The above specimen is larger and firmer than the one examined the first of June and contains less water and a greater percentage of inorganic matter. The leaves contain a little oxalic and malic acids. The oxalic acid is probably in the form of binoxalate of potash and soda. The petioles or leaf stalks have a mild, pleasant acid taste. They contain a large quantity of malic acid with considerable oxalic and a little tartaric acid. These acids are most likely in the form of acid salts of the alkalies.

The well known and highly valued medicine called rhubarb is the root of several species of Rheum. It has been analysed by Schrarder, Brande, Hornemann, M. Ossian Henry, Schlossberger and Dopping. (Pereira's Materia Medica, Liebig's Annalen, Thompson's Vegetable Chemistry, U. S. Dispensatory, &c.)

It contains Rhein. (Syn. Rhabarbaric acid, Rhubarb Yellow, Rheumin.) This is a yellow granular crystalline body, somewhat analogous to chrysophanic acid. It is extracted nearly pure from the root by hot sulphurie ether. On carefully evaporating the solution it is obtained in small crystals which are quite tasteless and insoluble in cold water. It imparts to concentrated sulphuric acid a beautiful carmine color; to solutions of ammonia and potash, a fine red, and to soda and lime, a light red hue. It is soluble in ether, alcohol and acetic acid, to all of which it imparts a deep yellow color; it is less soluble in cold nitric acid, and but slightly soluble in hydrochloric and oxalic acids, all of which it colors yellow. On boiling these latter acids, more is taken up, but is again precipitated on cooling. It is thrown down from an alkaline solution by sulphuric acid in the form of a deep yellow powder, which is nearly or quite insoluble in water. It is precipitated by the acetate of lead on standing for some time. The neutral salt throws it down in the form of light yellow flocs, leaving a clear solution slightly tinged with yellow. The basic salt throws it down in the form of a red floculent precipitate leaving a slightly turbid light red solution.

Aporetin. A resinous body of a black color, brittle, decomposed at a temperature below its point of fusion.

Erythroretin. C,, H, O,. A light yellow crystalline, resinous body, soluble in ether and alcohol and volatilized partially by heat without decomposition. It affords a dull red solution with concentrated sulphuric acid, from which it is thrown down in the form of a floculent precipitate by water.

16

Phæorctin. C, H, O,. A yellowish brown powder quite insoluble in ether and water, but readily soluble in alcohol. With the alkalies it forms a deep red solution from which it is precipitated by the mineral acids.

Rhaponticin. A yellow, tasteless, crystalizable body, insoluble in ether, but soluble in a large excess of dilute alcohol. Besides the above the root also contains chrysophanic acid, a trace of oil or fatty matter, starch, gum, mucilage, sugar, woody fibre, pectin, tannic, gallic, oxalic, sulphuric and phosphoric acids, together with chlorine, lime, magnesia, silica, iron, potash and soda.

POULTRY.

As there is much inquiry at the present time in regard to the best varieties of the Domestic Fowl, we give an extract from an article from the Agricultural and Industrial Journal of the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society of Ireland, kindly furnished us by their Secretary E. Bullen, Esq. of Dublin. It is from Mr. H. D. Richardson, author of the "Domestic Fowl" a work most valuable to all who are engaged in the raising of poultry.

ON THE BREEDS OF POULTRY BEST SUITED TO THE FARM. (BY H. D. RICHARDSON.)

ment.

Unreflecting persons may regard Poultry as too insignificant a branch of farming-stock to deserve attention in this age of agricultural improveThat the contrary is the case, however, will be at once seen when I state, that the value of the fowl, of various kinds, exported from Ireland in 1846-7 amounted to upwards of HALF A MILLION OF MONEY. I could adduce further proof of the importance of this description of live stock.

