476 Cabbage — Anemometer. 
THE KERGUELEN ISLAND CABBAGE. 
In the Flora of the Antarctic Continent, (which numbers only 
10, whilst Spitsbergen shows 45,) among the flowering plants is 
one which demands particular attention — the famous cabbage of 
Kerguelen Island, hitherto unpublished; first discovered during 
Capt. Cooke's voyage. Specimens, together with a manuscript 
description, under the name of hringlea, were deposited in the 
collection formed by Mr. Anderson, in the British Museum, where 
they still exist. To a crew long confined on salt provisions, or 
indeed to human beings under any circumstances, this is a most 
important vegetable; for it possesses all the essentially good quali- 
ties of its English namesake, whilst from its containing a great 
abundance of essential oil, it never produces heartburn or any of 
those disagreeable sensations which our pot herbs are apt to do. 
It abounds near the sea, and ascends the hills to their summits. 
The leaves form heads of the size of a good cabbage-lettuce, gene- 
rally terminate an ascending or prostrate stalk; and the spike of 
flowers, borne on a leafy stem, rises from below the head, and is 
often two feet high. The root tastes like horse radish, and the 
young leaves or hearts resemble in flavor coarse mustard and 
cress. For one hundred and thirty days the crew of the Erebus 
and Terror required no fresh vegetable but this, which was for 
nine weeks served out with the salt beef or pork; during which 
time there was no sickness on board. — Rosses Voyage to the Ant- 
arctic Continent. 
AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ANEMOMETER. 
BY MR. JAMES GODDARD. 
We take the following from the Farmer and Mechanic, a very 
excellent publication, by the way, conducted by Messrs. Starr and 
Alburtis, New York, to whom we acknowledge our indebtedness 
for the cut. 
The increasing attention which men of science are giving to 
the study of atmospheric influences must be generally known, from 
the late proceedings of the British Association. An improvement, 
therefore, in the anemometer, which furnishes the data for such 
philosophical researches, must, at this time, be peculiarly valuable. 
We have therefore availed ourselves of the author's communica- 
tion, more especially as it refers to a subject which the Engineers' 
Society appears, from the list of premiums for 1847, to be desirous 
of rewarding. 
