i 



■ X)/ North America. 13* 



t. The rhododendron maximum, or Pennfylvania mountain 

 nnrel. This belongs to a very aftive genus of plants. We 

 have already feen, that one of the fpecies, the rhododendron 

 ferrugineum. was, long ago, obfcrved to produce the fame 

 effects which have been'^ afcribed to the kalniia latifolia. 

 Another fpecies, the rhododendron cryfanthum, has been 

 found a powerful medicine, and has been ufed, in Ruflia, 

 with much advantage, in the ifchias, in chronic rheumatifm, 

 and in other difeafes; and v/efball immediately fee that from 

 another fpecies a poifonous honey has been procured in the 

 neighbourhood of the Euxine Sea. The footftalks of the 

 leaves, and alfo the feeds, of our rhododendron maximum are 

 covered with the fame brown powder as I obfcrved covered 

 the leaf-footftalks and the feeds of feveral of the andromedae, 

 and the kahniae. This powder in the rhododendron, as well 

 as in the andromedae and kalmiae, excites fneezing, and it is 

 curious to obferve that a fneezing is mentioned by Diofcorides 

 among the fvmptoms produced by the honey about Heraclea 

 Pontica. That honey, as will be prefenlly fliown, is pro^ 

 cured from the rhododendron ponticum. 



11. The azalea nudiflora. This fine flirub^is well known 

 in Pennfylvania, and other parts of the United States, by the 

 name of wild honeyfnckle. Of its properties I know 

 nothing certain. It has, however, too much of the family 

 face, and is too frequently found in company with the rho- 

 dodendron maximum, and the kalmiae, not to make me fuf- 

 picioiis that it partakes alio of tlie characlers of thefe delete- 

 rious vegetables. Moreover, a fpecies of this genus, the 

 azalea pontica of Linnaeus, is fiippofed to be the aegolethron 

 of Pliny, who mentions it as the plant from which the 

 poifonous honev about Heraclea Pontica is prepared. The 

 tube of the flower of our azalea is perforated by the large bee, 

 called bumble-bee. 



II [. Datura ftranionium. This plant is known by a 

 variety of names, fuch as .lamc(town-weed, gymfin, ftink- 

 wccd, Freneh-chefnut. Its active and poilbnous properties 

 arc now prettv generally known. Children have ollen been 

 injured by eating the feeds. The tut)e of the flower contains 

 a confiderable quantity of honey. 'J'his honey is bitter, and 

 has much of the poifonous hnell. Bees quaiT it. But ad- 

 mitting that it is of a poilonous nature, it does not follow 

 that our cultivated bees (if I may be allowed to ufe this ex- 

 pretfion) will colleft fo mucii of this honey as to prove in- 

 jurious to thofe who cat of it. But, in particular places, 

 where this plant has been perniiltcd to inereafe to a great 

 degree, large quanlitici cf hon<'v may be colleiled from it : 



la and 



