24 KEW GARDENS. 



that of Bertholleiia excelsa^ serves at Para for caulking ships. — 

 Several barks are employed as cigar-tubes, or as envelopes for ci- 

 gars — ^layers of that of one tree, called in Brazil, Cascarilla, are 

 cut into lengths of five or six inches, folded up the thickness of a 

 tobacco-pipe, and are then ready for use in that capacity. A late 

 importation is a rude sort of guitar from Parana. It consists of 

 a single joint of bamboo ; the bark on one side is raised in four 

 strips, answering to strings — a bridge at each end gives the requi- 

 site tension — a sounding hole is cut in the middle — and the thing 

 is done. A native performer might produce effects that would 

 charm native ears ; but we may believe it was not this intsrument 

 with which Orpheus led the brutes. 



It is here too we may behold luhat our daily food consists of. 

 Pause over these three potatoes modelled faithfully in wax. How 

 Cobbett would have gloried had he lived to see it demonslraUd 

 that a pound of this vegetable contains nearly twelve ounces of 

 water, and only six pennyweights, nine grains, and six tenths of a 

 grain of nutritive matter ! To him Professor Henslow would 

 have been a second Daniel. We should like to see the chemist 

 put them together again, and make three honest potatoes of these 

 ingredients. 



The Reverend Professor's various services to the Museum are 

 warmly eulogized in the ' Guide' (p. 49). He has, however, late- 

 ly received a more flattering tribute than even this. A party of 

 his parishioners, up for their Exhibition treat, were brought to 

 Kew, and in conducting them through the houses a sort of clini- 

 cal lecture on the contents was given. A gentleman, who caught 

 a few sentences, begged permission to join the visitors, and listen 

 to the delightful explanations. All concluded, he advanced to 

 the showman, and, in token of his great satisfaction, offered him 

 a shilling. Modest refusals, and hints that it was as much as his 

 place was worth, were answered by an off-hand, ' Oh, take it ! 

 take it !' We beg to charge Mr. Henslow with want of presence 

 of mind in not taking it. Had such a chance been ours, wei 

 would have received it thankfully, got it double-gilt in the best 

 style, and then displayed it as our professional medal — a sincere 

 tesiimoniaL 



The national value at this time attained by Kew must be at 

 once admitted by whoever peruses the Director's last Report. — 

 The document is so full of matter that we have a difficulty in 



