C 426 ] 



degree of aAringency ; hence the fuperiority of galls as an 

 jngredient in ink, being one of the ftrongefe aftringent ve- 

 getables hitherto difcovered. 



From Experiment V. it v/ould appear, that the Eaft- 

 Indlan rhubarb is actually a weaker purgative than any of 

 the reft ; and yet this is the drug which is by far moft 

 commonly ufed, in the ihops efpecially, for making the 

 tJniSture. 



From Experiments VI. and VII. we fee that the Engliili 

 rhubarb, efpecially No, I. pofiefles the purgative power in 

 a fuperior degree. 



From the Vlllth Experiment it appears, that fort)'-five 

 grains of the Turkey rhubarb contain the purgative quality, 

 nearly equal tofixty of the Englifh, or in other words, that 

 the Englifh rhubarb requires to be given to the amount of 

 about one-fourth more, to produce the fame efFe£l. This 

 coincides very nearly with the refult of fome former trials 

 wiiich were made fome years ago, before the Englifh plant 

 had acquired fufficient growth: but fome later experi- 

 ments evince, that it approaches nearer and nearer to the 

 foreign rhubarb in proportion to its age. On the whole, 

 I think it is evident, that the culture of rhubarb in this 

 country ought not to be difcouraged, or the efficacy of the 

 Englifh plant contemned, till it has undergone a fair and 

 candid trial. But on the contrary, various circumflances 

 evince, that it deferves farther encouragement, and farther 

 inveftigation; by which there feems much reafon to be- 

 lieve, that, in procefs of time, we may be enabled not only 

 to fupply a fufficient quantity of the genuine drug properly 

 cured for home confumption, but alfo for foreign markets. 

 Many valuable exotics, after being inured to our climate, 

 thrive furprifmgly, and at length become indigenous. 



Thus 



