150 SYLVA AMERICANA. 



about as large as the thumb, of a reddish complexion, round, fleshy 

 and furnished with six or eight semi-oval stones, slightly swollen 

 at the sides and of a dark purple color. It is not eatible till it 

 has been touched with frost, by which the skin is shrivelled, and 

 the pulp, which before was hard and extremely harsh to the 

 taste, is softened and rendered palatable. The fruit is so 

 abundant in the Southern States, that a tree often yields several 

 bushels. In the south it adheres to the branches long after the 

 shedding of the leaf, and when it falls it is eagerly devoured by 

 wild and domestic animals. 



The fresh sap wood is of a greenish color, which it preserves 

 after it is seasoned, and the heart wood is brown, hard, compact, 

 strong and elastic. It is employed for screws, tinmen's mallets, 

 and shoe lasts. It is used by coach makers for the shafts of 

 chaises, and is found preferable to the ash. The fruit is some- 

 times pounded with bran, and formed into cakes which are 

 dried in an oven, and kept to make beer, for which purpose they 

 are dissolved in warm water with the addition of hops and leven. 

 It was long since found that brandy might be made from this 

 fruit, by distilling the water, previously fermented, in which they 

 have been bruised. This liquor is said to become good as it 

 acquires age. The inner bark is extremely bitter, and has been 

 used with success in intermitting fevers. 



