734 
ABSTRACTS AND GLEANINGS IN BOTANY, 
quently, also, the juice is much purer ; it contains no more salts than that ob¬ 
tained by means of simple pressure, and very much less than when maceration 
is employed, and less organic matter than when any other method is employed. 
These advantages seem to proceed naturally from the mode adopted by M. de 
Seclawitz, as a low temperature and the absence of force must certainly favour 
the purity of the juice obtained, but it is not stated whether the sugar obtained 
is larger in proportion as well as purer in quality. At all events, this new mode 
of extraction deserves the attention not only of sugar-makers, but of all whoso 
operations include the extraction of vegetable juices.— The Grocer, 
Australian Spinach. 
At the commencement of last year, Mr. Ramel, who introduced into the 
French colony of Algiers the Eucalyj)tus glohuliis^ received from Australia a new 
vegetable. His friend Dr. Mueller, of Melbourne, had it sent to him as a sub¬ 
stitute for Spinach ; it is superior in every respect to that vegetable, easier of 
cultivation, and of an enormous and rapid growth, less subject to run to 
seed, and also of better flavour. He called the plant New Queensland Spinach. 
The New Australian Spinach is, however, a better name. It belongs to a group 
in which is comprised our common Spinach; it answers botanically to the Cheno- 
podiuni auricomum of Lindley, who described it in a few words in Mitchel’s 
‘Journal on Tropical Australia.’ It grows abundantly in the east part, follow¬ 
ing the course of the river Narrau, and it is again found in Queensland. The 
Chenopodimum anricomum is an annual, with a long stalk rising to a metre. In 
its general appearance it resembles Cheiiopodium liyh'idum^ that troublesome 
weed which overruns our fields, excepting in certain points, especially in the 
inflorescence, which differs. The stalk is erect, robust, angular, fluted, streaked 
with a violet kind of red. As regards the eatable qualities of the plant, we have 
recently gathered an abundant harvest of leaves from two or three plants grow¬ 
ing in our garden. These leaves were put into boiling water to bleach them, 
and they were then cooked as an ordinary of dish Spinach, with this difference 
in favour of the new plant, that there was no occasion to take away the threads 
which are so disagreeable in Chicory, Sorrel, and ordinary Spinach. We par¬ 
took of this dish with relish: the flavour, analogous to Spinach, had something 
in it more refined, less grassy in taste. The cultivation is easy: sow the seed 
in April in a well-manured bed, for the plant is greedy ; water it. The leaves 
may be gathered from the time the plant attains 50 centimetres in height. They 
grow up again quickly. In less than eight days afterwards another gathering 
may take place, and so on to the end of the year.— Journal de la Ferine et des 
Maisons de Cainpagne. 
Food Value of the Potato. 
Dr. E. Smith says (‘ Practical Dietary ’) that there is probably no other 
vegetable food, except wheaten bread, of which so much can be fairly said 
in its favour. Its merits, however, vary much with the kind of “seed,” the 
period of maturity, and the soil in which they are grown. That kind should 
be preferred which becomes mealy on boiling, and which, when well cooked, 
can be thoroughly crushed with the finger. The potato which is known as 
“ waxy,” and those which remain somewhat hard when boiled, do not digest 
so readily as the mealy kind, but for that very reason they are said to be 
more satisfying. ... It is not material in reference to nourishment, whether the 
potato be boiled or roasted, since in both methods it should be well cooked. In 
point of economy and convenience, however, it has been found better to boil 
than to roast them ; for whilst the loss in boiling upon 1 lb. of potatoes scarcely 
exceeds half an ounce, that in the most careful roasting is 2 oz. to 3 oz. It is 
also more economical to cook them in their skins, and to peel them immediately 
