,344 The American Naturalist. [April, 



where it is said to abound. The average wholesale price is one dollar 

 per pound, while it retails at five dollars. In the desire to participate 

 in the large profits made in this trade some curious mistakes have been 

 made. A man who thought he had a rich find in Manitoba, dis- 

 covered . after buying several tons, that he had not the right article, 

 having probably confused gentian with ginseng. 



If the trade is to be preserved care will have to be exercised in dig- 

 ging and preparation. The root does not reach any great size in one 



The Chinese word genseng and the Iroquois word garent-oquem, the 

 Indian name of the plant both signify " a man's thigh," and have 

 doubtless been applied because of a fancied resemblance of the human 

 body. Upon this coincidence Pere Lafitan based an argument that 

 America had once been joined to Asia, and that the inhabitants of the 

 former had migrated from the latter before the continents had become 

 separated at Bering Strait. 



Panax fructicosus and Panax coehleatus, fragrant aromatics, ulmh 

 grow in the Moluccas, and are used by the native practitioners of 

 India, are plants somewhat akin to ginseng. The native Chinese 

 ginseng is probably another species of the same genus as that founcl 

 on this continent.— J. Jones Bell, Toronto, Canada. 



Popular Botany.— It is a good sign of the increase of biological 

 ideas in connection with botany when one finds such a book as "A Song 

 of Life," which has recently came from the pen of Margaret Warner 

 Morley, and which A. C. McClurg has brought out in such an attrac- 

 tive form. The first chapter only, " Flowers," relates to plants, the 

 others dealing with fishes, frogs, birds, etc., but in spite of its title it 

 discusses flowers less, and plant life, and reproduction more. The 

 illustrations are very good, and most artistically arranged below, 

 above and through the pages of poetically worded, and withal quite 

 exact text. We hope to see more of such books. 



Jane Newell's "Flowers and Fruits," recently brought out by G«"» 

 & Co., continues the pleasant and instructive lessons begun a coup e 

 of years ago. They are designed " for the use of teachers, or mothers 

 studying with their children." The book will be useful.— Chables 

 E. Bessey. 



