84 
VARIETIES. 
mentiera, of which genus, hitherto, only one species, the P. cdulis, De Cand. 
was known to exist. The fruit of the latter, called Quauhxilote, is eaten by 
the Mexicans ; while that of the former serves for food to numerous herds 
of cattle. Bullocks, especially, if fed with the fruit of this tree, Guinea 
grass, and BatatiUa (Ipomoea bracliypoda, Benth.) soon get fat. It is gene- 
rally admitted, however, that the meat partakes in some degree of the 
peculiar apple-like smell of the fruit ; but this is by no means disagreeable, 
and easily prevented if, for a few days previous to the killing of the animal, 
the food is changed. The tree produces its principal harvest during the dry 
season, when all the herbaceous vegetation is burned up ; and on that account 
its cultivation in tropical countries is especially to be recommended ; a few 
acres of it would effectually prevent that want of fodder, which is always 
most severely felt after the periodical rains have ceased. — Hooker's Journ. 
of Botany, and Ibid. 
On the Growth of Plants in Various Gases, Especially substituting Car- 
bonic Oxide, Hydrogen, and light Carburetted Hydrogen for the Nitrogen of 
the Air. By Messrs. Gladstones. — Dr. Gladstone gave the results of ex- 
periments made and still in progress, with his brother, Mr. G. Gladstone. 
After describing the effects on some flowers, as the pansy, the crocus, &c. — 
a discussion ensued — Mr. K. Warington suggesting that in such experi- 
ments the plants be allowed to take root well before immersing them in 
the gases ; next, that the combined atmospheres were too much saturated 
with moisture, often causing rapid growth and decay ; and that these flowers 
and roots should be compared with others grown in similar volumes of con- 
fined common air. — Prof. Dumas spoke of the great, and, indeed, almost 
unsuspected influence of carbonic oxide gas. The judicial investigations in 
France had disclosed the fatal effects of this gas as being so much greater 
than carbonic acid gas. In the atmosphere produced by the burning of 
charcoal, l-200th part of carbonic oxide was fatal, while with one-third the 
volume of carbonic acid the animal was asphyxiated, but afterwards re- 
vived. The Chairman said that he had reason to believe that in the com- 
bustion of anthracite, much carbonic oxide gas is produced. — Ibid, from 
Report of British Association in the Athenceum. 
