A NEW FIBRE. 



the white men invaded their haunts. In those ponds, formed by the beaver, you 

 can see the cypress in all its ghjry, and, on the ridges close by, you see the finest 

 specimens of oak to be found anywhere. 



In pomology I hope to interest you much, not that we have anything to boast 

 of, but, on the contrary, we wish you to lend a helping hand, to lift us out of our 

 ol)scurity. We want a Western pomologist ; all the works now written, so far as 

 I know, are by Eastern men, who were wholly unacquainted with our fruits. It 

 would be worth a poraologist's attention to investigate this subject, and write 

 a book upon the "fruits and fruit-trees of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Ken- 

 tucky, and Tennessee." Such a work is greatly needed, and I hope the day is 

 not far off when we shall be granted so great a boon. Your correspondent from 

 Trenton, living within eighty miles of this place, mentions several varieties of 

 apples I never heard of — at least, not by the names he calls them. 



[Hooper's Western Fruit Book, published at Cincinnati this year, might aid 

 our correspondent. We hope to examine this work soon. — Ed.] 



A NEW FIBRE. 



Mr. Jacob Stauffer, of Mount Joy, Penn., calls our attention to a very strong 

 native fibrous substance in the following communication, which we regret to be 

 obliged to condense. The article sent is not unknown to us, and surely presents 

 claims for examination and trial : — 



" I inclose you a few fibres of the dry stalks of the Q^^nothera biennis, stripped 

 oft' this morning after having stood the exposure and vicissitudes of our long and 

 severe winter. You will find they are superior to hemp, and, I doubt not, fully 

 equal to the ' China Grass' {Boehmeria nivea). 



" Dr. A. Gray says, respecting the name of our Oenothera biennis, L., that it is 

 from oti'oc, wine, and Or^a, a chase ; that the application is uncertain ; Louden in- 

 forms us ' that the roots of this plant, eaten after meals, are incentives to wine- 

 drinking, as olives are.' He also considers it ornamental, and assigns the reason 

 why it is called evening primrose, because the flower usually opens between six 

 and seven o'clock in the evening. 



" There are four varieties — the rauricata, grandiflora, parvifolia, and cruciata — 

 one or the other common everywhere. I will simply say that it is a biennial, in- 

 digenous plant, growing in fields and along fences, from Canada to the Caroliuus. 

 It is from two to five feet high, with a rough stem, alternate, ovate-lanceolate 

 leaves, and fine yellow flowers, which make their appearance, in succession, from 

 June till August or September, the stalk extending upwards during the flowering 

 season, thus producing the long spikes in fruit. 



"It is worthy of notice for its medicinal properties. Schoepf states that it is 

 esteemed useful as a vulnerary ; hence it is called 'heal all' by some botanical 

 doctors, a name properly belonging to the Brunella Tourn, Prunella L. (Self- 

 heal). 



" My object is to introduce our somewhat abused ' evening primrose' to the 

 notice of the public. I shall send specimens, with some remarks, to the Hon. 

 Chas. Mason, with the hope that our savans will condescend to notice this ne- 

 glected plant. One thing is certain, I can manufacture a rope out of it that will 

 be able to ' sustain its reputation,' if not quite of the dignity of ' China Grass' or 

 ' Sisal Hemp.' Very truly yours, Jacob Stauffer." 



