MISCELLANY. 
87 
at my suggestion, to try the Guaco, and that evening got a few leaves of 
the plant from a neighbouring garden ; the effect vs^as immediate relief of 
the pain. Next morning he sent his servant to the neighbourhood of 
Stoney Hill, where I understand it abounds, for a quantity: He conti- 
nued the application, and effectually subdued the pain. 1 believe his 
ultimate recovery was also somewhat hastened by the application of cold 
lotions, in place of an injudicious use of warm wrappings of flannel, which 
he had adopted. 
I once tried the Guaco for toothache. On this occasion I used one of 
the mixtures sold in the Druggists' shops. I took a small quantity into 
my mouth, as brandy and laudanum are sometimes applied in similar 
circumstances : the pain was relieved for two or three minutes, but it 
returned, and I could not subdue it by that means. I am not prepared, 
however, to say, that a more careful and judicious application of this 
valuable medicine might not have accomplished more ; and it is especially 
to be considered, that I did not, when I made the external application, 
take it internally also, as perhaps I ought to have done. 
I am, dear Sir, faithfully yours. 
To Dr. Wm. Arnold. W. W. A. 
Jamaica Phys. Journ. 
Air Plants. — ^These attach themselves to the driest and most sapless 
surface, and flower as if issuing from the richest soils. "A specimen of 
one of these, which I thought curious," says Dr. Walsh, "I threw into 
my portmanteau, where it was forgotten, and some months after, in un- 
folding some linen, I was astonished to find a rich scarlet flower in full 
blow ; it had not only lived, but vegetated and blossomed, though so long 
secluded from air, light, and humidity." The barren pine is not less 
extraordinary. It also grows on sapless trees, and never on the ground. 
Its seeds are furnished, on the crown, with a long filmy fibre, like the 
thread of a gossamer. As they ripen they are detached, and driven with 
the wind, having the long thread streaming behind them. When they 
meet with the obstruction of a withered branch, the thread is caught, and, 
revolving round, the seed at length comes into fixed contact with the sur- 
face, where it soon vegetates, and supplies the naked arm with a new 
foliage. In Brazil it grows like the common plant of pine apple, and 
shoots from the centre a long spike of bright scarlet blossoms. In some 
species, the leaves are protuberant below, and form vessels like 
pitchers, which catch and retain the rain water, furnishing cold 
and refreshing draughts to the heated traveller, in heights where no 
water is to be found. The quantity of this fluid is sometimes very con- 
siderable, and those who have attempted to reach the flower-stem have 
been often drenched by upsetting the plant. — The Vegelahle IJ^orld. 
