evelly
senna, that most esteemed by the profession, is known by the size of
the leaflets, which are much larger than those of any other variety;
they are also less brittle, thinner and larger, and are generally
found in a very perfect state, while the other varieties, especially
the Alexandrian, are more or less broken. The leaves of the Cynanchum
are similar in form to those of the lanceolate senna, but they are
thicker and stiffer, the veins are scarcely visible, they are not
oblique at the base, their surface is rugose, and the color grey or
greenish drab; their taste is bitter and disagreeable, and they are
often spotted with a yellow, intensely bitter gummo-resinous
incrustation. Being less fragile than the leaflets of the true senna,
they are more often found entire, and are very easily distinguishable
from the varieties which constitute true Alexandrian senna.

In their botanical character they are essentially different, being
distinct leaves, not leaflets, which is the case with true senna.

The SUMBUL root, which has recently been introduced into the French
market, is the root of an umbelliferous plant, which is characterised
by a strong odor of musk. The pilgrims, on their return from Mecca,
generally import to Salonika, Constantinople, &c., among other
articles of trade, various plants with a musk-like odor. The
preparation of these vegetable substances is said to be effected by
smearing them over with musk-balsam.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Ure's Dictionary of Arts and Manufactures.]

[Footnote 2: Fractional parts are not necessary to include.]

[Footnote 3: Dr. Lindley is in error as to the discriminating
duties--British cacao pays 9s., and foreign 18s.]

[Footnote 4: According to Breen's History of St. Lucia up to 1844.]

[Footnote 5: Caffeine (the principle of coffee) and theobromine (the
principle of cacao) are the most highly nitrogenised products in
nature, as the following analysis will show:--

_Caffeine_, according to Pfaff and Liebig, contains--

Carbon 49.77
Hydrogen 5.33
_Nitrogen_ 28.78
Oxygen 16.12

_Theobromine_, according to Woskreseusky, contains--

Carbon 47.21
Hydrogen 4.53
_Nitrogen_ 35.38
Oxygen 12.80

Of the two, cacao contains the larger quantity of nitrogen; and this
chemical fact explains why cacao should be so much more nutritive than
tea, though t