, 1876-07-15
SPARKS OF SCIENCE.

FLORA ROUND ABOUT CHICAGO.
THE puLsE OIL prA FAM1LY,-Tho LeJuntina-
cer, or Pulse Family, is next to thu lurgcst
tribe IN tho vegetable kingdom. = tnrlnlcs up
wards Of $500 SPECIES, divided into d, genera;
aud ia important nut only for its size, bat for
tho nntnber and variety Of useful products It
yields for tho benefit OF mai. a Inn ajosity Of
t1le members Of t!u order pre widely distributed,
occurring In tlstnnt aud far-suntlc:ca regions,
yet considerable proportion uro cuninedwthln
limited geographical bounds. Most Of tho spe-
c!es found In Australia are unknown elsewhere,
and nlnny gcnerA aTo peculiar to tic Cape Of
tiool Hope, to Europe, and to the Continents Of
the Western Hemisphere. Tho only placcs
where representatives Of tho family do not oc-
cur arc tho Islands OF Tristan IL Acngua anu 81.
Helena.
As Tor tho valuable products furnished by the
tribe, these arc almost beyond enumeration
Among the hard, durable, aud ornamental
woods for which VIC 20 to this order, nay bo
named tho Locust, which Is closcgralnrd und last
tpv; the 1.aburn,lm, wood light-oliyc.grccu IL,
hue and beautifully grained; tlaa fragrant Kosc-
wood; tho 1tal.a.wool Of duls,.a, striped with
blark autl brown, nlld desirable for cnblnet-
work; thu Pusplc-llcart, who'd of extreme
toughucss; the Wallaba, whose dccp-rcd color
| fs yarlcgatel with white; the lIraztl-wood,
| Norwood, and lozclls VI others suited FOR
| bujltl!ng or ornamental purposes. .
| Among tho dyes fur which We arc dependent
! upo,l tho Pulse Falntly aro tho deep RID, OBJ
ta,ncd from. Sanda!-wonl; the yellow, frnrn
ynrlouB spcclcs looscIy ranged Under tho term
Uraz.!.wool; the blue of lnIligI, n1il tlc ynri'
Gus dyes yielded by Logwood, Camwooa, Sap
pan.wootl, Dras!lctto, Dragon'a Blood, tle
butcas, and Tho He'd Sanders. For perfumes
tho tribe gives us tlIe Tonknbean, Calain'ac
Dalsam OF Peru, Dalsam Of 'fnlu. md tho FRA
grant flowcrs OF u, Acacia WHOSE dtstlled esccnct
IL especially da!nty antl delicious to tho reflnct
family includes t'um Aral'cs, tiun Tfaga
enutli, Senegal, Animn, 1trazilfan Cu}ml, am
Kim. Its drugs antl medicines ARC still NOR
nAmsrous as i!'stauss ssYn',a Mama, licorics as
manifold otllcrs. Tile bark Ut various specie
ai'ounds III Iannin, riyallng the oak III tile &C
erection Of this property; and tho hbre OF other
is ,lKeful for tlo manufacture Ut cordnEo aRt
DIT e ie In food-plants that tho family Is nota
hly wealthy. Peas, Doans, Lentils, I0natocs
pGannts, Carof'-potls, mud The seeds u grea
willis tho clovcrs, Trefoils, Iaiccrncs, Me.iicke
Saintfoin, seErmlllla, Camefs Thorn, and Wout'
waxol., arc aIlsolg tho plauts greclily tlpsourc!
by wild aud donestic aimals. a. popular slr,'
| with tho AburigfuGs Of Central AMGriea, callc,
HChlcu,n Is lna1u from tho pulls lorno by OH
Of tlle Pulse Family; and an excellent sauce IL
meat, and paaatoble drink, arc manufactures
BY thy natlycs o! Atrtea from tue ,n leaves ot u
good substitute iur cofI co. but 1t "a useless l.
attcsnpt q mention merely Of the yarfous lIshe
and drinks which may be obta!aed IL dit{crUll
parts Of thu world from the fruits OF this prod
3 It viii viii seem strnnge, after so Imposing a
, army Of tho valuable qualities Ut ttiu Le9un
aoeos, to learn tl'at the ofdeF ~ N.Y. asa Wholt