
Twenty tons’ of stable-dung produced a crop of 16 tons 
weight, at an, expense of 5s. I1d. per ton; and 32 bushels 
of bones produced:a crop of 15 tons weight, ata cost of 
Ss 
ce with which I am ac- 
manner.—Bot. Reg. 
ae 
o 
China,—We understand that a collector (Mr. Thomas 
Lobb) is: about, toy proceed to: Java and China, in the 
Samarang, Capt. Belcher, and that his mission is on ac- 
count of the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. His objects 
will,. we presume, be purely botanical. 
'o. cure the Seale on Pines.—Tie following is a 
receipt of the late Mr. Runciman’s, who was a good Pine- 
grower, for destroying the Scale-insects which infest that 
plant: Boil gently together, in 4 gallons of soft water, Ub. 
of tobacco, L1b. of sulphur, L lb. of soft soap; and 4 1b. 
of mux vomica, until the quantity is reduced to 3 gallons. 
In this the crowns and suckers should be stecped for a 
quarter. of an. hour; after which, they should be well 
rinsed: in. a'tub: of clean) water. They should be turned 
bottour upwards until tle wet is drained from them ; and 
after being potted, they sl 
leading | 
uld be kept in a strong, moist 
heat. to d arge plants, great 
care should be taken to drain the water from them tho- 
roughly, and not to wash too near the hearts. 
The I dian, Way of Cooking Broceols Sprowts.—-Boik 
them in salt and water; let them cool ; whet cold, dredge 
them with flour, fry them brown utter, and sprinkle 
a little salt over them. ‘This wholesome. and. pleasant 
dish is to be met with at the first tables on the Continent, 
and is much superior to the very primitive mode in which 
Broccoli is usually presented at ours.— Afuscipula, 
ee ee 
THE NATURALIST’S CORNER.—No. VIE 3 
(Continued from page 840.) 
23. Cereale Papaver.—Many are the reasong assigned’ 
by commentators for the epithet Cereale being applied by 
Virgil (Georg. lib. i, 212) to Papaver (the Poppy). 
Jervius assigns the following :—either because it is eaten 
like corn, or because Ceres made use of Poppies to forget 
her grief, and was thrown thereby into. a sleep, when she 
had watched a long time on account of the abduction of 
Proserpine; or because Mycon, the Athenian, who was 
beloved by Ceres, was transformed into a Poppy 5 or be- 
cause it was sprinkled upon bread, La Cerda quotes the 
authority of Eusebius, in his third book, ‘* De Preepara- 
tione Evangelica,”’ that Ceres was accounted the inventress 
of Poppies. Rudus has the same quotation. La Cerda 
gives another reason: that Ceres relieved her hunger 
with Poppies, as appears from the fourth book of Ovid’s 
“ Fasti.’’ We are there told, that when Celeus invited 
Ceres to refresh herself in his cottage, his little boy was 
sick, and could get no rest; upon which Ceres gathered 
some Poppies to cure him, and tasted them herself un- 
awares. La Cerda also quotes Brodus for another 
reason : that Poppies were sown amongst the Corn for the: 
sacrifices of Ceres. Again he quotes Brodwus and also 
Turnebus, who observe that the statues of that goddess 
are frequently adorned with Poppies. Lastly, he cites 
a reason, assigned by Mancinellus, that there is a sort: of 
Poppy, called @uAcsris, of which a wholesome sort of 
bread may be made. The reason assigned by Probus, that 
Poppies are common amongst,the Corn, which is under 
the protection of Ceres, cannot be right; because the 
Poppy heads, which are so common on the statues of 
Ceres, plainly belong to the cultivated sort, not to that 
which grows amongst the Corn. Rudus thinks. the best 
reason is, because it appears from Pliny that the seeds of 
white ‘Poppies were frequently eatew by the ancients: 
this, indeed, shows. why Virgil called the Poppy Veseum 
papaver, but does not seem to explain the epithet Cereale. 
It is certain that Poppies. were: consecrated by the an- 
cients to Ceres, aud that most of her statues are adorned 
with them, 
24. Utility of Flies— may appear surprising how a 
Being perfeetly good should have created animals. whicly 
seem to serve no end but to spread desolation wherever 
they go. But let us be cautious in suspecting any imper- 
fection in the.Father of the Universe. What at first 
sight may seem only productive of mischief, will, upom 
mature deliberation, be found worthy of that Wisdom: 
which planned the most beautiful parts: of the world. 
Many poisons are valuable medicines; the storms are be. 
neficial ; and diseases. often. promote, life, The common 
flies are regarded. by mankind -in. general as noxious, and 
at: best as: useless-beings in the creation: but this is: cer 
tainly for want of consideration. There are 2ot probably: 
in all nature animals of more. importance’ ; and it would 
not be difficult to. prove that we should feel, the want of 
one or two species of large quadrupeds, much less than off 
one or two species of these despicable-looking: inseets. 
Mankind in e sensible that nothing is more dis= 
agreeable or more pestiferous, than putrid substances jam 
it is apparent to all) who have made obser 
ttle insect 
ation, that 
these li cts contribute more. to the quick dissolu= 
tion ax on of putrescent matter than any other. 
They are so. nece yin all hot; ¢ that, even: in 
the.open fields, a dead animal, or small putrid: substance, 
cannot be laid upon the ground two minutes before It will 
and. their maggots, which, instantly 
be covered with flies . " 
entering, quickly devour one part, and perforating Lisi 
rest in various directions, expose the whole to aa : 
sooner dissipated by the elements.— Smeathmany Philos. 
Trans., 1781. 
GARDEN MEMORANDA. 
Bvotic Niysery, Cunterbury.—As the widely-circulated columns 
Ewotie Nursery, Canterbury aren accounts of provincial 
the metropolis, we were 
us more, after p ¢ a 
ancient city, and walking throug 
iat 
being imm 
a great variety of both 
crowded, were 
i ave proofs 
g¢ 
ge 
e, £9 
ious: groups. 
seqnence of the: 
rent i 
R 
S 
2. 
but which are yet di 
another, in consequ 
leaves, is well caic 
the varying forms and shades,of-their 
ted to recommend the scientific instead of 
ngement of hardy plants in shrubberies. 
Mm rou Horse-Chesnuts 
Thorns, Gleditschias, &e. 
cens, being placed with P. greeca,, 
ference in habit, as wellas in the 
Among single specimens, 
ie groups o 
