ALLIUM. 187 



name for all perennial fungi growing on trees and of a 

 spongy nature : useful to make spunk or touch wood to 

 light easily fire with. Those growing on pines and 

 hickories are commonly deemed be&t. 



AGAVE AMERICA-^ A, J.. Flowering .^loea, Mt- 

 guey of Mexico. Zabara of Cuba, Spain, and Sicily. 

 From Carolina and Florida to Mexico. Valuable econo- 

 mical plant. Radical leaves evergreen, 2 to 6 feet long, 

 the inside is edible after coction, tasting like lemonade. 

 The juice -flowing from the young central leaves cut off 

 IS sweetish, by fermentation it produces the Pulque or 

 Mexican beer j by coction, syrup, honev, and suo-ar can 

 be made of it. The old leaves dressed like flax, pro- 

 duce a strong white silky thread ; the Mexican cloth 

 aiid papar were made from it, also fine fringe and lace. 

 The central stem grows in a few months 18 to 20 feet 

 high, bearing a beautiful pyramid of yellow blossoms. It 

 IS a false notion to suppose that it blossoms onlv once in 

 100 years J this happens once in 15 to 25 vears, and 



atterwards the plant dies, but the root sends^off lateral 

 oftsets. The steins are used for lio;ht rafts and posts j 

 cattle and sheep feed on the blossoms. Cultivated for 

 hedges and use in Mexico, Spain, Sicily, and Barbarv. 

 Worthy of attention in Fiorida. 



AGAVE VIRGINICA, L. Virginia Aloes, Rattle^ 

 snake master. Root bitter, tincture used for cholics, 

 chewed in obstinate diarrhoea by the Cherokees, vio!ent, 

 but efficient* 



ALCHEMILLA ALPINA, L. Ladies' mantle. On 

 the White mountains, and in Canada. Astringent, equi- 

 valent of Potentllku 



ALETRIS AUREA, M^. Add, harsh bitter root, 

 used in vinegar for dropsi A fevers in Carolina, Elliot 



ALISMA PLANTACtO, L. Wa^.er Plantain. Had 

 once much celebrity in Russia, as a cure for hvdropho- 

 bia ; time has not confirmed this valuable property. 



ALIMA ODORATA, Rif. Fl. lud. Sweet Plantain. 

 The whole plant odmous, used for wounds and bruises 



in L * laiia- 



ALLll M, L, Wild Garlic. Landlanch. Several spe- 

 cies, A, canademe most common, give a bad taste to ^he 

 milk and butter of cows feeding on them. The tincture 



