61H 
genera have but one species, 263 but 
two, 174 but three, 4124 but four. 
enumeration is, however, only an approxi- 
mation to the truth, as the works referred 
to-are defective, and we may call the 
mumber of described plants 22,000. 
The rst edition of Linnaus’s Species 
#lentarum~ contained only 7,300. 
Common spirits of turpentine have 
been recently administered by several 
medical gentlemen of the metropolis, 
with good effect, in the cure of tape 
worm. ‘The doses given were in some 
eases so large as two ounces, but these 
of half an ounce at a time, repeated 
twice a day, were generally found to 
answer the purpose. ‘Phe vehicle in 
whieh the terpentine was adininistered, 
was generally honey. 
tis a fact which eught to be known 
to all housewives, that if they begin to. 
grate a nutmeg at the stalk end, i will 
prove hollow throughout ; whereas the 
same nutineg, grated trom the other end, 
would have proved sound and solid to 
the last. The centre of a nutmeg, con- 
sists of a number of fibres issuing. from 
the stalk, and ils continuation through 
the centre of the fruit, the ether ends of 
which fibres, though closely surrounded, 
zud pressed by the fruit, do not adhere 
toit, When the stalk is grated away, 
those Rbres having lost their hold, gradu- 
ally drop out, and the nutmeg appears 
hollow ; and as more of the stalk is erated 
away, others drop out in succession, and 
the hollow continues through the whole 
put. By beginning at the contrary end, 
the fibres above-mentioned are gratcd 
o# at their core end, with the surround- 
zig fruit, and do not drop out and cause 
# hole. Another circumstance werth 
knowing, 1s, that In eonsgquence of the 
great value of the oil of nutmegs, it is 
often extracted from the nuts that are 
exposed to sale, by which they are ren- 
dered of very littlevalue. To ascertain 
the quality of nutmeys, force a pin into 
them, and if good, however dry they may 
appear, the oil will be seen oozing out all 
yound the pin, from the compression oe- 
easioned jn the surrounding parts, 
The Rev. James Hatt, has, for seve- 
rai months past, been usefully engaged 
in experiinents for procuring flax from 
-broom. This is done by the foilowing 
process :—Steep the twigs, or the former 
year’s branches, preferring the most vi- 
#orous shoots, for two or three weeks, 
more or less, according to the heat of the 
seasiom, in stagnant water, or boil them 
for ap hour, im water, This done, the 
Zuterary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
This. 
(Jan. f, 
flax separates freely from the twigs; and 
wheré there is not machinery for the 
purpose, it may be easily stripped off by 
children, or others, at any time, when not 
quite dry; as hemp is pulled from the stalks, 
What adds to the value of this discovery is, 
that on being cleared of the flax, end 
‘steeped for some time in boiling water 
> 
the twigs; or wood, become tough and 
beautifully white, and are-worth, at a 
medium, from a shilling to eighteen- 
pence a pound, for making carpet- 
brooms, &e. When stripped from the 
twigs, the flax requires only to be well 
washed in cold water, then wrungs and 
shaken weil, and .bung out to dry, pre- 
viously to its being sent off to the paper 
mauutacturers, &c, Professor Davy has 
bleached some of it for Mr. Hall, whe 
has also seen it spun, The same gertl!e- 
man alse observes, that the fibres of alf 
kids of mallows are particularly beaati- 
ful, especially the malva-sylvestris. They 
are finer than camel’s hair, which they 
somewhat resemble, and there is no @if-. 
ficulty in procuring them, 
- FRANCE. 
Upwards of sixty chests, containing 
productions of art, collected during the 
late war, have arrived at Paris. Among 
the most valuable, are many original pice 
tures of the Flemish school, and a great. 
number of rare printed books from Vi- 
enna. | 
a number of animals, among which are 
two lions, kangaroos, a cassowary, pare 
roquets. &c. Some of these animals are 
destined for the menagerie of Malmai-+ 
sen; others forthe Museum of Natural 
History. They were accompanied by 
many boxes, containing rare and curious © 
exotic plants. 
A family, consisting of tke father, 
mother, and daughter, died last October, 
in the comiaune of Portels, from eating 
champignons, which they procured from 
an old woman, who was in the habit of 
collecting them for sale. The old woman 
herself, shongh she had eaten a quantity of 
the same kind of champignons at several 
neals, ekperienced no disagreeable con- 
sequences. It was found, upon enquiry, 
that she was intoxicated with sour wine 
at all her-meals, and the effect of- ve- 
getable acids, in counteracting narectic 
poisons, is well known. Both the persons 
who died, and the inhabitants of the 
place where they lived, assured the me- 
dical attendants, that they had- used #he 
same species of mushrooms for food if 
former seasons, without any bad effects. 
The French naturalists suggest, that they 
= £ THAR Ki 
From that city Lave also arrived 
a 
‘ 
f 
