Catalogue of Botanical and Horticultural Works. 455 



ticum, Water Hemlock. An indigenous biennial, in ditches and rivers; not 

 very common, but yet in abundance in some muddy ponds and ditches, near 

 both London and Edinburgh. A narcotic poison, but not very violent ; 

 sometimes used in pulmonary consumption and other cases. — Hellebdrus 

 {helein, to cause death, and bora, food ; a name of Dioscorides's,) niger, 

 Black (from the dark colour of the root,) Hellebore. An ornamental perennial 

 from Austria and Greece. A violent acrid poison, to be relieved by emetics 

 and bleeding; sometimes used in medicine for its cathartic qualities. — 

 Zactuca {lac, milk) virosa, {virus poison ; the plant being poisonous in its 

 wild state), Common poisonous Lettuce. A native biennial in dry, warm 

 hedges. The inspissated juice of the cultivated lettuce, the lactuarium of 

 the Materia Medica, is used as a substitute for opium ; the juice of the wild 

 plant is undoubtedly more powerful. 



No. IV. for April, contains 



Conium (konis, dust; but the application is not evident) maculatum, Com- 

 mon spotted Hemlock. A biennial of almost every climate. A powerful nar- 

 cotic, celebrated for having been taken voluntarily by Socrates, on whom 

 it brought on numbness in the extremities, and in a short time death, with- 

 out pain. In medicine it is used in the way of opium. 



Citrus {Citron, a city of Judea) aurantium (gold- coloured), the Seville 

 or gold-coloured Orange tree. 



Olea (oil, Celt.) europcea, European Olive. A tree of rocky soils in the 

 South of Europe and North of Africa. There are several varieties, distin- 

 guished by their leaves, or by the size, colour, and form of the fruit. Young 

 plants propagated by extension bear in Italy in two years ; planted in dry, 

 calcareous soil, against a south wall, and well protected by mats or boards 

 during winter, there can be little doubt they would bear well in this 

 country ; and, though there would be very little benefit from ripening the 

 fruit with a view to oil, yet it might be well worth while, and at any rate it 

 would be a gratifying result, to grow olives for pickling. The oil is obtained 

 from the ripe fruit by expression of the pulp, without breaking the stone. 

 The best comes from the South of France, because there most pains are 

 taken in its manufacture. Mr. Clare suggests {Hort. Trans. VI. 538.) that 

 the Camellia oleifera may probably be found superior to the olive in the 

 South of Europe, " as its oil is said to be equal to the olive ; and it will 

 grow in the same climate, requires a less fertile soil, is of much greater 

 growth, and more abundant produce." - — Anagallis {anagelao, to smile ; from 

 the beauty of the flowers) arvensis, Corn-field or scarlet Pimpernel. A 

 procumbent annual of cultivated grounds. The flowers close on the ap- 

 proach of rain, and the plant is on that account called the shepherd's 

 weather-glass. Poisonous, but not employed in medicine. 



No. VI. for June, contains 

 21. — jBTelleborus fce'tidus ; .Hanunculaceas iJanunculese. A native peren- 

 nial, remarkably acrid, excoriating the mouth and fauces; violently cathartic, 

 and, in large doses, highly deleterious ; chiefly used as a vermifuge. — /nun 

 maculatum ; Aroideae. The root is fleshy, nearly white, inodorous, but very 

 acrimonious in a recent state. By drying, this quality is lost, and the root 

 becomes a farinaceous substance, which in some countries has been con- 

 verted into bread ; in the Isle of Portland, into sago. Being saponaceous, it 

 is used in France, under the name of cypress-powder, as a cosmetic. It is a 

 poison, to be removed by emetics or the stomach-pump, and has a place in 

 the Materia Medica as a stimulant. — ^Isarum europse'um; ^ristolocheas. A 

 native perennial, emetic, cathartic, and diuretic, and formerly used instead 

 of ipecacuhdna. — .Rosmarinus officinalis ; Labiatae. Bitter, and yielding an 

 oil of great fragrance, used in nervous head-aches. 



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