686 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [February 25,1871 
Californian Acorns.—Considerable discussion took 
place in the Times last autumn as to whether acorns were 
suitable for employment as food for cattle; and the evi¬ 
dence adduced certainly favoured a negative view. Dr. 
Robert Brown, however, tells us that those produced in 
California by several species of oak form an important 
article of food. “ The acorns of California are mostly 
large, and the trees in general pr'oduce abundantly, 
though in some years there is a great scarcity, and much 
misery ensues among the poorer natives. The acorns 
are gathered by the squaws, and are preserved in various 
methods. The most common plan is to build a basket 
with twigs and rushes in an oak-tree and keep the acorns 
there. The acorns are prepared for eating by grinding 
them and boiling them with water into a thick paste, or 
by baking them into bread. The oven is a hole in the 
ground about eighteen inches cubic. Red-hot stones are 
placed in the bottom, a little dry sand or loam is placed 
over them, and next comes a layer of dry leaves. The 
dough or paste is poured into the hole until it is two or 
three inches deep; then comes another layer of leaves, 
more sand, red-hot stones, and finally dirt. At the end 
of five or six hours the oven has cooled down, and the 
bread is taken out, an irregular mass, nearly black in 
colour, not at all agreeable to the eye or to the palate, 
and mixed with leaves and dirt.”— Nature. 
Geranium dissectum.—The Geraniacece , taken as a 
whole, are by no means noted for their economic proper¬ 
ties. In Tasmania, however, a form of the common 
Geranium dissectum having a thick rootstock is employed 
by the aborigines, who are in the habit of digging up 
the large, fleshy roots and roasting them for food. About 
Launceston it is called “native carrot,” and is common 
throughout the colony. The typical form of G. dissectum 
is generally diffused over the temperate regions of the 
northern hemisphere in the Old World, where it is an¬ 
nual. In the Eastern United States a biennial or annual 
form, G. carolinianum , takes its place, the typical G. dis¬ 
sectum being only known as an introduced weed; al¬ 
though connecting-links between the two may readily 
be detected. West of the Rocky Mountains the stock 
often appears to be perennial, and it cannot then be dis¬ 
tinguished from some of the Australian forms.— Nature. 
DRUG MARKET NOTES. 
The annual official' statement of the imports of 
drugs, etc., is not yet issued by the Board of Trade; 
but from the commercial returns published of the 
imports, deliveries and stocks in the docks and 
various other London warehouses, a fair estimate 
may be formed of the activity of the trade in the 
Metropolis of the principal articles. 
Aloes.—The imports last year were 3408 cases, 
29 kegs and 588 gourds, and there were delivered for 
home use and export 3092 cases, 83 kegs and 747 
gourds. This is about 400 cases and 170 gourds 
less than in 1869. 
Aniseed, Star.—The imports were 195 chests and 
the deliveries 226 chests, being 250 less than were 
delivered in the previous year. The stock is small, 
compared with former years. 
Arrowroot.—The imports were 7560 casks and 
14,157 boxes and tins, the deliveries 9740 casks and 
13,540 boxes and tins, being rather higher than 
1869, but about the average of previous years. The 
stock in the docks, etc., is 10,346 cases and 20,000 
boxes and tins, which is rather below the average 
stock of previous years. 
Balsam.—Under this general head the imports of 
the year are given at 1244 casks, etc.; the deliveries 
at 1528 and the stock 539 casks. 
Bark, Medicinal.—Imports 536 casks and cases 
and 23,203 serons, etc.; deliveries 430 casks and 
cases and 18,953 serons, which is about the average 
of the previous two years; stock 465 casks and 
8629 serons, which is double the stock at the close 
of 1869. 
Beeswax and Vegetable Wax.—Imports 594 bales 
and serons, 2824 casks and cases and 4186 cakes; 
deliveries 381 bales, 3783 cases and 3881 cakes, 
which is about the average of the two previous years. 
The stock is almost much the same as in the close 
of 1869. 
Camphor.—Imports 8371 packages against 15,237 
in 1869 ; deliveries 6432 against 12,037 in 1869 ; 
stock also large, 8460 packages. 
Cardamoms.—548 chests ; deliveries 605; stock 
48. All much below the figures of 1869. 
Cocculus Indicus.—Imports 1967 bags, etc.; de¬ 
liveries 1546; stock 2216. There is a large, in¬ 
creasing consumption of this drug, of which in 1866 
only 103 chests were taken. 
Colombo Hoot.—Imports 674 packages; deliveries 
531; stock 2065 packages. 
Cubebs.—Imports 723 bags; deliveries 1075; 
stock 1806. 
Gums.— 
Ammoniacum.—Imports 261 packages ; delive¬ 
ries 230; stock 208. 
Asafoetida.—Imports 559 packages ; deliveries 
499; stock 111. 
Benjamin.—Imports 1738 packages ; deliveries 
1445 ; stock 1641. 
Galbanum.—No imports ; stock 7 cases. 
Gamboge.—Imports 373 packages ; deliveries 
328 ; stock 163. 
Guaiacum.—Imports 100 packages; deliveries 
171; stock 7. 
Kino.—Imports 87 packages ; deliveries 55; 
stock 127. 
Myrrh, East India.—Imports 376 packages; 
deliveries 263 ; stock 247. 
Tragacanth.—Imports 164 packages; deliveries 
86 ; stock 146. 
Ipecacuanha.—Imports 695 casks and bags; de¬ 
liveries 609 ; stock 356. 
Jalap.—Imports 740 bales; deliveries 485 ; stock 
447. 
Nux Vomica.—Imports 5273 packages; deliveries 
4213 ; stock 3535. 
Oil, Castor.—Imports 41 casks, 1212 cases and 
35,704 duppers and tins; deliveries 36 casks, 1894 
cases and 40,906 duppers and tins; stock on hand 
30 casks, 681 cases and 19,484 duppers and tins. 
The trade hi castor oil keeps steady, the annual pro¬ 
portions not varying much. 
Oil of Aniseed.—Imports 203 cases; deliveries 
382 ; stock 58 cases. 
Oil of Cassia.—Imports 109 cases; deliveries 
281; stock 412. 
Opium.—Stock 467 chests, etc., which is higher 
than in any of tl*e previous four years: no particulars 
of imports or deliveries. 
Khubarb.—Imports 2217 chests; deliveries 2006 ; 
stock 1889. 
Sarsaparilla.—Imports 2213 bales; deliveries2150; 
stock 694 bales. 
Senna.—Imports 2209 bales, etc.; deliveries 2275; 
stock 1090. 
Turmeric.—Imports 1771 tons; deliveries 1628; 
stock 1912 tons. 
