AEROMETRIC BEADS. An invention of Mrs. Love, of Edinburgh, for ascertaining the richness of milk, on a similar principle to that of the proof beads employed by spirit dealers. The comparative weight (specific gravity) of milk is found to be less when it is rich in cream than when it is poor; and the aerometric beads are so constructed as to point out these qualities.

[B. E.] AEROPHYTON, Eschweiler (from the Greek, 'ang, "air," and quTov, "a plant"). Vapour Mould. Cryptogamia Fungi, Linnæus; Hyphomycetes Mucorini, Fries. Flocks jointed, club-shaped at the top; with clavules bearing little capsules, somewhat round and adhering; spore-cases very minute.

1. Prince's Vapour Mould (Aërophyton Principis, Esch- | white; branches with joints twice or thrice as long as the weiler). A very slender-like fungus, but persistent, and diameter of the flocks. On the leaves of Casilia Braziaffording an appearance of little trees to the eye; flocks liensis. [N. F.] AERUA, Forskal (the name said to be Arabic). Bran Flower. Pentandria Monogynia, Linnæus; Amaranthacea, Jussieu. Calyx of five leaves; two to three flower-scales (bractea), oblong, on the outside white, hairy, on the inside smooth; stamens ten, alternately barren, inserted into a little cup at the base; summit of the pistil two-parted.

1. Japan Bran Flower (A. Javanica, Jussieu). A barkstove plant, two-feet high, from the East Indies in 1768: leaves lance-shaped, downy; flowers, from April till August, white; spikes cylindrical, numerous, terminal; propagated by cuttings in rich mould.-Bur. In. 65, 2.

2. Woolly Bran Flower (A. lanata, Jussieu). A bark-stove biennial, one foot high, from the East Indies in 1691: stem erect; leaves alternate, egg-oblong; flowers, from April till August, white; propagated by cuttings in rich mould.Mil. Icon. I. 11, 1. [G. L.]

ÆRUGINOUS (in Latin, Æruginosus). Verdigris green. ÆRUGO. Verdigris, or sub-acetate of copper, used in veterinary practice in making ointments, and as an escharotic.

ÆSCHYNOMENE, Linnæus (from the Greek, 'axvvw, “I am ashamed," because the leaves of some of the species fall on the slightest touch). Modesty. Diadelphia Decandria, Linnæus; Leguminosa, De Candolle. Calyx five-parted, two-lipped; upper lip two-parted or two-toothed, lower lip three-parted or three-toothed; flowers very often, yellow; clusters axillary; corolla papilionaceous; stamens ten, joined into two equal parcels; pod flattish, jointed across, very straight; seeds solitary, between the joints, kidney-shaped.

I.

LEAVES WITH A FEW PAIRS OF LEAFLETS.

1. Brazilian Modesty (Æ. Brasiliana, De Candolle). A native of Brazil: stem diffuse, hairy, glandular; leaflets five to six pairs, egg-oblong, oval, downy, somewhat fringed; bunches straggling, loose, clammy, bristly. Hedysarum Brasilianum, Poiret.

2. Elegant Modesty (E. elegans. Schlecht). A stove annual, three feet high, from Mexico: stem spreading; leaflets five to eight pairs, oval, blunt, stiff-pointed, downy; clusters five to seven-flowered, much longer than the leaves; pod usually six-jointed. Æ. mimosoides, Sessé.

3. Sickle-podded Modesty (E. falcata, De Candolle). A native of Brazil: stem very branched, velvety; leaflets two to three pairs, inversely egg-oblong, wedge-shaped; flowerstems somewhat two-flowered, longish; joints of the sickleshaped pod somewhat round, downy. Hedysarum falcatum, Poiret.

somewhat round, somewhat sword-pointed, scarcely downy; flower-stalks axillary, one to two flowered, the length of the leaf; joints of the pod smooth, flattish, half-roundish. Hedysarum micranthos, Poiret.

5. Few-paired Modesty (E. paucijuga, De Candolle). A native of Cayenne : stem rounded; leaflets four to five pairs, inversely egg-oblong, blunt, somewhat sword-pointed, scarcely downy; clusters many flowered and compounded; pods rather smooth.

