information are sent us, we will engage to publish them in a manner creditable to all parties.

ART. II. The Flora of Jamaica; a Description of the Plants of that Island, arranged according to the natural Orders; with an Appendix, containing an Enumeration of the Genera according to the Linnæan System, and an Essay on the Geographical Distribution of the Species. By James Macfadyen, M.D. Vol. I. Ranunculaceæ Leguminosa. 8vo, 351 pages.

THIS is a work that will be hailed with interest and pleasure by all who have any connexion with our West India settlements; and there is even much in the work calculated to prove instructive to the practical gardener. We allude to Dr. Macfadyen's judicious remarks on the nature, habits, and habitats of such species as are cultivated in our stoves or green-houses. In new editions of any general botanical and horticultural work, such as Miller's Dictionary and our Encyclopædia of Plants, this new Flora of Jamaica will frequently be had recourse to, for the correction of errors, inadvertently committed by preceding writers, as well as for original information.

A systematic account of the plants of Jamaica, Dr. Macfadyen observes, has long been considered a desideratum. "Hitherto, the student of the botany of this island has been obliged to resort for information to the voluminous writings of Sloane, Browne, Jacquin, Plumier, Swartz, Cavanilles, Vahl, &c.; many of which are rare, and with difficulty procured, especially in a situation so distant from Europe. The only work easily accessible was the Hortus Jamaicensis of Mr. Lunan; a compilation which must have been found very useful to every one who has endeavoured to become acquainted with Jamaica botany. But, while I acknowledge readily my obligations, especially during the early period of my study, to that work, I must state that scarcely one half of the plants at present known to be indigenous to the island are noticed in it; and that the descriptions are in general defective, and not a few erroneous. To supply these deficiencies has been my endeavour in the present undertaking." (p. v.)

After stating the advantages of adopting the natural system of arrangement in local floras, and acknowledging his obligations to preceding authors on the botany of Jamaica, he states his own share in the work. It has occupied, he says, the greater part of his leisure during a residence of twelve years in the island; during which period he studied the peculiarities of the flora of every district; examined the characters of every plant within his reach; and, during his almost daily rides as a medical practitioner, he had opportunities of watching all the plants that interested him, during the period of their flowering, and till they perfected their fruit. The author modestly concludes

his preface, by expressing a hope that his book will be found "to give a tolerably accurate account of what is at present known of the vegetable productions" of Jamaica.

We shall now turn over a few pages, and make some extracts, as a specimen of such parts of the work as we think will be interesting to gardeners and others, who have no connexion with Jamaica whatever.

Ranúnculus rèpens (p. 3.).— This vile weed, so troublesome in clayey soils, in Britain, and which is found in every part of Europe, in several districts of North America, and in Madeira, has lately been naturalised in Jamaica, from the garden of a gentleman at Cold Spring. Thus it is, that, to a certain extent, the useless or noxious plants or animals, following the train of civilisation, are spread over the world, as well as the more useful species. In England, for example, almost every year, some foreign insect is making its appearance, the eggs of which have been imported along with the plants of foreign countries.

Anòna Cherimòlia (p. 9.) was long since introduced from Peru, and is very common in the mountains of St. David, St. Andrew, and Port Royal, where alone it thrives. The fruit is the most delicious of any of the species; and the flowers are put into snuff, as a substitute for the Tonquin bean. "A tree, usually 15 ft. in height," and, we suppose, deciduous; but this is not mentioned. From the height of the tree, it is evident that it might be readily grown in pots; and, as it is doubtless deciduous, by giving it a period of rest every year, after the wood is ripened in our stoves, there is no apparent reason why it should not bear fruit as well as the orange tree. The fruit is of the size of a shaddock, of a light green colour, with a white pulp and black seeds. As the tree is generally kept in stoves in England, where it has no period of rest, it is not to be wondered that, with us, it never produces fruit.

