Natural History.'-^ Miner dlogy^ S95 
from it by burning, as he maintains that the quantity of potash 
is much increased by the putrefactive process. This remark is 
not new, for we find it mentioned in the second tolume of Schre- 
hev\ Sammlung verschkdener Schr^ten^ published in 1763, that 
putrid wood was recommended for obtaining ashes in preference to 
fresh wood. 5. Plants which were allowed to grow in a solution of 
natron, absorbed by their roots a considerable portion of the alkali; 
but none of this appeared when the ashes of the plant were examin- 
ed : In place of it, appeared potash ; and hence it is conjectured 
that vegetables have the power of converting natron into potash. 
35. Cultivation of Tea in Brazil. — Mr Swainson informs us 
that it is not true, as is generally reported, that the Brazilian 
Government is making great exertions in introducing the tea^platit 
into Brazil. The fact is simply as follows : The late prime 
minister Arrugo brought a few Chinese to Brazil, with the 
view of making the trial of raising tea in that country, but 
both the soil and climate were found to be unfavourable, and 
the plan was immediately abandoned. The same misrepresen- 
tation exists in regard to the culture of the clove and other 
oriental spices in Brazil. 
36. iiffect of Hot Water in reviving Flowers. — In Thom- 
son’s Annals of Philosophy, it is said, that if flowers which have 
been twenty-four hours out of water and are decayed, are plun- 
ged into hot water, that, as the water gradually cools, they be- 
come again quite fresh. This fact, while many discredit it, has 
been long familiar to those who live in the vicinity of hot springs, 
and who have remarked, that decayed flowers plunged into the 
waters of the springs become again fresh and beautiful. 
37. New Febrif uge Barle^-^A new South American febri- 
fuge bark, from a shrub known to the Indians under the name 
Chintninha^ and which Dr Joseph Pa von of Madrid, arranges 
in the vegetable system as a new gen its, under the title Unanuea 
febrifugal has been lately employed in the hospitals in Madrid, 
in place of the cinchona or Peruvian bark, and with distinguish- 
ed success. According to the published report, the physicians, 
have been enabled, by means of this new and powerful remedy, 
to cut short fevers which did not yield to the cinchona. 
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