Var. a. Roughish Modesty (E. subscabra, De Candolle). A native of South America, with the pod roughish from short down.

An

6. Clammy Modesty (E. viscidula, Michaux). ornamental annual, six inches long, from Florida in 1816: stem prostrate, slender; leaflets inversely egg-oblong, three to four pairs; flowers, from July till August, yellow; 4. Small-flowered Modesty (E. micrantha, De Can-flower-stems one to two-flowered; joints of the downy pod dolle). A perennial of Madagascar: stem lying down, oval-round; propagated by seeds in sandy loam. Æ. prosdowny; leaflets two to four pairs, the least egg-oblong, trata, Poiret.

II.

THE PAIRS OF LEAFLETS NOT MENTIONED.

7. Diffuse Modesty (Æ. diffusa, Willdenow). An annual, two feet high, from Tranquebar: stem diffuse, smooth; leaflets line-like, blunt; flower-stems bristly, one-flowered; joints of the pod at the middle, in some very straight, in others somewhat round.

8. Glandulose Modesty (E. glandulosa, Poiret). A stove shrub, two feet high, from Porto Rico: stem shrubby, rough, with glandular hairs; leaflets line-like, sword-pointed; flower-stem few flowered; joints of the pods four to five, half-pointed at the middle, dotted, prickly.

9. Porcupine Modesty (Æ. hystrix, Poiret). A native of Cayenne leaflets oval, line-like, blunt, stiff-pointed; leaf-stalks with yellow bristles; flower-stems compound, many-flowered; flower-stalks bent backward; pods smooth, few jointed. M. cassioides, Desvaux.

10. Velvety Modesty (E. villosa, Poiret). A stove

shrub, two feet high, from Porto Rico: stem somewhat shrubby, velvety; leaflets line-like, blunt, somewhat smooth; flowers small, white; clusters axillary, straggling; pods glandular, hairy. Α

11. Broad-leaved Modesty (E. latifolia, Sprengel). stove annual, two feet high, from Monte Video: leaflets oblong, stiff-pointed, smooth; flowers in many-flowered clusters; pod covered with stiff hairs.

12. Glandular Modesty (E. subviscosa, De Candolle). An ornamental, bark-stove annual, six inches high, from the East Indies in 1816: stem erect, warty, with small glandular hairs at the tip, rough; leaflets line-like, blunt, smooth; flowers in July and August, yellow; flower-stems somewhat two-flowered; pods hairy, somewhat glandular; propagated by seeds in sandy loam. E. viscidula, Roxburg, not of Michaux; E. Roxburgii, Sprengel.

III.

LEAVES WITH MANY PAIRS OF LEAFLETS.

IV.

SPECIES NOT SUFFICIENTLY KNOWN.

39. Delicate Modesty (E. mollicula, Kunth). An under shrub of South America: branches longish, yellowish, silky; ESCULINE. An alkali discovered by M. Curzoneri in the bark of the Esculus Hippocastanum, supposed to be febrifuge.

ÆSCULUS, Linnæus (from the Latin, Esca, “food"). Horse Chestnut. Heptandria Monogynia, Linnæus; Hippocastanea, Jussieu. Calyx one-leaved, bell-shaped; petals four to five, expanded, with an egg-oblong border, irregularly coloured, inserted into the calyx; capsule studded with hard short prickles.

Var. a. Double-flowered (flore pleno). Rare. ÆTHALIUM, Link (from the Greek 'aaλss, “splendid," gamia Fungi, Linnæus; Trichodermaceæ Æthalini, Fries. or fibrous, membraneous at the base; cellular within. 1. Yellow Ash Mould (E. flavum, Greville). A small fungus, yellowish brown and flocculent, appearing in autumă on bark in stoves.-Grev. Cryp. Fl. 272.

ÆTHEILEMA, R. Brown. The generic term under which Brown and Sprengel have described some species of Ruellia, or of analogous genera.

