134 ACER 



dens, sometimes spontaneous. Taste intensely bitter, 

 smell strong, contains an essential oil and bitter extrac- 

 tive. Very valuable medical plant- Two scrujiles ot 

 the extract cure intermittents. Useful in cachetic, hy- 

 dropic and hypochondriac affections, in jaundice, against 

 worms, &:c/ Essential oil dark green, a powerful stimu- 

 lant, antispasmodic, and vermifuge. The wormwood 

 wine is an excellent tonic ; wine, ale and beer are me- 

 dicated by it. Sometimes substituted for hops in brew- 

 ing. Leaves excellent topical resolvent, applied to swell- 

 ed breast and tumors. The ashes produce the salt of 

 Jibsynthium^ useful in gravel, and to dissolve tlie stones 

 as formerly believed. Many other properties, very early 

 known. It is said the continual use of this plant has 

 cured the gout, increased the milk of nurses, removed 



dropsy and hepatitis. 

 ABUTILONCORDATUM,J. Yellow Mallow. {Sida 



ahutilon of L.) Common from Canada to Mexico. Equi- 

 valent of -Ma/fa or common Mallow, being mucilaginous, 

 emollient, and de...ukent. A tea is used in Virginia for 

 internal inflammations, stranguary, gonorrhoea, &c. The 

 leaves are edible, the negroes use them in the South in 

 soups, gombos, and calalous. It was one of the plants 

 aftordiiig a kind of hemp to the Southern Indians to 

 make nets, fringes, coarse twist cloth, and the frame ot 



the fine feather mantles. 

 AC VLYPH 



m«n from Can 



NICA,L. Mercury weed. Com- 

 ida. Elliot says that Dr. At- 

 kins ha-^ found it expectorant and diuretic, u^^eful in hu- 

 mid asthma, ascites, and anasarca. The empirics of the 

 South use it for many other purposes. This plant de- 

 serves in\ c^tl'-^ tioii i tiie other species of the genus have 

 probably siiiular pr'^perties. 



ACER. L, Mm}le T. .S8. Valuable trees found all 



over the riiireii >tatt- : a dozen species at least- Wood 

 lM»d!*ome and vakmbLe for furniture, tools, guns, &c. 

 Commonly pale jeUoH, when veined called curled ma- 

 ple. TLd I ,rk of ^. rubnu red maple, dies wool and 

 -T ;. brown . ' >r ; t'»e CHerokees use the inner bark 

 ^' *i : re . Maple sug;ar is made from theii* 



sap m ;^., ~^;,. _: The Birch tree (Betula) :,::d Hickory 



r^r^'"^,' ^:''"'' .■■""^ M^ive a s^--.;-t sap a^ ^^W as the Map'^-^* 

 iiie it.d:.\n^ made -; rap and :«ugar from all, but chiefly 



^H-i^ jX- 



