365 



kinds to demonstrate, that we may add by their introduction 

 to the variety of our odorous garden herbs. They may also 

 be subjected with advantage to distillation. 



Pyrularia edulis, Meissner. 



Nepaul, Khasia, Sikkim. A large umbrageous tree. The 

 drupaceous fruit is used by the inhabitants for food. A few 

 other species occur in Upper India, one on the high moun- 

 tains of Ceylon and one in North America. The latter, 

 P. pubera, Mich., can be utilized for the oil of its nuts. 



Pyrus coronaria, I>. 



The Crab-Apple of North America. This showy species is 

 mentioned h^re as worthy of trial-culture, since it is likely, 

 that it would serve well as stock for grafting. It seems 

 unnecessary to refer here to any of the forms of Pyrus 

 communis, L., P. Malus, L., P. Gydonia, L., and P. frer~ 

 manica, J. Hook. (Mespilus Oermanica, L.), but it may pas- 

 singly be observed, that curious fruits have been produced 

 latterly in North America by the hybridisation of the Apple 

 with the Pear. A bitter Grlycosid, namely Phlorrhizin, is 

 obtainable from the bark of Apple and Pear Trees, particu- 

 larly from that of the root, while a volatile Alkaloid, namely 

 Trimethylamin, can be prepared from the flowers. 



Quercus Mongolica, Fischer.* 



Mandschuria. One of the two species, on which mainly (if 

 not solely) the silk insect peculiar to Oak trees is reared, 

 as shown by Dr. Hance. Q. serrata, Thunb. (Q. obovata, 

 Bunge), the second of the principal Oaks for the production 

 of silk, has been mentioned previously in the Accli- 

 matisation Society's list of trees yielding timber, and has 

 through the exertions of the writer found its way already to 

 Australia. 



Raftiia amplexicaulis, Thunberg. 



South Africa. The root of this bush is sweet like Liquorice, 

 and is administered in medicine. Hqfuia perfoliata, 

 E. Meyer, also from South Africa, furnishes likewise a 

 medicinal root, 