ÆTHIONEMA, R. Brown (from the Greek, 'aw, "I scorch," and vnμa, “chive," from the burnt appearance of the chive or stamen). Scorch-chive. Tetradynamia Siliculosa, Linnæus; Crucifera, Jussieu. Seed-purse (silicula) oval, generally notched, valves boat-shaped, on the back winged; cells one or two-seeded; the four taller stamens either united or toothed; seeds egg-oblong.

1. Buxbaum's Scorch-chive (Æ. Buxbaumii, De Can- | two-celled, two-seeded, inversely heart-shaped.—Deless. II. dolle). A cultivated annual, six inches high, from the T. 76. Levant in 1823 seed-purses two-celled, two to four-seeded, roundish at the base and at the tip, notched; valves winged at the back and entire; flowers, in June and July, pale red; clusters close; propagated by seeds in common soil.

somewhat toothed; propagated by seeds in sandy peat. Thlaspi peregrinum, Scopoli.-Boc. Mu. 70.

5. Membranous Scorch-chive (E. membranaceum, De Candolle). An under-shrub, six inches high, from Persia in 1828 leaves line-like, distant; four longer stamens marked with a small tooth at the tip, two shorter ones entire; flowers, in June, lilac; seed-purses two-celled, two-seeded, inversely heart-shaped, crowded, valves on the back, winged, entire. Lepia membranacea, Desvaux.

6. One-seeded Scorch-chive (E. monospermum, R. Brown). A biennial, six inches high, from Spain in 1778: leaves oval, or inversely egg-oblong; flowers, in July and August, pale purple; seed-purses one-celled, and one-seeded, not opening, notched at the tip; propagated by seeds in common soil.

7. Small flowered Scorch-chive (E. parviflorum, Sweet). An evergreen, hardy perennial, six inches high, from Persia in 1830 flowers, in July, lilac.

8. Milkwort Scorch-chive (E. polygaloides, De Candolle). An under-shrub of the island of Scio: stem at the base somewhat shrubby; leaves oblong, line-like; seedpurses one-celled, one-seeded, not opening, notched on each side.

9. Rock Scorch-chive (E. saxatile, R. Brown). A pretty annual, six inches high, from the South of Europe in 1759: leaves lance-shaped, pointed; flowers, in June and July, blush-red; larger stamens toothed; clusters fruitbearing, loose; seed-purses two-celled, many-seeded, inversely heart-shaped; valves on the back winged, entire ; propagated by seeds in common soil.-Jacq. Au. 3, 236.

10. Long-styled Scorch-chive (E. stylosum, De Candolle). A shrub of Mount Lebanon; leaves egg-oblong, lance-shaped; flowers, flesh-coloured, larger than in the other species of this genus; seed-purses two-celled, two-seeded, valves on the back winged; larger stamens connate. Thlaspi carneum, Russel. [G. L.]

ÆTHIOPS MINERAL. In veterinary practice, the black sulphuret of mercury, prescribed in doses to a horse of a drachm or more, once a day in glanders, farcy, mange, and other skin disorders. White recommends it to be combined with equal parts of sulphuret of antimony, and given in doses to a horse of two drachms once a day amongst corn. [B. E.]

ÆTHONIA, D. Don (named from Æthon, one of the horses of Phoebus). Sun Plant. Syngenesia Equalis, Linnæus; Composite Cichoraceæ, Jussieu. A genus separated from Crepis and Hieracium.

1. Thread Sun Plant (Æ. filiformis, D. Don). A greenhouse biennial, eighteen inches high, from Madeira in 1777: flowers, in June and July, yellow; propagated by seeds in common soil. Crepis filiformis.

evergreen, greenhouse under shrub, two feet high, from Madeira in 1785: flowers, in June and July, yellow; propagated by cuttings in common soil. Hieracium fruticosum, Willdenow.

[G. L.]

2. Shrubby Sun Plant (E. fruticosa, D. Don). An ÆSTIVATION (from the Latin, æstus, "summer"). Flower-folding; or as M. Richard terms it, Prefloration, a term employed to denote the manner of packing up of the calyx, the corolla, the stamens, and the pistils, before flowering, as will be explained under BUD. [I. K.] ÆTHUSA, Willdenow (from the Greek, 'aw, "I burn," the juice being acrid). Fool's Parsley. Pentandria Digynia, Linnæus; Umbelliferæ, Jussieu. Interstices deep, pointed, angular; calyx pointed, very small; petals inversely heart-shaped, rather angular; flowers all perfect, slightly radiant; seeds egg-oblong, convex, with five bulging, rounded, sharply-keeled ribs.

