50 
Recent  Researches  in  Botany. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Jan.  1888, 
The  effect  of  quinine  was  tried,  aqueous  solutions  of  quinine  chloride 
being  used,  ranging  between  'lb  per  cent,  and  "34  per  cent. 
The  result  was  retardation,  followed  in  a  few  minutes  by  contraction  and 
death. 
These  results  appear  to  me  particularly  interesting.  I  do  not  wish  to 
comment  on  them  further  than  just  to  draw  your  attention  to  the  last  two 
cases,  where  it  will  be  remembered  that  while  hydrocyanic  acid  caused 
acceleration  the  effect  of  quinine  was  contraction  and  death. 
Before  concluding,  I  should  just  like  to  say  a  few  words  on  some  of  the 
work  that  takes  place  at  Kew.  Very  few  of  those  who  take  a  casual  stroll 
through  the  gardens  or  greenhouses  have  any  idea  of  the  work  that  is  done, 
so  to  speak,  behind  the  scenes.  Kew  Gardens  act  as  a  sort  of  nursery  for 
any  vegetable  economic  product  that  may  be  found.  The  plant  is  there 
grown  and  propagated,  and  when  the  time  arrives  distributed  anywhere 
among  our  colonies  where  it  will  grow. 
Thirt}^  years  ago  it  was  cinchona  that  was  being  taken  in  hand — to-day  ir 
is  plants  like  the  coca  plant  [Erythroxylon  Coca).  The  effect  in  the  former 
case  is  apparent  to  all  who  have  watched  the  price  of  quinine  for  the  last 
few  years  ;  the  effect  in  the  latter  case  remains  yet  to  be  seen. 
One  of  the  most  recent  arrivals  at  the  Gardens  is  a  packet  of  Gymnema, 
the  plant  that  is  said  to  take  away  the  power  of  taste;  whether  this  will 
prove  to  be  worth  growing  and  propagating  must  also  be  left  as  yet  unsettled. 
There  are  many  plants  which  will  shortly  have  to  be  taken  in  hand,  as 
the  extermination  of  the  wild  stock  is  proceeding  at  a  rapid  rate.  Fore- 
most among  these  may  be  mentioned  india-rubber.  The  supply  of  this 
article  is  obtained  from  uncultivated  material,  but  this  is  rapidly  being 
exhausted,  and  needs  replenishing.  It  is  work  of  this  character  that  the 
authorities  at  Kew  undertake  to  superintend  and  carry  out  to  the  best  effect. 
Surely  this  judicious  distribution  of  economic  products  is  botanical  research 
of  a  very  practical  kind. 
Before  leaving  the  subject  of  Kew  Gardens,  I  would  remind  any  student 
who  may  be  here  that  there  is  a  part  of  the  Gardens  that  is  now  set  aside 
specially  for  their  benefit.  Here  the  plants  will  be  found  arranged  in  beds 
and  classified  according  to  their  natural  orders,  and  anyone  so  wishing  is 
allowed  to  pick  and  dissect  the  various  flowers  that  will  be  found  there. 
Whether  the  student's  object  be  to  do  a  little  botanical  research  on  his  own 
account,  or  shall  I  say  only  to  get  up  the  characters  of  the  orders  for  an 
examination,  ever^'thing  will  be  found  suited  to  his  requirements. 
There  are  many  more  points  that  might  have  been  discussed  as  being 
recent  researches  of  a  botanical  character.  The  "Present  Aspect  of  the 
Cell  Question"  affords  material  for  a  paper  all  to  itself.  The  phenomenon 
of  "  Karyoikinensis,"  or  method  of  division  of  the  cell  nucleus, has  only  com- 
paratively recently  been  thoroughly  investigated.  Then  we  have  what  is 
called  "Continuity  of  the  Protoplasm."  Walter  Gardiner  and  others  have 
shown  that  in  certain  cases  thin  threads  connect  the  protoplasm  in  adjacent 
cells,  and  that  these  threads  can  be  made  clearly  visible  by  staining  them 
with  some  suitable  medium. 
