454 Chronicles of Science. [July, 



a most savage aspect of stupendous precipices, which form a kind of wall 

 along the base of the eastern and central Andes. Throughout this vast 

 territory, but especially along the course of the central Andes, runs a long 

 line of burning mountains, active spouts of hot mineral water and sul- 

 phurous vapour, and bubbling mud volcanoes. Don Narciso Lorenzano 

 remarks that the principal motive which induced the Government of India 

 to commence Cinchona cultivation, after overcoming so many difficulties, 

 was the fear that the Quina trees would be extirpated in consequence of 

 the waste that is allowed in the woods, where they are destroyed by the 

 barbarous method of pulling up the roots. Fortunately this destructive 

 method, which, without any doubt, would extirpate this precious plant in 

 a few years, is only practised in the forests of Pitayo, where it is due to 

 the immoderate desire for making money which has taken possession of 

 the Indians, who own the greater part of the land. But in none of the 

 other establishments for the collection of bark in New Granada has a 

 similar practice been adopted. On the contrary, beneficial rules are 

 observed for the conservancy of the woods. The method consists in 

 leaving a part of the trunk, about three feet in height, whence shoots may 

 sprout, and in clearing away the surrounding trees to enable the rays of 

 the sun to penetrate. By this means most of the trees that are cut down 

 quickly shoot up, and, the rays of the sun penetrating to the cleared 

 ground, the seeds which fall from the trees germinate freely. This result 

 gives us full confidence that the good kinds of Quinas which exist in this 

 country will be permanently preserved. We may conclude that there 

 need be no fear that humanity will see itself deprived of this precious 

 medicine, seeing that as well in Bolivia, as in Peru, Ecuador, and New 

 Granada, the rule of cutting the bark according to a fixed plan is observed, 

 and care is taken that the woods are replenished with increased numbers 

 of plants of the best species, while some experiments have been made in 

 forming plantations on lands where the best conditions for their growth 

 are found. From all this we hope that in a few years we may see valuable 

 results. 



M. Thielens, in a communication on the plants of Belgium, 

 mentions the following additions to the Flora in 1864 : — Asperula 

 glauca, Corallorrhiza Halleri, Carex depauperata, C. paradoxa, and 

 C. ornithopoda. 



On examining the flowers of Fumariacae in their early development, 

 M. Godron finds them quite regular, but flattened from before back- 

 wards, as if they were compressed between the axis of inflorescence 

 and bract. They preserve this regularity in Diclytra, Adlumia, and 

 Dactylicapnos. In these three genera, the two external petals, 

 placed laterally, undergo during development an important modi- 

 fication. The base of each is prolonged into a short and rounded 

 spur, and the two nectariferous appendages become finally quite 

 regular. The two sepals placed superior and inferior, also remain 

 perfectly regular. 



Again in the Genera Fumaria and Corydalis, only one spur is 

 developed so as to render the flower irregular. This spurred petal 

 becomes larger than its antagonist. Mr. Godron has examined 

 Corydalis solida, Sm. and C. cava Schweigg, in their early condition, 

 while still under ground. He traces the abortion of one of the spurs 

 in the petals to the flowers during their development being com- 

 pressed at the base on one side only. In this way development of 



