40S 



Notices of Books. 



the foregoing observations : and we entertain a strong desire to see the 

 translation completed, and hope that Mr. Tumour will experience the 

 aid and support from literary men which his meritorious labours in the 

 cause of oriental literature so abundantly merit. 



2. — Illustrations of the Botany, and other branches of the Natural His- 

 tory of the Himalayan Mountains, and of the Flora of Cashmere. — 

 By J. F. Royle, Esq., f. l. s., f. g. s., eye. of the H. E. I. C. Medical 

 Establialiment. 



We notice this important work again, not for the purpose of making 

 any critical remarks, for we should only have to reiterate our expres- 

 sions of praise and commendation, but to enable us to lay before our 

 readers several highly valuable extracts, relating to various products of 

 India, which will be interesting and important, not only to the scientific 

 botanist, but to the physician, the merchant and agriculturist, and to the 

 Government of the country, likewise, as means are indicated by which 

 the natural products of India may be improved and multiplied, its com- 

 merce, consequently, augmented, the government and people recipro- 

 cally benefitting. 



Since our last issue, the ninth number of Mr. Royles' work has 

 reached us, from which chiefly the following extracts are made : 



" In the introductory observations, it has been stated, that in the cold 

 weather of Northern India, or from October to March, the annuals of 

 Europe, whether used as vegetables or as medicines, could be success- 

 fully grown; while in the mountains, the same plants found a conge- 

 nial climate from April to October. Accordingly, at these stations in 

 the respective seasons, Henbane, Datura, Stramonium, and Nicandra 

 indica, were successfully grown, and afterwards converted into extract 

 for experiment, and subsequently for the medical depots. The extract 

 of Henbane particularly was highly approved of by several medical 

 officers, and pronounced by Mr. Twining, after trial in the General 

 Hospital of Calcutta, to be of " most excellent quality." In the 

 same places and seasons, the Belladonna, Foxglove, and Hemlock, 

 could be equally well grown, with many other plants requiring a simi- 

 lar climate. 



" But a plant, second hardly to any in point of importance in furnish, 

 ing food for man, requiring also the same climates, has been introduced 

 into the same countries. This is the potato, for which India as well 

 as the rest of the Old World, is indebted to the New World. It has 

 been found in a wild state, in 33o of S. latitude, in Chili, in the moun- 

 tains near Valparaiso and Mendoza, and also near Lima, Quito, and 

 Santa Fe de Bagota ; but in these situations it is supposed to have es- 



