Feb. 16, 1871] 
NATURE 
313 
8B a ee 
Plants.” 
same family, and even to different species of the same genus, 
under the same external conditions of supply in soil and atmo- 
sphere, indicating, as the authors think, not only very varying 
ranges of root-collection, but also quantitatively varying functional 
characters, both of the feeders and the elaborating organs. It is 
expected that results of considerable practical value to agricul- 
turists will be obtained from the second series of experiments 
which were conducted during 1870. The Royal Horticultura 
Society appears to be applying its resources to a very useful end 
in the carrying out of these investigations. 
WE have received from Mr. F. Bradley, of Chicago, a 
pamphlet, entitled ‘* Northern Lights, Shooting Stars, and other 
Meteoric Phenomena proved to be not of modern origin,” in 
which he explains several well-known Biblical figures by the sup- 
position of an acquaintance on the part of the writers with the 
phenomena of the Aurora Borealis, and combats the views of a 
recent writer that the alleged occurrence of the Aurora within 
the last three centuries for the first time, is a sign of the approach- 
ing end of all things, 
THE great difficulty which has been experienced by farmers 
during the present winter in procuring sufficient food for their 
cattle may have the effect of directing attention to fresh substi- 
tutes for the ordinary winter keep. Turnips and Swedes have 
been a complete failure throughout a large breadth of the coun- 
try, and the hay crop has been generally so deficient that many 
agriculturists have been already brought to the verge of ruin. In 
the Argentine Republic, as is well known, vast herds of cattle 
are reared upon the natural grasses of the pampas, or upon the 
lucerne which grows there in great abundance, but in the pro- 
vince of Catamarca both man and beast depend for support 
mainly upon the leaf and fruit of the algarrobo. It provides their 
principal stock of food during the winter months, and is said to 
be exceedingly nutritious. The algarrobo (Hymenaea Courbaril- 
Felaiba) is indigenous to the country, and its fruit is gathered 
annually and stored with much care. The long pods are 
pounded in a wooden mortar, and the residuum is then passed 
through a sieve, and the meal converted into circular cakes, 
which, after having been dried in the sun, are fit for use. In this 
state it is called ‘‘patay,” and is exported as a bread-stuff into 
other districts of the Republic, in some of which it forms the 
exclusive food of the people. Its merits as a means for fattening 
cattle are also thoroughly appreciated, and it might bea great 
boon to our farmers, if the Acclimatisation Society would ascertain 
whether the algarrobo might not be introduced into this country 
with advantage. The tree grows to a height of forty feet, with 
wide-spread branches, and a rather slender stem, and flourishes 
best upon a dry soil. 
CONSIDERABLE discusion took place in the 7%mes last autumn 
as to whether acorns were suitable for employment as food for 
cattle ; and the evidence adduced certainly favoured a negative 
view. Dr. Robert Brown, however, tells us that those produced 
in California by several species of oak form an important article 
of food. ‘The acorns of California are mostly large, and the 
trees in general produce abundantly, though in some years there 
is a great scarcity, and much misery ensues among the poorer 
natives. The acorns are gathered by the squaws, and are pre- 
served in various methods. The most common plan is to build 
a basket with twigs and rushes in an oak tree and keep the acorns 
there. The acorns are prepared for eating by grinding them and 
boiling them with water into a thick paste, or by baking them 
into bread, The oven is a hole in the ground about eighteen 
nches cubic. Red-hot stones are placed in the bottom, a little 
dry sand or loam is placed over them, and next comes a layer of 
The experiments afford striking illustrations of the 
varying powers of accumulation and assimilation possessed by 
plants belonging to different families, to different genera of the 

dry leaves. The dough or paste is poured into the hole until it 
is two or three inches deep ; then comes another layer of leaves, 
more sand, red-hot stones, and finally dirt. At the end of five or 
six hours the oven has cooled down, and the bread is taken out, 
an irregular mass, nearly black in colour, not at all agreeable to 
the eye or to the palate, and mixed with leaves and dirt.” 
THE Proceedings of the Somersetshire Archeological and 
Natural History Society for 1868-69, just published, consists 
almost entirely of papers which would come under the first head, 
The only ones bearing directly on Natural Science are ‘On the 
Geology of the Mendips,” by Mr. C. Moore, and ‘On tha 
Rodentia of the Somerset Caves,” by Mr. W. A. Sanford. Is 
it necessary that Reports of the Proceedings of Local Societies 
should be published at so higha price as practically to take them 
out of the reach of the general public ? 
Mr. F. Asnorr has reprinted a paper read at the meeting of 
the Royal Society of Tasmania, Oct. 11, 1870, ‘‘On the Sun 
and its Office in the Universe.” 
WE recently referred to Mr. Townend Glover's paper “On 
the Food and Habits of Beetles,” issued in the Report of the 
Commissioner of Agriculture for Washington. A work, similar 
in style, but more comprehensive, has been published by the 
3oard of Agriculture for the State of Missouri, which has secured 
“‘an appropriation for this purpose from the Legislature of the 
State.” This “ First Annual Report on the noxious, beneficial, 
and other Insects of the State of Missouri” is furnished by Mr. 
Charles V. Riley, State Entomologist, and from its plain descrip- 
tions, and rough, yet accurate, woodcuts, seems admirably adapted 
to fulfil the purpose for which it is published—that of giving the 
farmer a knowledge of his insect friends and foes which he may 
turn to practical account. 
THE Geraniacee, taken as a whole, are by no means noted 
for their economic properties. In Tasmania, however, a form of 
the common Geranium dissectum having a thick rootstock is em- 
ployed by the aborigines, who are in the habit of digging up the 
large, fleshy roots and roasting them for food. About Launces- 
ton it is called ‘native carrot,” and is common throughout the 
colony. The typical form of G. dissectum is generally diffused 
over the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere in th 
Old World, where it is annual. In the Eastern United States a 
biennial or annual form, G. carolinianum, takes its place, the 
typical G. dissectum being only known as an introduced weed ; 
although connecting links between the two may readily be de- 
tected. West of the Rocky Mountains the stock often appears 
to be perennial, and it cannot then be distinguished from some of 
the Australian forms. 
WE may call attention to an interesting paper, reported in 
our present number, by Mr. Cecil Smith, read before the Somer- 
setshire Natural History Society, on the relations of the Great 
Bustard, which has once more visited England during this severe 
winter. Mr. Smith removes the bird from the Rasores, among 
which it was placed by Mr. Yarrell, and restores it to the position 
assigned it by Cuvier, among the Grallatores, near to the Plovers, 
THE question of killing deadly snakes at Government ex- 
pense in India is again under discussion. The Government is 
losing its subjects at the rate of above a hundred a day, or 40,000 
a year by snake bites, but it fears losing rupees in the crippled 
state of its treasury. The last enforcement of the law was under 
Mr. Commissioner Plowden, many years ago in the Bancorah 
district, one of the smallest portions of the Burdwan division. 
Deadly snakes were brought in at the rate of some 1,200 a day, 
and although the scale was only from threepence to sixpence 
apiece, in about a couple of months 10,000/. was drawn out of 
the treasury, and the Government ordered the snake crusade to 
be stopped. 
