210 
Guinea grass (Panicum maximum, Jacq.) on a rich piece of land, 
though not dies prepared for this trial gave in five crops in the 
year, 107 tons per acre. 
Maize in two crops for the year gave nine tons per acre. This was 
specially sown. 
nutritious native pea plant, Phaseolus semi-erectus, L. 
(widely distributed in tropical Ameriea) of whieh cattle are ravenously 
fond, gave, ap atti without cultivation, in two crops in the year, a 
total of over 27 tous per acre. 
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa, L.) in two crops for the year, gave only a 
f 400 Ibs. 
The Rose of Jericho.—The plant commonly known as the Rose of 
Jericho is Anastatica hierochuntica, L., and that it has borne that 
name for centuries is proved by the fact that it is figured and described 
uch by nearly all the early herbalists. Lonitzer (Lonicera), the 
first edition of whose Kreuterbuch appeared in the middle of the sixteenth 
Rosen von Hiericho, Rosa Hierichuntis, Rosa ari 
Hierosolimitana, Several other sixteenth century authors write more 
fully on it. But it is now claimed that Asteriscus pygmeus, Coss. et 
rp 
Dur. (Composite), is the true Rose of Jericho. The Abbé Michon, 
who accompanied De Saulcy on his travels in the East, describes 
tE oyage Perigus en Orient, vol. ii., p. 383) a plant under the name 
f S i u f 
aulcy 
Jericho of the pilgrims of the Middle Ages, because it is introduced 
into the arms of several French noble families. Boissier (Flora a Orien- 
talis, iii., p. 179) identified Sauleya with Asteriscus, and cites Michon's 
opinion as to its being the true Rose of Jerieho. Here the matter 
rested apparently until 1882, when Dr. P. Ascherson rnnt the subject 
before the Ue nischen Vereins der Provinz Brandenburg (Verhand- 
lun Pu xxiii. p. 44). More recently (1886) Dr. G. Schweinfurth has 
wri on * "i Vraie Rose de Jericho” (Bull. de I Inst. Egypt., 2™° 
série, n. 6, pp. 92-96), where, according to Just (Bot. Jahresber., 1886, 
2. 96), he recognises Asteriscus pygmeus as the plant. his covers 
ider geogra 
Baluchistan, and it is very abundant in the neighbourhood of Jericho. 
In Asteriscus it is the involueral sepes especially that are hygroscopic, 
being closely incurved over the fruit in a dry state and quickly opening 
out to an almost horizontal position ae the influence of moisture. 