1. Caucasian Fool's Parsley (E. cynapioides, Bieber- | stein). An annual, a foot and a half high, from the Caucasus in 1817: segments of the leaves oblong, pointed; umbels rayed, somewhat equal; umbel-fence (involucrum) wanting; umblet-fence (involucellum) with three leafits shorter than the umblet (umbellula); flowers, in July and August, white; propagated by seeds in common soil.-Hoffmann. Um. I. 9.

2. Common Fool's Parsley (E. cynapium, Linnæus). A British annual, two feet high: segments of the leaves rather blunt; umbels rayed, somewhat equal; umbel-fence wanting; umblet-fence of three leaflets longer than the umblet; flowers, from July to September, white; propagated

by seeds in common soil. Coriandrum cynapium, Crantz; Cicuta cynapium, Targion.-Eng. Bot., 1192.

3. Tall Fool's Parsley (Æ. elata, Hoffmann.). An annual, one foot and a half high; segments of the leaves rather blunt; umbel-fence often one-leaved; umblet-fence with one to three leaves, longer than the umblet, the outer rays of the umbel much longer; the front doubly longer than the foot-stalks; flowers, in July and August, white; propagated by seeds in common soil.—Hof. Um. 5, 6, 5.

AFFINITY (in Latin, Affinitas, from ad, “to,” finis, "end"). Contiguity, kindred, relationship. It is often applied theoretically to plants which resemble each other in form, structure, and qualities. We say theoretically, because there can be no real affinity of parentage, except in the case of hybrids. To say that plants arranged in the same order have an affinity with one another (meaning by affinity a relation of parentage), is not according to the convenient analogical inferences of the naturalist. The term, family, is taken from the same analogy, and is of course hypothetical. [B. E.]

AFRICAN ALMOND (Brabejum).—AFRICAN FLEA-BANE (Tarchonanthus).

AFRICAN LILY (Agapanthus). This plant is propagated by offsets, which come from the side of the old plants, and may be taken off the latter end of June, at which time these plants are in their greatest state of rest; when the plants should be turned out of the pots, and the earth carefully cleared away from the roots, that the fibres of the offsets may be better distinguished, which should be separated from those of the old roots, being careful not to break their heads. But where they adhere so closely to the old plant as not to be separated, they must be cut off with a knife, taking great care not to wound or break the roots of either the offsets or the parent plant. When these are parted, they should be planted each in a separate pot, filled with light kitchen-garden earth, and placed in a shady situation, where they may enjoy the morning sun, giving them a little water twice a week, if the weather prove dry; but they must not have too much wet, especially at this season, when they are almost inactive; for as the roots are fleshy and succulent, they are apt to rot with great moisture. In about five weeks' time the offsets will have put out new roots, when the pots may be removed to a more sunny situation, and

then they may have a little more water, which will strengthen their flowering, but it must not be given them too liberally, for the reasons before given.

In September they will put out their flower-stalks; and toward the end of that month the flowers will begin to open, when, if the weather should not be good, they should be removed under shelter to prevent the flowers from being injured by the frost or too much wet; but they should have as much free air as possible, otherwise the flowers will be pale-coloured and weak. Toward the end of October they should be removed into the greenhouse, and placed where they may enjoy as much free air as possible, and not be overhung by other plants; and during the winter they may have a little water once a week, or oftener in mild weather, but in frost they should be kept dry. This plant only requires protection from frost and moisture; it should therefore have no artificial warmth in winter, and must be placed in the open air in summer.

[R. M.] AFRICAN MARIGOLD (Tagetes crecta, Linnæus). A favourite hardy annual, which does not come from Africa, but from Mexico. [B. E.] [c. s.]

