NOTES AND QUERIES.
A Young Microscopist desires to know if he can produce any of the diatomaceous earths, such as Tripoli and other foreign deposits, and where?
Does the Spider Eat its own Web?—Blomfield affirms that it does. Is this merely a fiction of the poet, or a fact vouched for by naturalists? Satisfactory information based on personal observation is desirable.
Do Flowers that are normally blue become white or pink when propagated from buds or cuttings, in all cases? And do blue flowers, such as those of Campanula rotundifolia become white in seedlings. If so, under what conditions do these changes occur?
In poisoning plants for the herbarium some use a solution of corrosive sublimate, and with it wash over the entire specimen with a camel-hair pencil. On the other hand, some only mount their specimens with thin glue in which some corrosive sublimate has been mixed. The latter is by far the simplest plan—has experience proved it sufficient?
Veins of Leaves.—Professor De Candolle has recently observed that in some genera of plants (as Fagus) the lateral veins terminate in some species in the marginal teeth, in other species they terminate in the sinuses between the teeth, and in others they terminate partly in the teeth and partly in the sinuses. Have any of our correspondents noticed similar instances, or if they should observe such will they communicate the result of their observations?
Modern Military Botany.—A military gentleman recommended to the Cotton Supply Reporter, in a letter recently published, "in order to produce new and beautiful species of the cotton plant, as well as to insure good annual crops, to cross the several kinds of seeds by burying them together in a large hole about nine inches deep." He adds, "I beg to observe that I firmly believe that the Gnaphalium, end-weed, or dwarf cotton, is the parent stock of all cotton."—Does not such a Solomon as this deserve a Marshal's baton?
Polyxenia Alderi.—During a marine excursion in search of animals for the aquarium, Mr. Hughes gives a humorous account of a colloquy which took place between himself and the boatman who was with him when the above-named was captured:—"Looking, as I dare say he did, with considerable disgust at my sport, and wondering why I did not follow his example in the more utilitarian object of mackerel-fishing, he asked, with some degree of superciliousness, 'And what might be the name of that jelly-fish, sir, that you've just took?' 'It would not interest you very much, my friend,' said I; 'but, as you seem to take an interest in the specimen, I will tell you: it is Polyxenia Alderi.' 'Well, to be sure,' replied he, 'it do look summat like a X.' He alluded to the cruciform appearance of the peduncle seen from below!—The Zoologist.
Death of Professor Silliman.—It is with much regret that we have learnt of the death of this veteran in science. The journal he edited, and which was known by his name all over Europe, as well as in America, expired just before him. For nearly half a century he held a high position amongst scientific men on the other side the Atlantic.
Prickly Pears Four a Penny!—This cry has been heard from street-vendors of fruit in the metropolis during the last two or three weeks. The fruit itself is not commonly imported. It is about the size and shape of a goose's egg, with a large concave depression at the apex, in which one may thrust the end of a thumb. Externally it is yellow, with a reddish tint on one side; small brown warts are scattered over the surface at regular distances of about three-fourths of an inch; from each of these in its early stage sharp spines are developed, but they fall away as the fruit ripens. Internally the fruit consists of a granular pulp of a deep rose colour, in which numerous seeds, about the size of hemp-seed, are imbedded. The taste is rather insipid, and the profusion of hard seeds scattered everywhere through the pulp is a great disadvantage. It does not suit the English taste, we imagine, and will scarce become a regular article of commerce. The Prickly Pear is the produce of a species of Cactus (Opuntia vulgaris), a native of North America, and closely allied to the plant on which the cochineal insect feeds. The Cactus has been introduced into the South of Europe, whence, probably, our recent importations have been derived.
Forty Years Ago!—In the first volume of "London's Magazine of Natural History" it is stated, "The common rosewood of cabinet-makers is the root of Convolvulus scoparius, common in the Canary Islands, in Rhodes, and Cyprus." No comment is necessary.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.
