468 



Answers to Queries. 



altogether smaller and less rugose leaves (b). The form of the blossom and clusters 

 are pretty much alike in both sorts (c) — Cond. 



" Q.. R-" is informed that we do not know that there is such a thing manu- 

 factured as cast-iron sun-dials, though we think it very desirable that there should 

 be, as few objects are better adapted for ornamenting small flower-gardens. 

 Neither do we know that there are any cast-iron statues, though some of them 

 would be equally valuable in garden scenery. The statue of Apollo, for instance, 

 when contemplated, is calculated to elevate the feelings, and dignify and purify 

 the mind of the beholder, while that of Venus softens and humanises, by its 

 beauty and grace. 



Malope trifida. Wild. Is the name of the plant, a specimen of which was sent by 

 Julia. " It. is a hardy annual belonging to Malvaceae, a native of Barbary, where 

 it grows in corn fields, and has much the same appearance there as the corn poppy 

 has here, excepting that the colour of the former is rose or lake red, and that of 

 the latter scarlet. We have seen beautiful specimens of it from the garden of 

 Robert Barclay, Esq. F.H.S., of Bury Hill, Surrey; it promises to be one of 

 our most splendid half hardy annuals. " G. D." 



Cara of Brazil. — " Sir : The Brazilian esculent root which G. S. enquires 

 after, is, I presume, the cara of Rio de Janeiro, and is a variety of Dioscorea sativa, 

 the skin of which is white, and tuber somewhat round, but irregular in form. It 

 is certainly superior in flavour to the long-rooted varieties of yam, but is inferior 

 to the potatoe in every respect but size, although it may be preferred by most 

 persons to the potatoes generally grown for the Brazilian market, which are 

 watery and bad tasted ; yet in some of the private gardens of the British mer- 

 chants very good potatoes are cultivated. The name of ' cara' is frequently 

 given to other esculent roots in that country ; the principal of which is Jatropha 

 manihot, but the proper appellation appears to be ' Ipe,' simply signifying in 

 the aboriginal language 'a root;' but even the name of 'Ipe,' as it relates to 

 J. manihot, is more properly applied to the innoxious variety of that species, and 

 is known to the cultivators in being less livid in the colour of the leaves and 

 stems; I never could learn whether this variety was permanent or casual; I 

 think the latter, but do not assert it positively, as the fruits of all the enquiries 

 which I made on the subject tended to a mysterious doubt, which can only be 

 removed by a strict series of observations during culture. The mandioca is 

 always cultivated by cuttings of nine or twelve inches in length, and the ' Ipe' 

 frequently appears in patches of the field, where the ' feitor' (steward or over- 

 seer), or the slaves do not recollect planting cuttings of it. If not a permanent 