Monodòra Myristica, the calabash nutmeg, was introduced from South America; and the only tree in the island is in Miss Green's garden at Liguanea, near Constant Spring estate: where, however, it never perfects its seeds.

Nymphæ'a ámpla Dec. is common in lagoons and ponds of water, flowering throughout the year. It is remarkable that a plant so common and so ornamental has not yet been introduced into England.

Argemòne mexicana, the Mexican, or gamboge, thistle, is very extensively distributed, although, as the name implies, it was at one time supposed to be peculiar to Mexico. It is found in all the warmer parts of the globe, as far south, in the Old world, as the Cape of Good Hope, and as far north, in the New, as Canada. It is common in all the West India islands, in the valleys and hills of St. Helena, and even in the Sandwich Islands.

The fruit is called by the Spaniards figo del inferno (Fìcus infernalis), from the prickly hairs with which it is armed; or, according to some, because the seeds will "send any that take them wilfully to the infernal regions, being much stronger than any opium." The milky juice of the plants, on being exposed to the air, changes to a bright yellow; and, on drying, assumes the appearance of gamboge; whence the name of gamboge thistle.

Nasturtium officinale, the common water-cress, is found, in Jamaica, in every rivulet not subject to be dried up during drought. This is another plant very extensively distributed; being found from the Cape of Good Hope to Norway, and from Japan to Madeira, in the Old World; and throughout North and South America, as well as in the West India islands, of the New.

Brássica oleracea, the common cabbage, is cultivated in Jamaica, and brought to as great perfection as in Britain. The seed is generally procured from England or the United States. The turnip is cultivated, but seldom comes to perfection, except in the mountains, where it is grown to a large size, and with a flavour not inferior to the turnips of Europe.

Eriodendron anfractuosum, the West India cotton tree, is a deciduous tree of rapid growth, readily propagated from stakes or posts, planted in the ground. "A superb row of these trees at Belvedere pastures, St. Thomas in the East, was established from posts fixed in the earth, in making a common rail fence. Perhaps no tree in the world has a more lofty and imposing appearance, whether overtopping its humbler companions in some woody district, or rising in solitary grandeur in some open plain. Even the untutored children of Africa are so struck with the majesty of its appearance, that they designate it the God tree, and account it sacrilege to injure it with the axe; so that, not unfrequently, not even the fear of punishment will induce them to cut it down. Even in a state of decay, it is an object of their superstitious fears: they regard it as consecrated to evil spirits, whose favour they seek to conciliate by offerings placed at its base. The large stems of this tree are hollowed out to form canoes. The wood is soft, and subject to the attack of insects; but, if steeped in strong lime-water, it will last for several years, even when made into boards or shingles, and in situations exposed to the influence of the weather. The young leaves are sometimes dressed by the negroes as a substitute for okras. The wool has been employed in stuffing mattresses; and is said to answer the purpose equally well as feathers, but to be rather warm. The caterpillar of the macaca beetle, considered by some, when gutted and fried, as a very great delicacy, is to be found in abundance in the decayed stems of this tree." (p. 93.)

This tree was introduced into England in 1739, and, when grown in pots, is always stunted; but, as it is of rapid growth, if turned out early in the season, in good soil, and in a warm situation, it would probably make a splendid appearance during the summer months; and, as it is so readily propagated, a stock of young plants might easily be kept in a flued pit, to insure a succession as the old plants were killed off. This mode of treatment might be applied to many of the plants of warm climates now requiring the green-house or stove; and the reward to the cultivator would be ample, in the very superior degree of foliage that would be produced during the summer months. In short, if half the care were bestowed on this kind of culture that is given to dahlias, we should soon have a new world of tropical beauty in British gardens.