AFTER-BIRTH. In veterinary practice, will be treated of under PARTURITION. AFTER-GRASS. In agriculture, the second crop of grass, or that which springs up after mowing, or the grass cut after some kinds of corn crops.

In the vicinity of London most of the after-grass, or second crop, was wont to be made into hay, and was considered of considerable value for the ewes of suckling lambs, and milch cows; but in having this crop, so as to make it sell well, great nicety is requisite, the nature of after-grass being more soft, spongy, and porous than the first growth, and consequently more liable to be hurt by rains. The practice is therefore on the decline.

In the midland counties their management of the feeding off the after-grass is in general judicious. It is commonly suffered to get up to a full bite before it is broken, and not turned in upon as soon as the hay is off, or suffered to stand until much of it becomes improper for the food of animals.

Some able rural economists, however, make a point of saving autumnal grass for spring feed, and contend that it is the most certain, and, on the whole, the best spring feed yet known. This would seem to be a wasteful practice, at least in respect to the more forward after-grasses. The forwardest ought certainly to be broken sufficiently early to be eaten, without waste, before winter sets in; and the latest, that is to say, the shortest, may be shut in for spring feed. If after-grass be too long and gross, it is apt to lodge, and rot upon the ground in winter; therefore, on rich lands, it ought always to be more or less off before Michaelmas, in order to prevent its being wasted or lost in the winter.

Mr. Middleton says, the after-grass is generally let by the farmers at about ten shillings an acre, to be fed off by heavy cattle till such time as the land would receive injury from their poaching, if they were continued on it; and after that by sheep till Candlemas; and sometimes by the latter only, at about three shillings the score per week. This seems a good system for the wetter sorts of ground; but in the more dry soils, heavy stock may be continued much longer.

It has been found from repeated experiments, as will be seen below, that such preserved after-grass feeds sheep that give milk better than turnips, which are more adapted to the fattening of that sort of stock; and that such grass holds to a period, if wanted, when most other resources fail.

But however useful after-grass pastures may be under such management, there is evidently a great loss of food incurred by it, especially in severe winters; it would therefore seem to be, in general, the best practice to eat after-grass well down, as late as possible in the autumn, by different sorts of animals, and depend upon new grass for spring feed.

It is remarked by the author of "Practical Agriculture," that, "In some districts much of the after-grass is frequently cut and made into a green, soft sort of hay, as has been already mentioned; but in others it is fed off by live stock in the autumn." And that "Both modes may be useful under different circumstances. In situations where plenty of manure can be procured, as near large towns, and where the chief dependance is upon the sale of hay, or where lamb-suckling prevails, it may frequently be a beneficial practice to take a second crop of hay, as the first may by that means be more fully spared for sale, the after-crop supplying the cows or other cattle that may be kept on the farm. But in cases where manure cannot easily be obtained, and there is no local practice carried on which requires such sort of hay, it is better to let it be fed off by stock than run the risk of exhausting and injuring the ground by taking off repeated crops. There is also another circumstance," he says, "to be considered in this business, which is, that of the state of the land in respect to dryness, as where it is low, wet, and very retentive of moisture, it may be often more hurt by the poaching of the cattle in feeding off the herbage, than by a second crop of hay." But that, "independent of these considerations, it may, in general, be a more safe and useful practice to eat off the after-grass by stock, and only take one crop of hay, as by such means a more abundant annual produce may be afforded, and the land sustain less injury;" as has been shown in the report of Middlesex.

It is, however, added, that "where a crop of rowen is made into hay, the most profitable application of it is probably in the foddering of such cows as are in milk; as it is well suited, by its grassy quality, and its not heating so much when well made as other sorts of hay in the stack, to afford a large flow of milk. It is this reason that induces the cow farmers to cut their grass so many times in the summer. Another beneficial application of this hay is, as has been seen, in the feeding of such ewes as are employed in the suckling of house-lambs during the winter season; the intention in this case is the same as in that of the preceding instance. There is another advantageous use to which this sort of produce may be applied, which is, that of supporting young calves, and all sorts of young cattle that are kept as store stock." And that "where sheep require the support of hay in the winter season, it is also well adapted to that use."