Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 March 1874 — The Laughing Plant. [ARTICLE]

The Laughing Plant.

The London Garden copies, from Palgrave’s work on CeiiiralTiifU Eastern Arabia, an aceoun-t of a plant wiinsg seeds produce ellccts similar to those of laughing gas. It is a native of Arabia. A dwarf variety of it is found at Kaseem,’ and another variety at Oman, which attanis to a bight ot from three to four feet, with woody steins, wide-spreading branches, mid bright green foliage. Its flowers are produced m clusters, and are of a bright yellow color. The seed pods are sos t and woolly- in texture, and contain two or three black seeds, of the size and shape of a French Dean. Their flavor is a little like that of opium, and their taste is sweet; the odor from them produces a sickemng sensation and isjslightly qffiaiisiiA— These jseedscontain the essential property of this ettrhordinary plant, and when ' pulverized and taken in small doses ■ operate upon a person in a most pe- | culiar manner. He begins to laugh ; loudly, boisterously tlieq he sings, ' dances, and cuts all manner of fan- : tastic capers. Such extravaganee j of gesture and manner was produce 1 by any other kind of dosing. The effect continues about an hour, and the patient is uproariously comical. When the excitement ceases, the exhausted exhibitor falls into a deep sleep, which con- - tiiiues for aii hour or more; and f when he awakens, he is utterly uu- I conscious that any such demonstra* tions have been enacted by him. To mend rubber boots or shoes ! cut out a pa?vh of rubber of the size required, and rub the patch and part to be mended wftli sand paper. Dissolve a little pure rubber in turpentine, making the mix- i ture about as thick as common molasses, smear the patch and boot or shoe five times with this, letting it dry each time; then smeiir once more and press together. This receipL is recommended by the Scientific American.