Thea viridis, the green tea plant, "was introduced into the garden at Cold Spring by the late M. Wallen, Esq. The house had for many years fallen into decay, and the garden was neglected, and allowed to grow up in weeds. Notwithstanding this, on clearing the land, for the purpose of planting it with coffee, about two years ago, the tea trees were found to have survived, and young plants to have grown up. They are now in a very thriving condition, flowering and perfecting their seeds; and a supply of young plants may at any time be procured." (p. 119.)

Citrus Aurantium, the sweet orange, is cultivated and naturalised, as is the bitter orange. Independently of the excellence of the fruit, the orange is among the most ornamental of Jamaica trees. "It is graceful in its port, with leaves beautifully formed, and of a rich green; and it fills the air with the perfume of its clusters of delicately white blossoms. In the parish of St. John, in particular," continues Dr. Macfadyen, "the trees may be seen in thousands in the pastures and in the negro villages, forming beautiful objects during the months about Christmas, laden with their golden-hued fruit; which, for richness of flavour and for sweetness, cannot be surpassed. In that district, a bitter or a sour orange is rarely to be met with. It is deserving of remark, indeed, that the sweet orange is produced in its greatest perfection in districts which, like that of St. John, belong to the limestone formation; whereas they are very inferior (being more or less sour or bitter, even when raised from seeds of the sweetest sorts) when grown where any of the other rocks prevail. Little or no care is bestowed in Jamaica on the cultivation of the orange. As the fruit, notwithstanding this, is produced in the greatest abundance, and of so fine a quality, it must appear surprising that it is not made an article of exportation, as few of our objects of cultivation would give a more favourable return. Were the fruit carefully hand-picked from

VOL. XIII. No. 93.

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the tree, on a dry day, and, after being slightly papered, packed in common flour-barrels on the spot, there cannot be a doubt but that they would bear the voyage over to England, and arrive there in a marketable condition. We are anxious to establish the clove and the nutmeg, when we have already a tree which would, were it more generally and carefully cultivated, give us an article of exportation for which the demand is constant, and would, in any part of the world, command a market. Few trees are longer lived than the orange, those of the orange groves of Spain having survived 600 years; and few are more productive, some individuals having been known to produce, in one year, 6000 oranges. The sweet orange, according to Dr. Turner, contains malic acid; and, we may ask, might not an effervescing liquor, like cider, be obtained from the juice? As a fruit, it is inferior to none. The pulp is cooling and refreshing in fevers, inflammation, and scurvy, and alterative in phthisis and dyspepsia.' The bitter orange is employed in making the wellknown preserve, marmalade; the peel is an aromatic bitter; the roasted pulp is an excellent application to fetid sores; and the negroes employ it as a substitute for soap in washing their coarse linens. From the flower a distilled water is prepared." (p. 130.)

Cedrela odorata, the West Indian cedar, is a tree with abruptly pinnated leaves, of rapid growth, attaining a considerable height. "This is one of the most valuable timber trees of the island. The wood is of a reddish-brown colour, and has a pleasant smell. The leaves, bark, and flowers of the growing tree, on the contrary, give out, especially when young, and after rains, a most disagreeable alliaceous odour, resembling that of asafœtida or garlic, mixed with that of highly dried tobacco, which is felt very sensibly at a considerable distance. As a timber tree, it is superior to the pitch pine, and is employed for similar purposes. It is particularly recommended for wainscoting rooms, and for chests, and the inside of clothes-presses and drawers, from the circumstance that vermin are known not to breed in it. This may be ascribed partly to the strong odour it exhales, and also to the bitter taste of the wood itself. Hence, though it is occasionally employed to make rum-butts, it always communicates, from the resin in the wood being dissolved, a peculiarly bitter taste. It has been remarked, that pigeons never take to, or breed in, a house made of this wood, probably from the strong smell it exhales. In like manner, bees never build in a hive made of it. Meat, also, placed in a fresh cedar box, is said to acquire a peculiar flavour. One of the principal purposes for which the cedar is applied is, for splitting into shingles to cover houses. These are very durable, and usually last for fifteen years; though they may be preserved much longer by giving