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“ cold mossy swamps, North Carolina, and northward;” by Darby IS3, °n Mermentou river in
Louisiana; and according to A. Gray, grows from “ Pennsylvania to Wisconsin, and northward.”
Under cultivation, has extended beyond its natural limits, and has become a well-known article of
commerce ; is now cultivated to some extent in Britain (A. Dec. 674 and 73°)-
ward,” its “ twigs and foliage spicy-aromatic, timber rose-coloured, fine-grained, valuable for cabinet
work.” Transported to Europe, is termed “ b. nigra” by Duroi (Steud.).
Betula populifolia of Northeast America. The poplar-leaved birch, a small tapering tree with
tremulous foliage and white-skinned bark, possibly the “ white” birch included/vith the preceding —
by Josselyn rar. 51 ; B. populifolia was observed by myself along the Atlantic from 45° to 40°; by
Pursh, from Canada to Pennsylvania; by F. A. Michaux, not South of Virginia; by Nuttall, in
Arkansas. Transported to Europe, is described by Aiton, Duroi, Ehrhart, and Wangenheim pl. 29
(Pers., and Steud.). Polyporus sp. of North America, A large and hard fungus projecting from the bark ot trees:
“ spunck, an excrescence growing out of black birch,” used by the New England natives “ for touchwood,”
and to “ help the sciatica or gout of the hip, or any great ach, burning the patient with it in two
or three places upon the thigh and upon certain veins ” — (Joss. rar. 52 ; compare the moxa of the
Chinese). The dried fungus continues to be employed in striking fire by woodmen and hunters.
Asarum Canadense of Northeast America. The w ild ginger (so named from similarity in
flavour) employed against toothache by the Narragansetts, — in the words of R. Williams key 7, “ a
certain root dried, not much unlike our ginger : ” A. Canadense was received by myself from Lat. 47°
on the Lower St. Lawrence, and observed in 43“ in the mountain woods of New England ; was observed
by Michaux in Canada (Pers.) ; by Pursh, from Canada to Carolina ; by Schweinitz, at 36°^;^
by Elliot, in South Carolina; by Chapman, on the “ mountains of North Carolina, and northward;”
by Short,’ near Lexington in Kentucky; and by Nuttall, on the Arkansas. Transported to Europe, is
described by Cornuti pl. 25. Pinus rígida of Northeast America. The pitch pine, its wood “ cloven in two little slices somethin
» thin” the only “ candles” used by the New England natives,—and Higgeson found them
adopted by the first colonists (hist. coll. 1. 122) ; the account is confirmed by W. Wood, and Josselyn
voy 66 and rar. 62, where the “ firre-tree or pitch-tree ” is also mentioned : P. rigida was observed by
F. A Michaux from 44° in New England to the Alleghanies, but not in the Western States, nor in
the maritime portion of the Southern States; by A. Gray, as far as Western New York ; by myself,
along the Atlantic from 44° to 39°; by Pursh, to Virginia; by Schweinitz, at 36° ; by Elliot, on the
mountains of Carolina, rare in the low country.
A rum (Arisoema) triphyllum of Northeast America. A woodland plant called by the colonists
Indian turnip, and “ the shreded roots and berries” said to have been boiled by the natives “ with
their venison ” — (Cutl. p. 487) : “ dragons, their leaves differ from all the kinds with us, they come
up in June,” were seen bv Josselyn in New England : A. triphyllum according to Hooker is frequent
in Canada; by myself, from 47° to 40° along the Atlantic; by Pursh, from Canada to Carolina; by
Croom, near Newbern ; by Elliot, in South Carolina ; by Chapman, in “ Florida, and northward ; ” by
Baldwin, as far as 29°; by Short, in Kentucky; and by Nuttall, along the Arkansas. Transported
to Euro’pe, is described by the brothers Bauhin (Tuckerm. in arch. am. iv), and Plukenet aim.
ró* 'By,nplocarpus foetidus of Northeast America. From its large clustered leaves called by the
colonists skunk cabbage, and its dried root said to have been employed by the natives against asthma
(Cutl. p. 209): S. foetidus is figured by Josselyn; is termed “ pothos fceticlus” by Michaux
(Chapm.) ; was observed by myself frequent in swamps from 43° to 40° along the Atlantic ; by
Catesby, in Virginia; by Schweinitz, as far as 36° in Upper Carolina; by A. Gray, “ common” in
Central New York; but was not seen by Nuttall West of the Alleghanies. Transported to Europe,
is termed “ dracontium foetidum” by Linnæus (Steud,). ,
Medeola Virginica of Northeast America. Called by the colonists Indian cucumber, and its roots
“ esculent and of an agreeable taste ” from early time.s eaten by the natives — (Cutl. p. 437) ; M. Vir-
»inica was received by mvself from Quebec, ancl observed as far as 40° along the Atlantic ; by Clayton.
in Virginia; by Schweinitz, at 36° in Upper Carolina ; by Elliot, in South Carolina ; by Chapman,
in “ Middle Florida;” by Short, in Kentucky; by Nuttall, “ near Morgantown” in North Carolina,
and on the Arkansas, and termed “ gyromia.” Transported to Europe, is described by Plukenet aim.
