, 1875-06-26

Globe for Juno {Duvaio).
Ch,ilren's Friend for juno [Uharlos T. Roper,
Now York).
SPARKS OF SCIENCE.
THE Pen.
Tho eeels of many 1oguminous plants-euch
a. peas, beans, lonsiis, pigcon-pes., oto,-aro
cniaal by tho general name Of pnIao. Moet Of
them like tho pea snd tho bean, havo boon used
from timo immemorial Aa articles OF food. It ia
supposed that tho garden.pos (Pisum satIuum)
and tho nold-pea (Ptsun. arrenst) camo origi-
nalIy from tho same stock, although tho garden
pea has, from greater cultivation, departed far
ther from tho primitive typo. species Of pm
growing Wild In Italy aud in tho East Is prob
ably tho original Of all our cultivated vazistos.
small kiud Of poa, allied to the garlen-pca,
hes been found in the lake habitatEons OF SHiEz-
erlant which woro built In tho etono and bronze
agcs. Among tho plebolans Of Grcaco aud Rome,
tho gray pea. when mnture MAS the chiof re-
lance for food; hut there Is no evidence that
the vegetable was used by them In itB groen
atatc.
Martial states that frsod poaB wero sold at tho
theatres and circus for a low Pr7ca, and thkt tho
spectators regalod themselves upon tie popular
osculsnt,-somo!htng as Americans do upon the
ubiquitous peanut. It Is also stated by como
Roman writer's that the sufrrages Of tho common
people were often Bocurod bY offoinl candidates
through tho Erntui.ous distribution OF this TO-
vorito Ycgetsble. plinY tolls us that tho time
for sowing peas was, by tho Grosks, In Novcm-
hor, and by tho Romans, In tho spring. Tho pea
1nuat havo boon introduced into England and
Scotland ut vrry early pertol. After tho Nor
man Conquest and tho establishment of monhstio
{sa~ti i&s,$t {xfr 1raf
at Ito etoge OF 4 castle in Lothian, tho English
troopa foil short OF provisions, hnd uoro Obliged
70 euhsiat upon tho peas and boana Of tho nesgh-
boring ae!ls.
Of dish Of green pcas, as Al entry in tho priyy-
pu5Ho oxponBoB Of lta rofGp Indicates: "Faid to
q man in reward for bringing peacodds TO tho
King'e grace. lila. Wild" Still the dollcaoy
some progroas WAS nado IN the. cultivation Of
culinary vegetables, sna England began to sup
ply her own markets. instoad Of depending 10
largely upon Holland for dasutsea of tho sort.
Gerard, who studied and xroto upon nll
p,ants known in tho sixteenth, century, says
"There bo different sorts Of poason,. differing
very notably iu many respects, oome Of tho gar
don. and others Of tho foid, aud yet both counted
tame: como with tough nkina or mombranos IL
tho Gods. and othczs have. nono as stl4 whose
Gods are 70 be eaten with tho peas when they 10
young "a those OF young kidney beAns, others
carrying their fruit In tho tops Of the branches
arc oBteeuaod - Scottish peasou, which aro not
very common"
dreon peas became popular In FINLAND soon
after tue restoration Of Chaslcs II. There iB
historical evidence that, o. tho 2sth Of Octobor,
1'ov' Baoon Poa. p!usha' susuoh poisto
AinrS"t Tan timos III = .nn hnn .incs aea haen
nsId for a1,srt Of shoI]otl ueas Al The Bnme mar
ket. Pens are OF rapid growth aud short life.
nhd tastsncsa at6 NOS uncommon of the seed
ptoausane cton sas - zane ne, eGaeon & FL US masnr
pea aro tnnnmsrabSo. but r1any OF tbNm s1o ~
entirely tho product Of horticultural at that tbs
closeEt attention IL required to prcsorvo them.
-, Ilie English namo o. thls yoSotAola u proba,
Torss aoo to y t,o a "a +, ,!11n sna
Charies IL reicnt snslio1 Il noaso r,ncc wh,ch
time It has been abbreviated into pca. Tho
chief value of peas ~ an asticle Of food Ia duo
70 ~, sns large peEcsn.age OF esson thcy contain.
,noti9;m,., r1.nt rnah @ taan.n, W ty,s 70. w
nm nos. L. pnss;1a % 81 sofss n.ns of ~ draat
~ Ts o. Europe and
.nnn. thn and. .rJ .+ana. ~ H. ~. tho..
H. sasda sra Mtior and indi'.a.ib,o al tsor 10
ssi,i to have saved rnnny nersona f1om ieath hv
1'1u4''' - 1S1''
H,Mnu,n an,s..,s
Tbo .necdoto, co11sct.t ~ the ii. .d;t;o, =,
n.-@.ia.s . Dc.osn. ~ M.ns .ss, - oa r...s,s ~
passlha uosoen. Of man. hhd IN Wood 8
"hfan aud Boast Here and Horoalter," which
giye evidence that soma dumb cresturoa sro
suscentth,o or humor. bnva cal1od mi m.rv In.
t.s".;e" i,f,,..r.tiv. t""r ~ .s..y ~
'elosanR' ,.as'1"sso eaae0 'son uae e1pe.ieoeo
OF unscsensatio oosefvo1s' a writer In Ndturd
contributes to tue general fund the following
anocuotes OF tia orang -outan9 and tho skyo tar
rior, u1n vatc,,fno th, bchsv,or ~ sn nr.nr-
4tot a. "A~Io 49, ysa,N1, s. ~ ~ u"os>
outang oonauoa IN tne Aoologlc& uasuena IN
London, the wsltor becamo convinced that tho
| animal created fun for tho spectators gathered
,rorna bor fron = ccnujns ,nnrsc,.tIon .",, an.
s4o"4A w. 80, rE. oa "Aa ~ ~
loymens Of 1he tuo1osouA Hos instance tae
pan from which tho creature fed was
OF a quito peculiar shape and some-
timea when a moal Nas ended and tho
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