commend the cultivation of this root, on the ground that it has acquired new importance from the fact that the disease has attacked all the early varieties of Potato. It is in fact one of the best of those recently introduced, being desirable for its feculent qualities, its flavour (which is something betwen that of a chesnut and a potato), and also on account of its productiveness, yielding as it does six tons an acre. Another merit of this vegetable is that it comes iuto use early in the season; in the beginning of June the roots are formed, and they keep good until the April following. It requires the same treatment as the potato, and, like it, can be cooked in a variety of ways. The cultivation of it is very simple. It ought to be sowed in the month of September or October, either in lines or scattered as you would carrot seed, care being taken to press down the soil slightly after it is sown. We ought to remark at the same time that, unlike the potato, which thrives best in a light, dry or sandy soil, the Chærophyllum bulbosum is most successfully cultivated in rather damp soil which has previously been prepared and manured. If sown later than the period above mentioned, it will be necessary to use seed which has been kept for some time in a layer of earth or damp sand; without which precaution it is not likely to germinate till the year following. The roots are gathered in the month of July, and preserved in the same way as potatoes, care being taken to turn them occasionally to prevent their deteriorating. This root has received various names, such as Myrrhis bulbosa, Spreng, Scandix bulbosa, of some German botanists, Chorophyl lum bulbosum, L. But the name by which it is likely to be know in common use is Parsnip Chervil. Professor Lindley says it is regarded by French gourmands as "un vegetable des plus delicieux," and he agrees with them. It is in fact he says, uncommonly good to eat, very like a boiled Spanish chesnut, without its crispness or hardness. In Europe, as has already been remarked, it is sown in September or October, but it will brobably be found better to sow it in spring in Canada. The plant is a native of Europe, and was cultivated in England by Mr. Philip Miller so long ago as 1726, but as a botanical curiosity only. Again, a few years ago, it was proposed for cultivation, but the roots were found to be too small to be of much use. Since then, however, it has been improved by cultivation; the roots are figured as of the size and nearly the shape of an undersized early horn carrot. It is likely, therefore, to form a substantial addition to our culinary crops. It has been stated in the Gardeners' Chronicle that the Royal Horticultural Society bought up for their members all the good seed that was procurable, and this was to be distributed in small packets last month. It will, therefore, be satisfactory to the members of the Botanical Society of Canada, to learn that our Society had previously secured a supply of seeds, which will be distributed to members in good time for sowing. MISCELLANEOUS. Note on Indian Beads presented to the Natural History Society by James Robb, Esq., Mining Engineer, &c. In a memorandum accompanying these specimens, they are said to have been taken from an old burying place in a small island in the St. Lawrence near Brockville. They were found with two skeletons, placed in a sitting posture and facing each other, buried under four feet of sand resting on a floor of clay, which was supposed to have been artificial. The beads and a sea shell were in a heap under three flat stones placed on edge, and converging at the top. These stones were of a quality suitable for hones. The beads are made of native copper, which has been beaten out and then doubled into thick rings, about a quarter of an inch in diameter externally. They are quite rough but rather uniform in size and shape. The shell appears to be the common Purpura lapillus of the American coast, smoothed externally, and with the apex ground off. It has no doubt been strung with the beads. It is curious thus to find at a place half-way between the copper regions of Lake Superior and the sea coast, the products of both carried from their distant sources, and used for ornamental purposes by the aborigines. J. W. D. Aluminous Rocks, T. Sterry Hunt on the origin of.. 362 39 60 38 436 180 Barnston, on the Swans and Geese of the Hudson's Bay... 337 Barrande, on the Taconic System....... 106 Beadle, D. W., Coleopterous Insects collected by.. 383 36 Beaver... Bell, Robert, list of shells of Lakes Superior and Huron. Bernicla Canadensis, (species of in Hudson's Bay).. Birds collected in Hudson's Bay... 435 268 42 .441, 339 310 344 441 Agassiz, Nat. Hist. of the United States, by A. F. K.. Hind's Red River Exploring Expedition,.. Hall's, Jas., contributions to Paleontology, by J. W. D..... 392, 365 Transactions of the Phil. Institute of Victoria, by J. W. D.... 155 BOTANICAL SOCIETY. Articles read before :— Blackie on the Cornus florida of the U. S... "on Dr. Hector's discoveries.. Weir, Mrs., on the Parsnip Chervil....... Regulations of, for exchange of specimens.. British Association, meeting of.... Bryant, on the Birds of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Buffalo... Bush wanderings of a Naturalist, noticed 1 Calamites transitionis Camarella calcifera... Canada, Dawson on the Pre-carboniferous flora of.. Canada, Dr. Davies on the origin of the name... Canadian Caverns, Gibb on.. Coleopterous Insects, collected by D. W. Beadle. Colonial Office, enquiries from, on Canadian Nat. Hist. Colymbus torquatus... Comet of 1861... Davies, Dr., on the origin of the name Canada.. Dawson, Dr., Review of Agassiz Nat. Hist. of the U. S. on the Geology of Murray Bay....... 70 395 282 276 469 331, 468 Dog, on the Esquimaux and Hare Indian.. 12 Drift deposits in C. W.... 219 Drift, flint implements in the... 77 66 on the Botany of Argenteuil, &c...... D'Urban, on the Nat. Hist. of the Valley of the Rouge. Du Chaillu's Africa, noticed. 36 120 393 Fur-bearing animals of the North-West.. 5 Geese and Swans of Hudson's Bay, Barnston on the.. 337 Geological Phenomena, Unity of..... 444 Geological Society of London... 329 Geology American, T. Sterry Hunt on... 81 Geology of Murray Bay... 138 Gibb, G. D., on Canadian Caverns.. 184 Gold discoveries in Nova Scotia, Dawson on.. 417 Gosse's Canadian Naturalist, reviewed....... 217 66 344 441 30 51 284 392 106 465 452 42 37 Hind's Red River Expedition.. 68 How, on a new mineral.. 333 Hunt, T. Sterry, on American Geology. 81 on the origin of Magnesian rocks. 180 แ on Petroleum or rock oil... 241 374 translation by.... 444 Hyperstis alienaria.. Hystrix dorsata.... Indian antiquities, Dawson on. Kingsley, "Limits of exact science" of, noticed.. Lawson, on Botany and on the Chemistry of Plants.. Lepidoptera inhabiting the valley of the Rouge.. Lepus Americanus.. Lichens, Lindsay on what to observe in Canadian.. |