It is not my intention to discuss the question of the origin of the many varieties of domestic fowl with which we are now acquainted, it being my business merely to describe such as are likely to produce the largest and most certain profit to their breeder. I may premise by stating that the common dunghill fowl is just as much out of place in the farm yard as the cur dog would be in the kennel of the sportsman, and I truly hope that the time will soon arrive when its place will be occupied by birds really calculated to prove profitable. The most important varieties of fowl are the Cochin China, the Malay, the Spanish, the Dorking, the Old Sussex, the Hamburg, the Polish, the Columbian or Mongolian, the Bantam, and the Game Fowl.

The Cochin China is usually of a bright bay color, darker above, with a black mark, of a horse-shoe shape, upon the breast; wings borne tightly up, bearing erect and lively; whole form approaching to that of the Bustard; comb and wattles large and simple. This fowl was introduced into Great Britain, some few years back, by her Majesty, and from its great

beauty and remarkably striking appearance, rapidly acquired general notice and admiration: it is truly a royal bird. The hen is also prolific to an extraordinary degree; "Bessy," a hen in possession of the Queen, is stated to have layed an egg daily for 95 successive days—a degree of fecundity unrivalled by any other known variety. These hens, also, repeatedly lay two, and even three, eggs per day for many days in succession: this I have personally experienced. I am not prepared to speak practically as to the flesh of this beautiful bird, it being as yet somewhat too scarce and costly to admit of an ordinary person placing it upon his table. I, however, have been informed that it has been frequently used by the royal family, and found to be excellent. The cock is game to the last degree, capable of killing the most powerful game cock in a few

moments.

The Malay is characterized by great size, nearly equal, indeed, to that of the Cochin China. This size, however, consists rather in limb than in body; and, as it thus produces a quantity of offal, rather than available flesh, it is not to be regarded as a good bird. The hen does not lay so large an egg as her size would promise. Although comparatively valueless in a pure state, the Malay fowl is, however, as will presently be shown, valuable for the purpose of crossing with other varieties.

The Spanish, known by its jet black colour, large toothed comb and wattles, and white cheek or earpiece. This is one of the very best birds with which I am acquainted; it is fully climatized, and consequently hardy; is of beautiful appearance; possesses flesh of the best and whitest quality, and acquires it with rapidity, which is a most important consid eration to the producer; and the hen lays a large egg, and is only surpassed in fecundity by the Cochin China.

The Dorking, so called from a town in Surrey, where it was originally bred, is remarkable for possessing five well developed toes, and sometimes a rudimentary sixth on each foot. This is a plump-bodied, whitefleshed fowl, very good for table use; the hen is tolerably prolific, but is not equal in that respect to the Spanish. The Sussex has latterly, to a great degree, superseded the Dorking in popular estimation; in form and appearance, indeed, the birds are identical, save in colour, the Dorking being, when pure, usually of a speckled or cuckoo color, and the Sussex being usually dark brown, sometimes relieved with white spangles, but not invariably so. White Dorkings are prized by some, but they are delicate and do not attain any size; they are therefore, not worth the farmer's attention. The Sussex possesses an additional superiority over the Dorking in being only furnished with the usual complement of toes. I have repeatedly met with instances of Dorking cocks breaking, or

otherwise injuring, their extra toe, becoming lame and gouty in consequence, and even eventually perishing; and other fanciers have confirmed my experience from the results of their own. The Sussex is free from this defect, and, being in all other respects equal to the Dorking, is fully entitled to be regarded as a better bird.

The Hamburg and Polish may be briefly dismissed. They resemble each other closely; are characterized by their large top-knots, and gay, nay even gorgeous, plumage. They are very ornamental, but not entitled to the notice of such as look chiefly or solely to pounds, shillings, and pence.

