liliacEjE. 615 



principle called Scillitina. Squill is used medicinally in the form of 

 powder, vinegar, syrup, and tincture, as an emetic, diaphoretic, expec- 

 torant, and diuretic. The drug called Aloes is the inspissated juice 

 of the leaves of various species of Aloe, as A. spicata, vulgaris, socotrina, 

 indica, rubescens, a/rahiea, UngucBformis, and Gommelini. It is imported 

 under the names of Soootrine, East Indian or Hepatic, Barbados, 

 Cape and OabaUine Aloes. It contains a substance called Aloin, 

 which some regard as its active principle. Aloes is used medicinally 

 as a cathartic, acting chiefly on the large intestines and on the rectum. 

 Aloe dichotoma is an arborescent species of South Africa, 30 feet high 

 and 12 feet in girth ; it is called Kokerboon or Quiver- tree. Baker 

 thinks that the species of Aloe are probably only indigenous in Southern 

 and Eastern Africa. Aloe vulgaris is, however, widely distributed in 

 the East and West Indies, where it is cultivated as the source of 

 Barbados alloes. Aloe Barherce is a tall Kaflfrarian species. The bulb 

 of Allium sativum. Garlic, is used as an irritant, stimulant, and 

 diuretic. It is the DIE* (shoom) of the Bible, the wojoSoi/ of the 

 Greeks. The bulb of Allium Gepa, the Onion, the bs3 (betzal) of the 

 Bible, is used in the same way as garlic, and so is the bulb of Allium 

 Porrum, the Leek, the T^sn (chatzir) of the Bible (figs. 224, 225, 

 p. 115). Some suppose that the leek is a cultivated form oi Allium 

 Ampeloprasum. Besides the Onion and Leek, several species of Allium, 

 under the names of Chive (A. Schcenoprasum), Shallot (A. ascalonicum), 

 and Eocambole {A. Scorodoprasum), are used as articles of diet. These 

 plants contain free phosphoric acid, and a sulphuretted oil which is in 

 a great measure dissipated by boiling or roasting. In the Oregon and 

 Missouri districts of North America the bulb of Gamassia esculenta, 

 Gamass or Squamash, is also employed in a similar manner. It is 

 called by the Indians Biscuit-root. The turios or young shoots sent 

 up from the underground stem ot Asparagus officinalis (fig. 129, p. 64) 

 are the parts employed in cooking. The bulbs of species of Lilium, 

 found in the east of Siberia, are eaten like potatoes. Fibres are pro- 

 cured from Phormium tenax. New Zealand Flax, and from the species 

 of Yucca, Adam's Needle (fig. 255, p. 176). Braemrta Draco, and other 

 species, yield an astringent resin called Dragon's-blood. The Draccenas 

 often branch in a dichotomous manner, and attain a large size. The 

 Grass-tree of New South Wales, Xantlwrrhcea Hastile, gives a peculiar 

 feature to the vegetation of that country. It yields a yellow gum-like 

 substance. The base of the inner leaves of some Grass-trees is used 

 as food. Some of the LUies have bulbils or bulblets in the axUs of 

 their leaves (fig. 230, p. 117). In the Crown-Imperial there is a 

 nectariferous depression in the base of the segments of the perianth 

 (fig. 333, p. 209). Lilium chalcedonicum is said to be the Lilies of' 

 the field, ra xgha, rou ay^ov, mentioned in Scripture. Dr. Tristram 

 suggests that Anemone corona/ria, one of the Eanunculaceee, is 



