THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Mat 29, 1860. 
138 
of the disk, thick and variegated with red and white rings. It 
has a dark spot on each side of the mouth, and the rim of the 
border uneven. They will all bear great extremities of heat or 
cold, but die immediately if immersed in clear fresh water. . 
The ordinary mode in which the Polypes perpetuate their race 
is somewhat plant-like: the young budding, as it were, from the 
surface of the parent animal* and on arriving at full formation, 
dropping off, and effecting an independent establishment. 
The duration of life in' the Anemones has not not been clearly 
ascertained; but they have been known to reach a very respect¬ 
able age. Mr. Gosse speaks of one in the possession of Sir John 
Dalzefl which had attained the advanced period of five-aud-tliirty 
years: this was in 1S5G. It is just possible that this patriarch 
may be in existence still. 
'i'he Anemone casts its coat, or the gelatinous membrane which 
covers if, very frequently ; and when kept in an aquarium the 
dead coverings should be sought lor, and carefully removed, or 
they would corrupt the water. 
There is a peculiarly repulsive-looking specimen of the Actinise, 
called vulgarly 11 Dead Man’s Fingers,” but known scientifically 
as the Alcgonium digitaium. It is tough, fleshy, and shapeless, 
only exhibiting its beauties under peculiar circumstances. This 
specimen is very common on our coast. There are many other 
species of Zoophytes ; but those we have mentioned being such 
as are most commonly met with, and as they all partake more or 
less of the same characteristics, it would be tedious and unneces¬ 
sary to enter moro fully into their varieties, the general sketch 
already given being sufficient for ordinary purposes. 
One species already mentioned—the thick-homed Anemone—is 
edible, although, I apprehend, not often put in requisition for 
the table. 
If it be desired to secure an Anemone for the aquarium, great 
care and delicacy must be used in detaching it from the rock to 
which it is affixed, for fear of injury to the base. A thin, smooth 
paper-knife is, perhaps, the best instrument to use; although, 
in default of that, if due caution bo exercised, the finger-nail will 
answer the purpose by insinuating it gently between the base of 
the animal and the surface of the rock, and gradually working it 
off. Perhaps a better plan still is to break off the fragment of 
rock to which it adheres, which may be done by a smart and 
dexterous blow with a small hammer. The sooner after removal 
it is placed in its new home the better. 
In conclusion, I would earnestly impress upon my readers not 
to let their visits to the seaside pass away without devoting some 
little time to the examination of these curious flower-animals. 
You have all the opportunity, whether your summer tents be 
pitched north, south, east, or west, the shore will alike supply 
you wjth abundant specimens—a very slight consideration of 
which will compel you to admit that, wonderful as are the many 
varieties of Nature’s handiwork by land and sea, not the least 
wonderful among them is the beautiful and fantastic Zoophyte, 
the Sea Anemone,—W. 
(To be continued,) 
DANDELION AND TEMPERANCE AS 
GUARDIANS OE HEALTH. 
Hating had correspondence from several invalid gentlemen 
readers of The Cottage Gabdenee, for particulars respecting 
my convalescent state of bodily and mental health from the free 
use of the “ Dandelion plant as a salad,” lately noticed in that 
paper, I take this opportunity of expressing my hopes that many 
of my suffering fellow creatures who have the same sad symp¬ 
toms I have myself experienced and laboured under, will be 
benefited by duly observing and putting in practice my recom¬ 
mendations contained in that paragraph. I there mentioned 
“pure water,” and “plain bread,” as the best accompaniments 
when feasting upon the Dandelion, and say now to one and all, 
whether in or out of health (without fear of refutation), that 
nothing is better and cheaper for the promotion of bodily and 
mental health than all those three articles combined which I have 
enumerated. Nothing is safer to preserve health than good plain 
food (not greasy), a medium quantity at a time to eat, and pure 
water unadulterated to drink, as often, and no oftener, than 
hunger and thirst denote our wants, especially the water (not too 
cold), freely drank and used at least night and morning, exter¬ 
nally and internally. I myself drink half a pint on rising at five 
o’clock, and the samo quantity at bedtime, ten o’clock, before 
and after constant exercise in the fields or garden, taking tea or 
coffee at the usual times, and seldom do I suffer from thirst when 
' heated or fatigued, which not unfrequently happens, being sub¬ 
jected to a heated red face, the result of a determination of blood 
1 to the head. 
