Pomological Magazine. 257 



parts of this moss are found to contain 44 of starch, and"56 of starchy inso- 

 luble matter, so that it must be very nourishing in proportion to its bulk, 

 and capable of yielding ardent spirit. The Saxon government lately pub- 

 lished their report, for the information of its mountainous districts, where 

 this moss abounds, by which it appears that 6 lbs. of lichen meal, boiled with 

 14 times its quantity of water, and baked in this state with 59§ lbs. of flour, 

 produced 1 1 1 lbs. of good household bread. At present, " nearly all the Ice- 

 land moss collected in Germany, is sent through Hamburgh to this country, 

 where it is used in brewing, and in the composition of ship-biscuit, whereby 

 they are not attacked with worms, and suffer little from the action of sea- 

 water." Medicinally, it is used in decoction as a demulcent, equal in its 

 effects to linseed and marshmallows. It does not cure consumption of the 

 lungs, as some suppose ; but in the last stage of that disease, when solid food 

 is oppressive, it checks diarrhoea, and imparts vigour and nourishment to the 

 digestive organs. 



Colchicum autumnale. Autumn Colchicum, or Meadow Saffron ; Colchi- 

 aceae. Used by the Greeks as a cure for the gout ; and its application for 

 the same purpose revived chiefly by Mr. Want. The principal gout 

 specifics are, for the greater part, Colchicum. It is a violent purgative, and 

 both men and swine have been poisoned by it. — iZiita graveolens. Fetid 

 Rue ; iiutaceae. Formerly a good deal employed for promoting perspiration, 

 and expelling poison, but now seldom used. — Krameria triandra, Triandrous 

 Krameria, or Rhatany. An under-shrub of Brazil, with short, oblong, hairy 

 leaves, and four-petaled, pink flowers. The roots very long, branched, and 

 spreading ; of a blackish red colour externally, red internally, and intensely 

 styptic and bitter. A tincture of them made with brandy, approaches very 

 nearly to the flavour, and has exactly the colour, of port wine; and it is 

 imported to Portugal in immense quantities, and used iu the manufacture of 

 that wine. By analysis, it contains 40 per cent of tannin, and 48 per cent 

 of woody mattei-, with 10 per cent of gallic acid, and a very little gum and 

 faecula. In medicine it is used as a tonic ; and by Sir Henry Halford, in fluor 

 albus, with the most marked success. 



The Pomological Magazine. In 8vo Numbers, monthly. 5s. coloured; 



35. 6t?. plain. 



Ho. VIII. for June, contains 



29. The Otaheite (an absurd name, preserved to prevent confusion) Pine 

 Apple, the Anson's Pine of some gardens. " The great merits of this variety 

 are, first, its very remarkable beauty ; secondly, its early period of bearing 

 fruit ; thirdly, its readiness to swell well ; and, fourthly, its excellent quali- 

 ties as a high-flavoured kind. The plants also occupy less space than most 

 pines, in consequence of the erect direction of their leaves." 



30. The Madeleine de Courson Peach. According to Mr. Lindley (in 

 Hart. Trans., vol. v. p. 539.), this is the true Red Magdalen of Miller, and 

 very different from that of the nurseries. Excellent, ripening in the end of 

 August or beginning of September. 



3 1 . The Prolific Hautbois Strawberry. Some varieties of Hautbois Straw- 

 berry have the male and female blossoms on different plants ; and, as the 

 male plants produce more vigorous runners than the female ones, the 

 majority of plants in a plantation soon become sterile. This variety bears 

 hermaphrodite flowers, and is, therefore, greatly to be preferred. " It is 

 the best Hautbois we possess." 



32. The Court of Wick Pippin Apple. A Somersetshire apple, of the 

 highest merit, raised from a seed of the golden pippin, and to which it is 

 little inferior. 



Vol. IV. — No. 15. s 