The Columbian or Mongolian, a native of South America, and now to be found in most of the long colonized portions of the northern division of that vast continent, is a tall and singularly beautiful bird, standing very erect, possessing a carriage at once spirited and majestic; in this respect, as well as in general form, closely resembling the Cochin China fowl, and betraying marks, like that fowl, of being only half reclaimed. The color of the Columbian fowl is a black ground, relieved about the head, neck, and wing coverts, by numerous spangles of white, and here and there patches of brilliant green bronze, possessing a strong metallic lustre. The comb of the cock is large, and the hen has one also, as large as that of many ordinary cocks; she is also furnished with a tuft of feathers below the bill, and two tufts springing, mustache like, from the corners of the mouth. I am disposed to regard this bird as the primitive stock whence the fowl now known as Spanish has been originally derived; the Spanish, however, is a great improvement upon it, as far as utility is concerned. The Columbian fowl were first brought under my notice by Doctor Bull, of Cork, who also kindly presented me with two magnificent pair of the birds. The egg layed by the hen is of extraordinary size, but she seldom lays more frequently than every second day, and, during a considerable portion of the laying season, does not lay at all. Nor is this extraordinary bulk of egg to be regarded as an unqualified advantage, for I have met with instances where it has proved too large for expulsion. In one instance, the hen having carried her egg upwards of eight days, and betraying symptoms of rapid sinking, I killed her. On opening her I found three eggs of prodigious size, the most mature being little inferior to that of a goose, and lying crosswise. On another occasion, of a similar nature, I tried the popular remedy of inserting a small pinch of common salt in the vent; the result was, almost immediate expulsion of the egg, but the hen did not lay any more during that season. I applied to Dr. Bull for his advice as to what should be done under such circumstances, and he recommended the dilatation

of the parts by means of a common lithotomy forceps, and the forcible abstraction of the egg. However simple the remedy in such cases may be, I do not think that fowl subject to such accidents are to be recommended to those who look to profit. I may add, that such of these fowl as I have killed were also characterized by black and tough flesh. Such has been my experience, and such the experience of every person of my acquaintance who has kept these fowl, except Doctor Bull, who, I am inclined to think, must be in possession of a superior breed, or must be acquainted with some peculiarity relative to their feeding or management unkown to others. As a fancy fowl I know of none, however, to compete with this, except the magnificent Cochin China. The Bantam is too well known to require description. The bay variety, with black spangles and naked legs, known as "the Sebright," is the most valuable. At the show in London, February, 1847, three of these birds fetched the amazingly large price of fifty pounds and one shilling. The Bantam is singularly prolific, and the little egg is considered a delicacy peculiarly suited to the invalid, or to persons whose digestive powers have become impaired.

The Game Fowl are very prolific, are ready fatteners, and possess more delicate flesh than any other known variety. If they can be kept strictly apart, well and good, otherwise their pugnacity renders them unfit inmates of the general poultry yard, as their individual value will by no means compensate their keepers for the injury they may do to other, and, probably, more valuable birds. There are some crosses which I am inclined to believe, more valuable, in a mere pecuniary sense, to the farmer than any of our pure varieties; otherwise, of course, as a mere matter of taste, the pure and unmixed breeds are unquestionably to be preferred.

Her Majesty's poultry-keeper, Mr. Walters, was, I believe the first who tried the experiment of crossing the Dorking with the Cochin China fowl. As a matter of course, the progeny was a noble and valuable breed, but was in most cases disfigured by the fifth toe. To obviate this, I would recommend the old Sussex breed to be substituted for the Dorking in the experiment. Mr. Burgess, of Pill-lane, Dublin, has the merit of having established an entirely new and valuable variety, known as "Burgess' blacks," by a cross between Spanish and Malay, grafted with Dorking. The Sussex or Dorking makes a good cross with the Spanish. The Columbian and Sussex produce an admirable bird, possessing excellent shapes, great fecundity, and retaining the characteristic of laying eggs nearly as large as those of a goose.

My own advice to the farmer on the subject of crossing, is, that he keep, as a standing stock, Spanish and Sussex-that he also have, if possible, a Cochin China cock, but in any case a Malay cock. In this manner he will, by cautious intermixture, gradually arrive at his desideratum. The Sussex possesses the highest perfection of form; the Spaniard the best flesh, and laying qualities of a high character; while the Malay gives increased size, and, if it be the Cochin China which is employed for that purpose, also increased fecundity.