the port of Cairo, by the caravans, &c., from
Abyssinia, Nubia, and Sennaar, also by the way of Cossier, the Red
Sea, and Suez. The different leaves are mixed, and adulterated with
arghel leaves. The whole shipments from Boulack to Alexandria, whence
it finds it way to Europe, is 14,000 to 15,500 quintals.

The quantities imported for home consumption were--

From the East Indies. Other places. Total.
lbs. lbs. lbs.
1838 72,576 69,538 142,114
1839 110,409 63,766 174,175

In 1840, 211,400 lbs. paid duty, which is now only 1d. per lb.

In 1848, we imported 800,000 lbs. from India; in 1849, the total
imports were 541,143 lbs. The imports into the United Kingdom were, in
1847, 246 tons; 1848, 402 tons; 1849, 240 tons.

Alexandrian senna (_Cassia acutifolia_). This species is said by some
to constitute the bulk of the senna consumed for medical purposes in
Europe. It is much adulterated with the leaves of _Cynanchum Arghel,
Tiphrosia apollinea_, and _Coriaria myrtifolia_.

_C. lanceolata_ and _C. ethiopica_ furnish other species of the same
article, the greater part of the produce of which find its way to
India, through the Red Sea, Surat, Bombay and Calcutta, the imports
into Calcutta, in 1849, having been 79,212 lbs. _C. obovata_ furnishes
the Aleppo and Italian drug.

At least eight varieties of senna leaf are known in commerce in
Europe--1. the Senna palthe; 2. Senna of Sennaar or Alexandria; 3. of
Tripoli; 4. of Aleppo; 5. of Moka; 6. of Senegambia; 7. the false or
Arghel; 8. the Tinnevelly.

In Egypt the senna harvest takes place twice annually, in April and
September; the stalks are cut off with the leaves, dried before the
sun, and then packed with date leaves. At Boulka, the drug is sorted,
mixed, and adulterated, and passed into commerce through Alexandria.

Alexandrian senna, according to Mr. Jacob Bell ("Pharmaceutical
Journal," vol. 2, p. 63), contains a mixture of two or more species of
true senna. It consists principally of _Cassia obovata_ and _C.
obtusata_, and according to some authorities it occasionally contains
_C. acutifolia_. This mixture is unimportant, but the _Cynanchum
Arghel_, which generally constitutes a fifth of the weight on an
average, possesses properties differing in some respects from true
senna, and which render it particularly objectionable. The Tinn