194 

NATURE 
[Fan 5; 1871 

for having neglected to eradicate certain thistles, after having 
been requested to do so, The defendant alleged that men had 
been employed for ten days in striving to exterminate them, and 
that ten donkeys were kept for the sole purpose of eating off the 
tops of the thistles. The Bench, however, were of opinion that 
no adequate steps had been taken since a previous conviction, 
and imposed a fine of 5s. per day from that date. 
WE leam from Dr. Miiller’s last report of the Melbourne 
Botanic Gardens that the noxious ‘‘ Cape Weed” (Cryptostemma 
calendulaceum), is becoming suppressed in his vicinity by the 
gradually denser growth of lucerne, clover, and grass. The plant 
was noticed as an inexterminable weed of Australia, by Baron 
von Huegel, in 1833. It would appear that more than one plant 
is known as ‘‘Cape Weed,” as another Composite (Hyfocheris 
vadicata), is so called in New Zealand, where, in the neighbour- 
hood of Dunedin, it is spreading to a serious extent. 
A wRriTER in the /ve/d for Dec. 17, advocates the cultivation 
of Symphyium asperrimum as food for cattle. He recom- 
mends that the plants should be set about two feet six inches from 
each other; and that the most forward of the leaves should be 
plucked as they develop. Horses are very fond of it, and it is 
beneficial in its effects upon them. It is not recommended that 
it should be made store of, but the leaves should be gathered and 
eaten fresh. It will be remembered that Prof. Buckman, when 
at Cirencester, instituted some experiments upon this plant, which 
led him to the conclusion that it was not specifically distinct from 
the common Comfrey (.8. officinale) ; and it is therefore probable 
that the latter would be equally suitable for cattle. .S. asperri- 
mum is a plant of very rapid growth ; boiled as a vegetable it is 
palatable, and in Germany it is a favourite ingredient in salad. 
AMONG the various notes upon tree-worship which have lately 
appeared, no mention has been made of the Cotton-tree (Z7io- 
dendron anfractuosum). Of this Dr. Macfadyen, in his ‘‘ Flora 
of Jamaica,” writes as follows : ‘* Perhaps no tree in the world 
has a more lofty and imposing appearance, whether overtopping 
its humbler companions in some woody district, or rising in soli- 
tary grandeur in some open plain. Even the untutored children 
of Africa are so struck with the majesty of its appearance, that 
they designate it the God-tree, and account it sacrilege to injure 
it with the axe; so that, not unfrequently, not even the fear of 
punishment will induce them to cut it down. Even in a state of 
decay it is an object of their superstitious fears ; they regard it 
as consecrated to evil spirits, whose favour they seek to conciliate 
by offerings placed at its base.” 
AN early mention of tobacco is that in Hakluyt’s ‘‘Voyages,” 
by M. Jaques Carthier, in 1534. Speaking of the people of 
‘*Hochelaga, up the river of Canada,” he says, ‘‘ There groweth 
also a certain kind of herbe, whereof in Sommer they make 
great prouision for all the yeere, making great account of it, and 
onely men vse of it, and first they cause it to be dried in the 
Sunne, then weare it about their neckes wrapped in a little beasts 
skinne made like a little bagge, with a hollow peece of stone or 
wood like a pipe, then when they please they make pouder of 
it, and then put it in one of the ends of the said Cornet or pipe, 
and laying a cole of fire upon it, at the other ende sucke so long, 
that they fill their bodies full of smoke, till that it commeth out 
of their mouth and nostrils, even as out of the Tonnell of a 
chimney. They say that this doth keepe them warme and in 
health, they neuer goe without some of it about them. We our- 
selves haue tryed the same smoke, and hauing put it in our 
mouthes, it seemed almost as hot as Pepper.” 
Asa general rule, plants which are casually introduced to, 
and become firmly established in, any country, are by no means 
to be regarded as useful acquisitions ; some of the worst weeds 
of cultivation may be found among them, An exception to this, 

however, may he noticed in Lesfedesa striata, ‘Japan clover,” 
or ‘‘ wild clover,” as it is called in the localities to which it has 
introduced itself. It has recently sprung up in great abundance 
in all parts of the Southern States, and has proved a great 
acquisition to the farmers. The roots, which are long and 
fibrous, penetrate and flourish even in sandy roads and in yards ; 
and a single root will send out as many as six hundred branches. 
The Lespedeza is a close-growing plant, covering the ground as 
with a carpet of green, and is taking the place of the sedges and 
other weeds upon the waste lands and clearings. Cattle, horses, 
and sheep eat it greedily ; and it is in every way an important 
addition to the fodder-plants of the country. 
A CONTRADICTION is given to the reported discovery of coal 
in the Bellary district in Madras. 
ON the 3rd of October the Faculty of Science and Polytechnic 
School were opened at Quito in Ecuador. There is reason to 
believe that these establishments of the repudiatory republic are 
more pretentious than real. 
CINCHONA has so fully succeeded in the Neilgherry Hills in 
India that the first shipment of bark from a private plantation 
to the extent of 4,000 lbs, is taking place. The Government 
promoted Cinchona plantations chiefly for the supply of India, 
but they are already engaging in the home trade. 
A RARE discovery has been made near the port of Mejillones 
in that district of the rainless desert of Atacama belonging to 
Bolivia, of a spring of fresh water. This has been granted to 
the discoverer for ten years, and then to become the property of 
the State. 
ON the 18th of October, at 5 p.M., a slight earthquake was felt 
at Salvador in Central America. There had been heavy rains 
for some days. 
THE Queensland Acclimatisation Society, under the patron- 
age and with the assistance of his Excellency the Governor 
and other influential persons in the colony, appears to be in a 
satisfactory condition, both financially and with regard to the 
work done, as well as the earnestness and ability of its workers. 
In the park belonging to the society a considerable number of 
foreign trees have been introduced, and amongst them the 
splendid tree of Madagascar (Poinciani regia), which, we are 
told, is being raised by hundreds. This success of foreign trees 
is very gratifying at a time when the question of want of shade 
trees is a matter of much interest, not only in Queensland, but 
also in other colonies. The Shola (Zschynomene aspera) is 
likewise amongst the recently-introduced plants which promise 
success. It is a native of India, and is well known on atcount 
of its light wood being used for making the ‘‘ pitte” hats, so 
much used in tropical countries. Among British birds intro- 
duced by the Society, and which survived the voyage from 
London, the blackbird, thrush, starling, rook, sparrow, and 
lark, have been liberated in the Botanic Garden ; but at the time 
the report was drawn up little could be said as to their con- 
dition or whereabouts, except that one pair of sparrows were 
then rearing their second brood in the heart of the city. Large 
numbers, also, of Chinchilla rabbits, and of the wild English 
breed, have been turned loose on the islands of Moreton Bay, 
but care has been taken to keep the different kinds separate. 
Ir is not alittle remarkable that Corchorus capsudaris, oneof the 
plants yielding the jute of commerce now so largely imported 
and used in the manufacture of carpets, and also largely used in 
India for gunny bags, should, though growing wild in Sumatra, 
not be cultivated in that island. The bags in which Java 
coffee is exported are made of this fibre. Large quantities of 
these ready-made bags are annually sent from Bengal, even to 
Jaya. 
4 
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