ON  GARLIC —(ALLIUM  SATIVUM). 
535 
exposure  ;  it  has  a  decided  odor  of  both  drugs,  and  is  efficient 
as  a  topical  anti-spasmodic.  The  well-known  change  of  color, 
or  reddening,  which  the  principal  resin  of  assafetida  undergoes 
by  contact  with  the  atmosphere,  soon  becomes  apparent  in  the 
evaporated  resinous  extract  from  the  gum-resins,  and  it  is 
desirable  not  to  expose  the  mixture  longer  than  is  needful  to 
accomplish  the  evaporation  of  the  ether  and  alcohol. 
Philadelphia,  /September,  1860. 
0.\T  GARLIC— (ALLIUM  SATIVUM.) 
By  Robert  P.  Thomas,  M.  D., 
Prof,  of  Materia  Medica  in  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy. 
(From  Proceedings  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association — 1860.) 
(  With  a  plate.) 
At  the  last  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Association,  the  query 
whether  «  the  varieties  of  garlic  in  use  in  Philadelphia  are  modi- 
fications of  the  same  plant,  or  distinct  species,"  was  referred  to 
me  for  investigation.  It  may  be  premised,  that  we  constantly 
meet  in  the  stores  of  this  city,  as  well  as  upon  the  vegetable 
stands  in  the  market-houses,  with  bulbs  of  garlic,  so  different 
from  each  other  in  size  and  general  appearance,  as  to  have  occa- 
sioned much  speculation  respecting  their  origin. 
With  a  view  of  eliciting  the  practical  experience  of  market- 
gardeners  upon  this  subject,  extensive  inquiries  have  been  made 
of  those  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  garlic,  but  the  information 
thus  obtained  is  so  diverse  and  conflicting,  as  to  be  of  little  posi- 
tive value.  To  the  question  :  Do  two  varieties  of  garlic  grow  in 
your  garden  ?  the  answer  almost  uniformly  has  been — We  only 
raise  one,  but  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  size  of  the  plants 
and  roots.  The  general  impression  among  them  seems  to  be, 
that  no  real  difference  in  species  exists,  the  diversity  in  size 
being  referable  to  circumstances, — such  as  the  nature  of  the  soil, 
quantity  of  manure,  &c.  A  similar  diversity,  it  is  said,  is  wit- 
nessed in  the  growth  of  all  the  vegetables  cultivated  for  daily 
table  use. 
One  gardener,  somewhat  celebrated  for  her  knowledge  of 
horticulture,  informed  me  that  the  twro  plants  were  certainly  not 
identical,  as  she  could  readily  distinguish  them  in  the  growing 
state  at  a  distance  of  many  feet.  It  being  evident  that  no  con- 
clusive evidence  could  be  procured  on  the  subject,  I  resolved  to 