I may also mention, that when overtired from walking and 
labour, an immersion of my feet in lukewarm water, not colder 
than the blood itself, for half an hour before retiring to rest, sets 
me lithe and vigorous on my pins again, quite free from lassitude, 
and almost forgetful that it is really bedtime, though I am deere- 
pid and advancing to old age (over sixty years). This expedient- 
just before bedtime facilitates sleep in no small degree. I am not¬ 
an advocate for cold (too cold) water, which I fear often chills 
the blood, and sometimes causes erysipelas, if it is used either 
externally or internally when a person is overheated, especially if 
procured direct from a pump or well in summer, when and 
where (it should be known) it is always colder than in winter. I 
have tried salt water direct from the sea with good effect; but it 
is unpleasant to the taste, and cannot be used internally, except 
medicinally, when it seldom fails to produce good effects, if taken 
in frequent and small doses, as all medicines ought, and generally 
are prescribed to be taken. And would that every person through¬ 
out the breadth of our land, whether in good health or bad, 
would indulge himself less in luxuries of all kinds ;—then would 
all be wiser, healthier, better, and happier, although I confess that 
I, amongst many others, yea, unhappily the bulk of mankind, am 
too fond of luxuries, simply “ because I like them.'' And, to say 
the truth, I—sometimes foolishly, and shall I say recklessly ? for 
though I am hardy by nature, and Hardy by name too, yet I am 
ybof-hardv enough—sometimes let go the reins a little, subjecting 
myself to imminent danger, not only of reproducing the sad diseases 
I have suffered from, i.e., biliousness, indigestion, heartburn, torpid 
liver, costiveness, and hosts of other complaints, all akin, with last, 
but not least, sad mental derangement arising therefrom ; but also 
( the risk of fearful and fatal consequences of a premature death. 
“ This is not the point,” it may be said, and lias been said to me. 
“Enoughis spoken; close up, do.” Suffice to add, then, that 1 am 
not a teetotaler, but a staunch moderator in the use of all super¬ 
fluities. I do not like the name of pledges of any kind, but 1 am 
diametrically opposed to the free use of strong drinks, and know- 
ing that we are naturally bent to do that winch is evil, or that 
which we know to be wrong, and that continually, I am also 
assured that evil propensities are not to be overcome effectually 
without the assistance and grace of God to help us. In short, 
“ I am not my own keeper,” and pray let me respectfully and 
seriously ask, who is ? —Abbauam Hakdt, Seed Grower, 4' c -, 
Maid on, Essex. 
NEW BOORS. 
j Natural Guanos.* —This is by far the most complete 
account of all the natural guanos which have been offered to the 
cultivators of the soil. It gives the history, analysis, and com¬ 
parative value of twenty-six varieties. It points out the defects 
of manures sold under the name of guanos, as well as the adul¬ 
terations to which the genuine guanos are liable, and gives a 
detail of the best modes of applying them. The following extract 
exhibits in a forcible manner the comparative value of the usual 
exerementitious manures:— 
“ The following table contains analyses of various manures, 
made by Boussingault and other well-known chemists, and also 
an analysis of an ordinary sample of Peruvian guano. 
Farm¬ 
yard 
Dung. 
Horse 
Dung. 
Cow 
Dung. 
Pig 
Dung. 
Mixed li¬ 
quid and 
solid ex¬ 
crement 
of man. (») 
Peruvian | 
Guano. («)j 
Moisture . 
79-30 
76-17 
86-44 
32-00 
94-24 
18-35 
Organic matter ... 
14-03 
19-70 
11-20 
14-29 
4-72 
51-25 
Inorganic matter . 
6-G7 
4 13 
2-36 
3-71 
t-04 
30-40 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
100 00 
100-00 
100-00 
Nitrogenfequal to) 
0-41 
0-G5 
0-3G 
0-61 
0 94 
13-88 
Ammonia. 
0-49 
0-78 
0-43 
0-74 
1-14 
16-85 
“ Boussingault, Payen, and many others of our leading prac¬ 
tical agricultural chemists, have come to the conclusion that the 
] value of different manures varies nearly in proportion to the 
* The History and Properties of the different varieties of Natural 
Oitanos. By J. C. Nesbit, F.G.S., &c. London : Kogerson & Tuxford. 
(e’i These analyses were made in the laboratories of the College. 
