December 31, 1870 .] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
525 
leaf both resemble the Shu-shu (Barbadoes millet), 
but are more fleshy and shorter. They also resemble 
the Coix lacliryma ; the stalk grows to a height of 3 
or 4 feet; it flowers in the sixth or seventh month, 
producing an ear like that of the Pi-me. From the 
heart of the stalk there issues a sheath in shape like 
the Tsung fish, from which a white waving beard 
grows out. After a time the sheath opens and the 
grain comes forth. The grains are clustered together, 
each one as large as a Tsung (?) [used as a generic 
term for palms] seed, and yellow and white in colour; 
they may be eaten baked or roasted. When roasted, 
they burst into a white flour-like mass, similar in ap¬ 
pearance to that produced when rice of the glutinous 
land is roasted.” 
III. The following are the references of the Pun 
Ts’ao with respect to the Barbadoes millet ( Sorghum 
vulgare, Pers.):— 
“ The plant known as the Shu-shu, or millet of 
Sz’-cli’wan, has the following synonyms:— Lu-tsi, 
reed grain; Lu-su, reed millet; Mu-tsi , wood grain ; 
Ti-liang , reed millet; Kao-liang, tall millet. Li Sliili- 
clien observes: ‘ The Sz’-ch’wanmillet was not much 
known in former times, but it abounds at present in 
the northern provinces.’ The work called the ‘ Kwang - 
ya,' gives the names Ti-liang and Mu-tsi (see above), 
on account of its belonging to the millet tribe; but 
from its growth to a height like that of the reeds 
called Lu and 77, it has become popularly known by. 
the various names given above. The seed was first 
introduced from the territory of Shu (the ancient 
name of the present province of Sz’-ch’wan, on the 
western frontier of the empire), whence it is called 
Sz’-ch’wan millet.” 
I\. Apart from the Pun Ts’ao, notices upon the 
present subject have also been sought in the l Ke Chili 
King-yuan,’ or £ Mirror of Classified Research,’ a 
vast cyclopaedia of information in all departments of 
physical study practised by the Chinese, with re¬ 
ferences under each heading to antecedent works. 
This collection, in twenty-four volumes, was pub¬ 
lished in 1735 by Chen Yuan-lung. It contains no 
reference to maize under the name of Yii Shu-shu; 
but describes the plant as Yii-me (imperial wheat),* 
in the following terms : — 
I ii-me, or imperial wheat, originated in the Si- 
fan territory (the lands beyond the western frontier 
of China Proper), and its ancient name was Fan¬ 
nie, or ‘ wheat of the foreign lands of the West.’ 
Having been offered among tribute, it has received 
the name of imperial wheat. In its stem and leaf it 
is the congener of the Tsi, or panicled millet, and, in 
its flower, of rice. The sheath enclosing the ear is 
like a closed fist, but longer. The beard resembles 
red threads. The seed is like the grain of the Tz 
plant, but large, lustrous, and white. The flower 
blooms at the top of the plant, and the seed (ear?) 
grows out from the joints.” 
^ • The same work from which the above notice is 
taken, contains a quotation from a historical work 
called ‘ Tu Yang Tsa Pien ,’ or ‘ Miscellanies of Tu- 
yang,’ throwing light on the practice of presenting 
new species of plants as tribute to the Emperor. 
The extract is as follows:— 
11 In the eighth year of Yiian-ho,f of the Tang 
dynasty, Pi-me, clear green wheat, was offered as 
tribute by the kingdom of Ta-clien. In size it was 
larger than the wheat of China, and its seeds, both 
within and without, were of a clear green colour. 
Its scent was like that of the non-glutinous rice.” 
Canton. ° W. F. M. 
CjrajJtcw for Jstifornts. 
CHEMICAL NOTES TO THE PHARMACOPOEIA. 
BY WILLIAM A. TILDEX, B.SC. LOND. 
DEMONSTRATOR OF PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY TO THE 
PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
Borax. —The principal form of native borax is the 
mineral tinoal from India. [§ It is also made arti¬ 
ficially by boiling together in proper proportions 
boracic acid and carbonate of soda.] The boracic 
acid is derived from the water of the lagoons, little 
lakes formed by the condensation of the steam of 
volcanic origin, which issues from the earth in seve¬ 
ral districts, particularly at Lardarello, in Tuscan} 7 ". 
The water of these lagoons is evaporated by causing 
it to pass slowly down an inclined and terraced roof 
heated by the steam and vapours which issue below. 
Borax is an abnormal salt, the constitution of 
* Sec ante, reference from note, p. 523. 
f The reign known as Yiian-ho commenced in a.d. 8C6. 
