ef North Amirlca . 127 



St. Ilia and St. Mary's, in Eaft Florida, that is remarkable 

 tor abounding in vaft numbers of bees. Theic infefts, which 

 were originally introduced into Florida by the S|)aniards*, 

 have increafed into innumerable fwarms, from the facility 

 with which they procure their food, in perhaps the richelt 

 flowered country of North America. In this,tra<5i of country 

 the alarming eft'erts of the wild honey are often experienced 

 bv the fettler^, bv wandering hunters, and by favages. 



It is highly probable that this poifonous honey is procured 

 from a confiderable number of the flowers of the countries 

 wliich I have mentioned. A complete lilt of thefe flowers 

 would be acceptable ; but fuch a lid it will be difficult to 

 procure at prefent. Perhaps my hints may induce fome in- 

 telligent native of the country to favour us with his obferva- 

 tions on the fubje»Sl. Meanwhile, I am happy to have it 

 in mv power to mention fome of the vegetables from whofe 

 flowers tlie bees extrai"t a deleterious honey, not only in the 

 country between the St. Ilia and .St. JNlary's, but alfo in fome 

 other parts of North America. 



Thefe vegetables are the kalmia angufiifoVia and lafifolia 

 of Litnifpus, the kalmia ^ir/i//a of Walter f, the a?idrGmeda 

 marhutu, and fome other fpecics of this genus. 



I. Every American has heard of the poifonous properties 

 of the kalmia anuiiliifolia and latlfolia. The fjrmer of thefe 

 plants is known, in the United States, bv the names of dwarf- 

 laurel, ivy, lambkill, ike. It has long been known, that its 

 leaves, when eaten by flieej), prove fatal to them. The fol- 

 lowing fail will (how that the flowers hkewife are endued with 

 a poifonous property. 



About twenty years flnce, a party of young men, folicited 

 by the profpe6l of gain, moved, with a few hives of bees, 

 from Pemdvlvania into the Jerfeys, 'J'hey were induced to 

 believe that the favar.nas of this latter country were very fa- 

 vourable to the increafe of their bees, and, confcquentlv, to 

 the making of honey. They accordingly placed iheir hives 

 in the. midlt of theic favannas, which were finely painted with 

 the flower? of tiie kalmia angulihblia. The bees increafed 

 prodigioufly, and it was evident that the principal part of the 

 honey which they made was obtained from the floweru of the 

 plant which I have juft mentioned. I cannot learj) that there 

 was any thing uncommon in the appearance of the honey: 

 but all the adveniurers who ate of it became intoxicated to 

 a great degree. From this experiment, they were fenfibie 



* Sec Traiifaclions of the American PJiilofophical Society, vol. iii. 

 no. 31. 



+ FJon Caroliniaha, p. I3S. 



that 



