RctrofpeS^ of French Literature.-^Mifcellaneous, 6si 



ported by V.im at this period, Rre now 

 thriving in the nurfeilifs of St. Cloud, 



Theniiniher and var^'.ty if ovalnut-trees 

 throughout America is lurprifing. They 

 abound in every region, fiom the northern 

 extremity of the Uiiiied States to the 

 Miffiffipi, being an extent of eight hun- 

 dred Itagues tiom north to fouth. M. 

 Michaux carried home with him no lefs 

 than five ditferent fpecies hitherto unde- 

 fcribed, an.i which appear to agree with 

 the rlima;e ot Europe. 



Tiie country between Phi'adelphia and 

 iancafter is reprefrnted as far nioie fer- 

 tile than th t betwetn New York and 

 Philadelphia. It was covered with com, 

 and the fine vegetation indicated that the 

 foil an<l climate were analcgoiis. During 

 this part of the journey, he obferved the 

 anona triloba-, the fruit ot which 'vas a.^ 

 large as a hen's egg: (his (hrub alfo gr^ ws 

 in the i eighbonrhcod of Philadtlphia. 

 As he approached to CaiMl.-, the country 

 became mountainous and barren. V/iiite 

 and red oaks, chcfnuts, &c. were feen in 

 great abundance in the forefts ; and on the 

 Junimits of the hills he remarked the 

 nuercus ha7iijleri. 



The bor<lers of a profound torrent were 

 covered with the andromeda, the vacci- 

 nium, and alio v'iih a fptcies of the rhodo- 

 dendrufn, the fiowers of which are per- 

 fe^ly white; but the leaves are mtire 

 obtufe than tlioie of the rhododendrum 

 Xfaximum. This fliru*^ is alio, to be found 

 in the mountains of North Carolina ; and 

 as its feeds were in full mamrity when 

 dilcovered, they were imniediately iranf- 

 »nitted to France, where they appear to 

 profper. 



The magnolia acuminata is very com- 

 mon in ihe vicinity of the Jtniiata River, 

 and is diftinguifticd t'lroughout tiie whole 

 country by ihe appe'lition of the cucum- 

 ber tree : (he inh,.bit.infs of the diffant 

 parts of Ptnnfylvania, Virginia, ar.d the 

 weflein countries, Heep the gieen cones 

 in wh'fkey, wh'ch txtracis a bitter fiom 

 th;m that is confuleied a fpecific againft 

 intermittent fevers. It ii fuppoled, how- 

 tver, that it would be lefs in requelt if 

 the infulion were to take place in water, 

 inliead ot fpirits. 



The inliahiiants of the Unitel Stifes, 

 we nre told, exhibit a |;rodigi'.us partiality 

 for (trong liquors. In eon't(|uence of this 

 depraved ladc they care but littk for 

 cyder, which ihey confidcr as too weak, 

 noiwiihrtandirg it might be obtained at 

 Kitle expence, as apple ireea tiirive won- 

 deifully in that coun'ry. On both fi.les 

 of the Alleghany moimiain^ our iravcilcr 

 dilcoverrd a multitude of fine orchards, 

 bearing tiuitfiom titjht to nine iiichei in 

 fircuniicivncct 



While travel fing the ridge called Laii- 

 jelHill, he remarked that the woods which 

 covered it weie thicker, and their vsgeta- 

 tion mere luxuriant, than on any of the 

 formei- ridges which he had palTed. The 

 name given to this chain arilts from the 

 quantity of kalmia latifolia, from eight to 

 ten feet in height, which exclufive'y occu- 

 pies all the open fpots ; while the rhaddden- 

 drum maximum is fcattered along ti-.e 

 borders of the torrents ; the inhabitants 

 ufually confourd both of thefe phnts by 

 the name ot laurel. 



Mr. W. Hamilton hav'ng informed 

 M. M. durins^ his journey to Lancafter, 

 that at a iitile diftance from Welt Liberty 

 Tov.n was to he found a (lirub, the fruit 

 of wh'.ch might be made to produce moft 

 excdlenr oil, he was determined to make 

 the experiment. This accordingly be- 

 came one of the firft ohjeffs of his en- 

 quiries, as he confidered it a fubjecl of 

 great public utility, to be able to difcovec 

 a vegetable produftion, which, in addition 

 to the advantages apperf.ining to the 

 olive, re-united that of fupporting the 

 cold of Boithtrn climates. It was foond 

 by him on his firft excurfion, a 'd he 

 inftantly recognized it to be the fame his 

 father had mer with in the mountains 

 of South Cjr> iina, and which, nctwith- 

 (tanding all his care, he was unable to 

 atur.ilize in his garden near to Charlef- 

 town. Mr. Hamilton, alfo, had never 

 beeii able to make it Cucceed with him, 

 although he had tried both feeds and layer'. 

 The leeds indeed became rancid in fo 

 fhort a time, that at the end of a few 

 ilays they toll the powers of geimination, 

 and contrafted an extraordinary degree of 

 biticrnefs. 



Oil the borders of a creek, in the fame 

 neiihbourhotjd, a fpecies of tlie ax,atea, 

 iW'A in f u 1 bloff-m, was diicoveied. It 

 was from twelve to fifteen feet in height ; 

 it6 flowers were of a white colour, large, 

 and replete with odour. The azalea 

 cocciiiea, on the other hand, produces a 

 dark-coloured flower, grows on the tops 

 of the mountains, and blows mucli ear- 

 lier. 



Ligonier valley, which he afterwards 

 palfed thtoogh, is fertile, producing bar- 

 ley, oats, &c. ; Ibme of the inhabitant* 

 plant maize, or Indian cum, on (he (ops 

 of the mouniains, but it does not Cucceed, 

 the country being tco cold for it. Flax 

 and heinp are alio cultivated there, and 

 every hoiile raifies fufficient for (he want! 

 of the inhabitants, for ail (he women 

 here know how to fpin, &c. and they 

 make not only iheir own clothes, but alfw 

 thole of the whoic family. In this p. r- 

 tion ot the United States, as in all irioun- 

 lainuus countries, the air ib very health v. 



Men 