ró*'’ E 'lliu tt Canadense of North America. The American garlic, its root from early times eaten by
the natives in Northwest America (R. Brown jun.), probably the “ wild leekes ” much eaten by the
New En»land natives “ with their fish”—(Joss. rar. 54) : “ allia” little differing from the English,
Strobus Amencarins of North America. The white pine, tire loftiest tree of New England,
known to the natives from early times : “ the bark of board-pine, first boyled tender and beat to a
playster betwixt two stones,” applied by them to burns and scalds (Joss. 61) ; and the “ cowavv-esuck ”
of the Narragansetts — is translated “ pine, young pine” by R. Williams: “ tall firre ” were seen
by Capt. George Weymouth on the Kennebec in 1605 (and hence the name Weymouth pine given
in England to the imported deals) : “ of these stately high-growne trees, ten miles together, close by
the river-side,” were seen by W. Wood i. 5. in Eastern Massachusetts : S. Americanus was observed
by Lapylaie only on the Southern portion of Newfoundland ; by F. A, Michaux, from 49° in Canada
to Nova Scotia and Lat. 43°, and on the Alleghanies to their termination ; by myself, from 48° on the
Lower St. Lawrence to about 41° along the Atlantic; by Schweinitz, in Wilkes County in North
Carolina; by Chapman, “ on the mountains of Georgia and North Carolina;” by N. A. Ware, somewhat
beyond the Southwestern termination of the Alleghanies; by Long’s Expedition ii. 129, from
42° on Lake Michigan to 49° on Rainy Lake ; by Drummond, on the Saskatchewan (Hook.) and
as far as 53° on the West side of the Rocky mountains ; and by myself, on the mount Rainier ridge.
Its easily-worked timber and tall trunks for masts, are well known in commerce.
Abies nigra of Northeast America.. The blaek spruce known to the natives from early times:
— “ abeti” were seen by Verrazzanus at the Northern termination of his voyage; “ pruches,” by
Cartier around Chaleur Bay and along the St. Lawrence ; “ spruce,” by Weymouth on the Kennebec ;
by Josselyn 63, farther South, “ a goodly tree, of which they make masts for ships, and sail-yards : ”
A. nigra, according lo Hooker, ceases with Betula papyracea at Lat. 65° ; was observed by Drummond
at 54° near the Rocky mountains ; by E. James, on the Rocky mountains at the sources of the
Arkansas ; by F^ A. Michaux, from Newfoundland and 53° in Canada to 44°, and scattered trees in
swamps near New York and Philadelphia; by myself, from 48° to 42°; by Chapman, on “ high
mountains of North Carolina, and northward.” Spruce spars have become well known in commerce.
Abies Canadensis of Northeast America. The hemlock spruce from early times known in New
England; the natives after dropping “ a strong decoction of alder-bark” on a burn, “ playstered it
with ” bark of the “ hemlock-tree, boyled soft and stampt betwixt two stones till it was as thin as
brown paper”—(Joss. 62) : “ iffs ” or ‘“yis ” were seen by Cartier around Chaleur Bay and along
were seen by Hariot on the Roanoke (De Bry i.) ; and “ plotts of onions an acre or more in low
marshes ” along James river, by Strachey : A. Canadense was observed by Kalm trav. iii. 79 in
Canada; by Pursh, from Canada to Carolina; by myself along the Atlantic from 43° to 40°; by
Schweinitz, at 36° in Upper Carolina ; by Baldwin, to 31° ; by Chapman, on “ banks of rivers, Florida,
and northward;” by Short, in Kentucky; and by Nuttall, on the Arkansas.
Veratrum viride of North America. The Americanfalse-helleborc, clearly the “ white hellibore”
whose powdered root was applied by the New England natives to wounds and “ aches,” — an e.xample
followed by the colonists, and the plant further observed by Josselyn voy. 60 and rar. 43 growing “ in
deep black mould and wet, in such abundance that yon may in a small compass gather whole cartloads
: ” V. viride was observed by myself from 47° 30' on the Lower St. Lawrence to 40° along the
Atlantic ; by Pursh, from Canada to the Alleghanies of Carolina; by Chapman, in “ mountain meadows,
Georgia, and northward ; ” by A. Gray, “ common ” in Central New York ; by Drummond, to 53°
on the Rocky mountains ; and by Mertens, “ v. album” around Norfolk Sound.
Eriophorum Virginicnni of Northeast America. A tall cotton-rush with long grassy leaves,
probably the “ kind of silk grass” of which the New England natives sometimes made baskets —
(Gookin coll. 3): E. Virginicum was observed by Michaux from Canada to Carolina; by Pursh, to
Georgia; by myself, from 46° to 39° along the Atlantic ; by Elliot, in South Carolina, rare along the
seacoast; by Chapman, in “ bogs and swamps, Florida, and northward ; ” by A. Gray, “ common ” in
Central New York.
Cyperus Jiliculmis of Northeast America. The “ vimine gramineo nux subterránea suavis ” eaten
by the New England natives — (Rev. Wm. Morrell), may be compared: C. filiculmis was received by
Vahl from Carolina ; by Muhlenberg, from New England and the upper district of Georgia ; was observed
by myself along the Atlantic from 43° to 38°; by A. Gray, in “ dry sterile soil, common, especially
southward,” culms “ from hard tuberiferous rootstocks;” by Elliot, as far as Beaufort; by
Chapman, in “ dry sandy soil, Florida, and northward.” The root is not known to be esculent.
Cyperusphymatodcs of Northeast America. Possibly the plant in question : —observed by Muhlenberg
in Pennsylvania ; by Baldwin, in Delaware and East Florida; by Schweinitz, near Salem in
North Carolina; by Elliot, in South Carolina; by Chapman, in “ sandy soil near the coast, Florida,
ancl northward ; ” by Short, in Kentucky ; and according to A. Gray, grows from “ Vermont to Michigan,
Illinois, and common southward,” “ tubers small, at the end of very slender rootstocks.” These
tubers are not known to be edible.
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