376 Scientific Intelligence.— -Botany* 
cases where the human body has been strangely consumed by 
what is called spontaneous combustion. 
BOTANY. 
16. Analysis of a Soda, derived from Fucus buccinalis, in 
the vicinity of the Cape ; by M. Driessen. — A hundred parts of 
this crude soda, from the Cape, contained 34.6000 residuum in- 
soluble in water ; 0.5500 siliceous earth, with a little carbonate 
of lime and magnesia ; 7.1421 sulphuric acid ; 16.2130 muria- 
tic acid ; 12.1600 potash ; 16.4686 soda ; 12.8663 carbonic acid, 
iodine, sulphur, and loss in consequence of the experiments. The 
residuum insoluble in water, and afterwards submitted to a more 
accurate examination, was found to be composed of carbonic 
acid, sulphuric acid, iron, calcareous, aluminous, magnesian, and 
siliceous earth, and carbon. With regard to its use, M. Dries- 
sen thinks, that, as it contains less soda than the barilla of Spain 
or Sicily. This substance is also less adapted for various pur- 
poses, especially for the manufacture of white soap ; but it 
might serve for other uses, particularly for the manufacture 
of glass-ware. — Verhand. der 1. Klasse van hetK. Nederl. Inst. 
1823. vol. vi. 
17. Phosphorescence of Potatoes. — Lichtenberg tells us, that 
an officer on guard at Strasburg, on the 7th January, in pass- 
ing the barracks, "was alarmed on observing a light in one of the 
barrack-rooms. As this was strictly prohibited, fire was sus- 
pected, and he hurried forward to the apartment. On entering 
it, he found the soldiers sitting up in bed admiring a beautiful 
light, which proceeded from potatoes in an incipient state of pu- 
trefaction. The light was so vivid, that the soldiers could see 
to read by it ; it gradually became less and less vivid, and en- 
tirely disappeared by the night of the 10th of the month. 
18. On the Indian Cedar. — In the mountainous regions of 
Nepal, Kashmeer, and Thibet, grows a species of cedar, which 
has been dignified with the appellation of <£ Devadara, or wood 
of the Gods the word Deva in the Sanscrita signifying God, 
the affinity of which to the appellation of the Supreme Being in 
the Greek and Latin, as well as Gaelic ( Dia ), is very striking. 
The Devadara is nearly related to the Cedar of Lebanon. 
It is the Pinus Deodara of Roxburgh, and is figured and 
