114 ^^^ WE RING SHR 1 7>'5 . 



before the leaves ; the seed is contained in rough scaly heads ; the 

 leaves are toothed at the edges, broader at the upper end and narrowing 

 at the base. The whole bush scarcely exceeds four feet in height, but 

 throws out many small branches, and forms a close hedge like thicket 

 near the margins of lakes and ponds ; those lonely inland waters, where, 

 undisturbed for ages, it has flourished and sent forth its sweetness on 

 the desert air— "Just for itself and God." Yet the qualities of this shrub 

 have not been quite overlooked by the native Indians, and by some of 

 the old inhabitants of the back country, who use the leaves in some of 

 their home-made diet drinks and in infusions for purifying the blood. 

 As the luxuries of civilization creep in among the settlers, they abandon 

 the uses of many of the medicinal herbs that formerly supplied the place 

 of drugs from stores. 



The old Simplers and Herbalists are a race now nearly extinct. I 

 am inclined to agree with a statement I once heard, to the effect that 

 hot stoves and doctors' drugs have fostered or introduced many of the 

 diseases that carry our young people to an early grave, and have rendered 

 the old ones prematurely infirm. 



New Jersey Tea — Red-root. — Ceauothiis Americnjuis, (L.) 



There is an historical interest attached to the name of this very 

 attractive shrub which still lingers in the memories of the descendants 

 of the U. E. Loyalists in Canada and in the State of New Jersey, where 

 the leaves of the Ceanothns were first adopted as a substitute for the 

 Chinese Tea-jjlant. Even to this day Americans will cross to Ontario 

 in Summer, to gather quantities of the leaves to carry back from our 

 plains, where jt is found in great abundance. And while they commend 

 the virtues of the plant, the}' no doubt recount the tales of war, trouble and 

 privation, endured in the old struggle waged by their grandfathers and, 

 great-grandfathers for independence, when, casting away the more costly 

 tea, they had recourse to a humble native shrub to supply a luxury that 

 was even then felt as a want and a necessity in their homes. 



The leaf of the New Jersey Tea resembles that of the Chinese 

 very much, and if it wants the peculiarly fragrant flavour that we prize 

 so highly in the genuine article, yet it is perfectly wholesome, and if 

 prepared by heal in a similar way might approach more nearly to the 

 qualities of the foreign article. Indeed we are not sure but that it really 

 does form one of the many adulterations that are mixed up with the teas 

 of commerce, for which we are content to pay so highly. Many years 

 ago I was applied to l)y persons in Liverpool to supply their firm with 

 large ciuantities of the leaves, no doubt it was for the purpose of 

 adulterating the foreign teas in which they dealt. Of course the proposal, 

 was declined. 



