Foreign Notices, : — Germany. 511 



1st, That plants with their roots, when immersed into a solution of sulphate 

 of copper, totally absorb the salt, convert it into proto-sulphate, and die 

 quickly. 



2d, That acetate of copper produces the same effects, the salt absorbed 

 becoming proto-acetate of copper. 



3d, That plants absorb sulphate of magnesia, nitrate of potash, and iodide 

 of potassium, and die more or less quickly. 



4th, That the sulphates of zinc and manganese are absorbed by plants, with- 

 out suffering decomposition, and the plants die. 



5th, That plants absorb nitrate of cobalt and nickel, without being able to 

 absorb the whole of them from solution ; but they die : and the same effect is 

 produced by emetic tartar. 



6th, That the oxalate and tartrate of oxide of chromium and potash are 

 slowly absorbed by plants, and the bichromate of potash much more quickly. 

 The Datura Stramonium and Galega officinalis absorb the salt of chromium 

 with the greatest rapidity ; they become of a yellow colour, and die. 



7th, That plants absorb nitrate of silver ; but they decompose it, and the 

 oxide of silver is reduced to the metallic state. 



8th, That plants absorb also, and totally, the proto-nitrate of mercury 

 from solution, but the salt is decomposed. 



9th, That corrosive sublimate is absorbed by plants ; some of them de- 

 compose it into calomel, and others absorb it without decomposition. 



10th, That plants slowly absorb acetate of lead ; and it is decomposed by 

 some plants, and not by others. 



1 1th, That plants which contain much carbonate of lime, such as the 

 Chara vulgaris and the iStratiotes aloides, do not absorb a salt of copper from 

 solution : the same also occurs with the Cereus variabilis. (Pkil. Mag., July 

 1842.) 



Ripening Potatoes. — Potatoes, at this season, are often found to be watery 

 and deficient in flavour, although boiled with the greatest care. It will be 

 found that, by placing them for a week before using near a fire or stove, they 

 will have gained their proper consistence and flavour. (Cambridge Chron. and 

 Journ., March 26. 1842.) 



Beast poisoned by eating Yew. — A correspondent says : — Mr. Lygo and 

 Mr. Dexter of Thurcaston had two beasts killed a few days ago by eating of 

 the yew tree, and several more were made dangerously ill. It would be well 

 if all having yew growing upon their estates would fence it out, so that no 

 stock of any kind could get to eat it. (Camb. Chron. and Journ., April 2. 1842.) 



Art. II. Foreign Notices. 

 GERMANY. 



The edible Snail of Germany is the vineyard snail, Helix pomatia L. It is 

 about 1 in. in diameter, of a roundish form, and consists of five whorls, with 

 several circular brown bands. This snail is found in great numbers almost 

 every where, particularly in meadows, and by the sides of hedges, where they 

 make their appearance after rain, but do not do much injury. In the South of 

 Germany, and in all the southern countries, they are collected and put in 

 large trenches or holes in the ground, and fed with salad or cabbage till the 

 winter sets in, or till they shut themselves up with their operculum. They are 

 brought in this state to market, and whole shiploads are. conveyed down the 

 Danube to Vienna from Swabia. They are considered very delicate eating, 

 whether boiled or fried. They are killed by putting them in warm water, then 

 pricked out of the shell, and the intestines cut off and thrown away ; the re- 

 mainder, either stewed or fried, is most generally replaced in the shell after 

 being washed out, and served up on any kind of vegetable, usually sauer kraut. 

 The operculum consists of a chalky salt slime ; which is emitted in a moist 



