POMACE JE. 29 1 



by many writers been considered as one in which the evidence of poisoning 

 was by no means clear, and where, in the words of Mr. Phillips ( Theory of 

 Presumptive Proofs), a man was unwarrantably condemned on circumstantial 

 evidence, has been most ably commented upon by Dr. Beck, and the presump- 

 tion shown to be, in accordance with the verdict of the jury, that the ac- 

 cused was guilty. Many accidents have occurred from this article, where it 

 has been too freely used in cookery, and the preparation of cordials ; and it 

 cannot be too strongly impressed on the public that there is always danger in 

 partaking of food, in which this or any other flavouring ingredient containing 

 hydrocyanic acid has been used. Thus, death has occurred from a single 

 glass of Noyau, a cordial which is made with peach or cherry kernels. 



There are several species of Cerasus belonging to this section of the genus, 

 which are natives of the Southern States, and all of them are doubtless fully 

 as poisonous as the Cherry laurel. Thus Elliot (Sketch Bot. So. Car.) states 

 that the leaves of the C. caroliniana are very deleterious, frequently destroy- 

 ing cattle that are tempted to feed on them. Many of the foreign species are 

 also very active, particularly the C. capricida of Northern India, the leaves 

 of which are highly injurious and even fatal to goats. The bark of C. ca- 

 pollim, a native of the cooler parts of Mexico, furnishes a febrifuge bark 

 which is much esteemed in the treatment of intermittent fevers. The C.padus 

 of Europe also affords a tonic bark, which at one time was much employed 

 for the same purpose. 



Order 47.— POMACEiE.— Lindley. 



Calyx adherent, 5-toothed. Petals 5, unguiculate, inserted in the throat of the calyx ; 

 the odd one anterior. Stamens indefinite, inserted in a ring in the throat of the calyx- 

 Disk thin, ovaries 1 — 5, adhering more or less to the sides of the calyx and to each 

 other; ovules usually 2, collateral, ascending, rarely solitary, sometimes none; styles 

 1 — 5; stigmas simple. Fruit, a pome, 1 — 5-celled, seldom spuriously ten-celled ; the en- 

 docarp either cartilaginous, spongy, or bony. Seeds ascending, solitary. Albumen none. 

 Embryo erect. 



Trees or shrubs with alternate, simple or compound, stipulate leaves, 

 natives of the northern hemisphere, and almost exclusively of the temperate 

 parts. The fruits are edible, and the bark, especially of the roots, is bitter 

 and febrifuge, containing in the Apple a peculiar principle, to which the name 

 of Phloridzine has been given. That of Pyrus aucuparia contains as much 

 prussic acid as is afforded by the leaves of the cherry laurel. Some of the 

 barks contain a colouring matter, that of Phoiinia dubia, being used in 

 Nepal for dyeing scarlet.. 



Cydonia. — Persoon. 



Calyx 5-cleft. Petals somewhat orbicular. Stamens erect. Styles 5. Pome closed, 

 5-celled ; cells many-seeded, cartilaginous. Seeds enveloped in a mucilaginous pulp. 



This small genus was first indicated by Tournefort, but all the species 

 were included by Linnaeus in that of Pyrus, in which they remained till again 

 erected into a distinct genus by Persoon, in which he has been sanctioned by 

 succeeding botanists. They are all small trees with undivided leaves. The 

 flowers are large, solitary or few. They are natives of temperate or cool 

 climates. 



C. vulgaris, Persoon. — Leaves ovate, roundish, entire, obtuse at base, downy beneath. 

 Flowers solitary. Calyx serrated, reflexed, tomentose. 



~ Persoon, Pinch, ii. 40; Lindley, Flor. Med., 234; Pyrus cydonia, 

 Linn., Sp. PL 687; Woodville, iii. 505; Stephenson and Churchill, ii. 115. 



