ful narcotics.—The officinal preparations of nutmeg are, a spirit, and an essential oil: the nutmeg in substance is also roasted, to render it more astringent.—See Mace.
Nutrition. See Nourishment; and Food of Plants, vol. ii. p. 320.
NUX VOMICA, a flat, compressed, round fruit, about an inch in diameter, of a greyish-brown colour, of a horny consistence; and the surface of which is somewhat wrinkled. It is the produce of a tree growing in the East Indies; possesses a bitter taste; and has been found a certain poison for dogs, cats, fish, &c. Nevertheless, this highly deleterious fruit has lately been employed on the Continent, as a medicine of great efficacy, in spasmodic affections of the bowels, especially in the contagious dysentery, as well as in obstinate quartan agues, &c. But, as its administration can be directed only by professional men, we forbear to mention the proper doses, and shall only observe, that the London brewers have frequently been suspected of adulterating their ale and porter with this narcotic drug, in order to render them more intoxicating; though such charge has, to our knowledge, never been proved in a court of justice.
Nymph (in Botany) See Chrysalis.
O.
OAK, or Quercus, L. a genus of plants, consisting of 29 species, two of which, according to Dr. Withering, are indigenous. The principal of these is the Robur, or Common Oak, found in various parts of Britain, where it flowers in the month of April.
The oak thrives better in hilly than in boggy ground, but flourishes most luxuriantly on rich black soils, or in strong moist loams; and, while it is young, in large plantations. It is propagated generally by sowing acorns in the proportion of from four to six bushels per acre, together with some white-thorn berries, and seeds of furze or whins; both to shelter the young plants from the severity of the cold winds, and also to protect them from being devoured by hares, rabbits, &c. As they advance in size, the stronger saplins should be selected to stand, while the more weakly are occasionally cut down; because the roots of the oak strike deeply into the ground, and the tree will not always grow with equal energy, if it be removed from its primitive soil. Nevertheless, very young oaks may be transplanted two, and even three times, provided the tap or principal root be cut off at every removal; though such trees will be neither so full at heart, compact, and strong, nor so lasting as those which are suffered to stand on the spot where the seed was originally deposited.
This tree is remarkable for the slowness of its growth, its great bulk, and longevity. It has been observed, that the trunk attains, in general, only fourteen inches in diameter, in the course of eighty
