2(54 
The highly powerful Atropin is derived from it, besides 
another alkaloid, the Belladonnin. 
Avena fatua, L. 
"Wild Oat. Europe, North Africa, North and Middle Asia, 
eastward as far as Japan. The experiments of Professor 
Buckman indicate, that our ordinary Culture-Oat (Avena 
sativa, L.) is descended from this plant. 
Avena flavescens, L. (THsetum flavescens, Beauv.) 
Yellowish Oat Orass. Europe, North Africa, Middle and 
North Asia, eastward as far as Japan. One of the best of 
perennial meadow-grasses, living on dry soil ; fitted also for 
our Alps. 
Avena pratensis, L. 
Meadow Oat Grass. Europe, North Asia. It thrives well 
on dry, clayey soil ; it produces a sweet fodder, but not in 
so great proportion as several other less nutritious grasses. 
It is perennial, and well adapted for our snowy mountains, 
where it would readily establish itself, even on heathy 
moors. 
Avena pubescens, E.^ 
Downy Oat-Grass. Europe, North and Middle Asia. A 
sweet perennial grass, requiring dry but good soil, contain- 
ing lime. It is nutritious and prolific. Several good Oat- 
grasses are peculiar to North America and other parts of 
the globe. Their relative value as fodder-grasses is in many 
cases not exactly known, nor does the limit assigned to this 
little treatise allow of their being enumerated on this occa- 
sion. 
BSiCtris Gasipses, Humboldt. (GuiUelma speciosa, Mart.) 
The Peach Palm of the Amazon Eiver, ascending to the 
warm-temperate regions of the Andes. Stems clustered, 
attaining a height of 90 feet. Dr. Spruce describes the 
large bunches of fruits as possessing a thick, firm and mealy 
pericarp, which, when cooked, has a flavor between Potato 
and Chesnut, but superior to either. To us, however, this 
palm would be mainly an object of grandeur. It is likely 
to endure our clime in the fern-tree gullies. 
