490 Use of the Plsang and Banana. 



The druggist may be a very useful man in his own way, and 

 may be well acquainted with the pharmacopceias of London and 

 Edinburgh ; but many will not trust their bodies in his hands 

 where medical aid is required : it is generally from the pre- 

 scription of the physician that he compounds his medicine ; and 

 although he may have an abundance of Emplastra, Pilulae, Pul- 

 veres, Tincturae, and Trochisci, yet even these are often made 

 by order of men who have made, or ought to have made, the 

 Materia Medica their study ; who can tell whether a narcotic 

 drug will act as a stimulant or not; or whether ipecacuanha is 

 an emetic ; or if ^^rum maculatum will increase the secretion of 

 saliva. Now, as gardeners have to act, in the case of plants, both 

 as physicians and pharmacopolists, they certainly should en- 

 deavour to become acquainted with the ingredients of the soil, 

 and what effect these may have upon vegetation. Besides the 

 water of absorption, there are often found in the soil stones and 

 gravel, undecomposed vegetable fibre, carbonate of lime, car- 

 bonate of magnesia, silica, alumina^ oxide of iron, salt, sulphate 

 of lime, copper, &c. Some of these ingredients appear to be 

 mechanically mixed, others to be chemically combined ; and no 

 doubt particles of matter in both states will exert an influence 

 upon the growth of vegetables that may either be beneficial or 

 pernicious. It is, therefore, the gardener's interest to become 

 acquainted with the good, and be able to detect the evil, pro- 

 perties that may exist in the soil. 

 West Plean, Sept. 4. 1841. 



Art. IV. On the Use of the Species of Pisang (Musa. paradisiaca) 

 and the Banana (^Milsa, sapientum). By Edward Otto. 



(Translated from the Garten Zeitung for 1841, p. 185.) 



Two species of Musa', with their numerous varieties, constitute 

 the chief articles of food of the natives and slaves on the Island 

 of Cuba ; and it is also somewhat the case in South America, 

 but has not long been so common there. Two species are dis- 

 tinguished in both countries : — 



1. Musa paradisiaca L. Pisang; Platano, Spanish; Plan- 

 tain, English. 



2. Musa sapientum L. Banane ; Cambure, Spanish ; Banana, 

 English. 



1. Musa, paradisiaca. — This came originally from India, and 

 is also said to be indigenous to the Brazils, as I found it in 

 several parts of Venezuela, where it was not likely it could have 

 been planted. I met with it in places which bore no traces of 

 an old plantation, and where no vestiges of the settlement of 

 human beings could be seen. It may, indeed, have been culti- 



