4o6  Medicinal  Plants  at  Banbury.  {A%^8P7h7arm* 
In  four  samples  the  quantity  of  ammonia  varied  between  *oo8  and  '076 
per  cent. — Ibid.,  April  21. 
Glycerite  of  tragacanth,  as  an  excepient  for  pill  masses,  has  been 
experimented  with  by  J.  C.  Thresh.  The  glycerite  was  made  by  mix- 
ing 3  drachms  of  powdered  tragacanth  with  6  drachms  of  glycerin  until 
smooth,  and  then  adding  6  drachms  of  water.  No  material  difference 
was  observed  by  changing  the  proportions  to  glycerin  9  drachms  and 
water  4  drachms.  In  most  cases  a  pill  mass  was  obtained  which  rolled 
well  and  had  a  good  consistency  after  having  been  kept  for  six  months. 
The  pills  made  with  this  glycerite,  on  being  macerated  in  water  with 
occasional  agitation,  were  found  to  swell  considerably,  coloring  the 
water  but  slightly,  and  retaining  their  form  for  several  hours. — Ibid., 
March  24. 
CULTIVATION  of  MEDICINAL  PLANTS  at  BANBURY. 
By  E.  M.  Holmes,  F.L.S., 
Curator  of  the  Museum  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society. 
The  principal  farmer  of  medicinal  plants  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Banbury  is  Mr.  Usher,  of  Bodicote,  a  small  village  about  two  miles 
from  the  town.  At  present  he  has  about  sixty-five  acres  under  cultiva- 
tion, twenty  of  which  are  devoted  to  rhubarb,  forty  to  henbane,  and 
four  or  five  only  to  the  white  poppy.  He  has  also  lately  commenced 
the  cultivation  of  Rosa  gallica,  L.,  on  a  small  scale. 
On  a  recent  visit  to  Banbury  much  interesting  information  was 
kindly  given  me  by  Mr.  Usher,  and  as  it  was  the  result  of  observations 
which  had  been  made  by  that  gentleman  during  the  course  of  many 
years  it  seems  very  desirable  that  it  should  be  placed  upon  record. 
Rhubarb. — The  history  of  the  cultivation  of  this  plant  in  this  dis- 
trict has  been  briefly  sketched  byHanburyin  "Pharmacographia."  In  that 
work  he  attributes  the  plant  cultivated  at  Banbury  to  Rheum  Rhaponti- 
cum,  L.  It,  however,  more  closely  resembles  R.  undulatum,  L.,  differ- 
ing chiefly  from  the  description  of  that  plant,  as  given  by  Meisner,  in 
the  upper  leaves  being  distinctly  stalked.  From  R.  Rhaponticum  it 
differs  in  all  the  leaves  being  longer  than  broad  and  minutely  ciliate  at 
the  margins,  and  in  the  petiole  being  distinctly  channelled  on  its  upper 
surface  above  the  middle,  although  it  becomes  flat  near  the  base. 
The  leaves  have  two  or  three  somewhat  triangular  teeth  near  the 
point  and  the  petioles  and  stem  are  slightly  furrowed,  and  the  ochreae 
