Miscellaneous Facts and Observations. 173 



48. The iEsculus Pavia, or Scarlet-flowered Horse- 

 Chesnut, is a native of many parts of North- America, 

 particularly of the counties south of Virginia. The 

 inhabitants of Carolina, Georgia, &c, have disco- 

 vered, that the root of this tree, or rather shrub, 

 mashed and beaten up with warm water, possesses a 

 detergent quality, especially applicable for cleansing 

 woollens. It is found to render the stuffs very white 

 and soft to the touch, whereas soap is known to leave- 

 a disagreeable harshness in the articles. " It is also 

 said (Mr. William Dunbar observes) to preserve un- 

 impaired the fine dies of chintz and calicoes ; but I 

 have observed, that it does not produce the desired 

 effect, neither upon cotton nor linen, seeming to ad- 

 here to it rather like gum than soap." 



Clavigero says, that the Mexicans supplied the want 

 of soap, of which they were ignorant, " by a fruit 

 and a root. The fruit was that of the copalxocotl, a 

 tree of moderate size, which is found in Michuacan, 

 Yucatan, Mizteca, and elsewhere. The pulp, that 

 is under the rind of the fruit, which is white, viscous, 

 and very bitter, makes water white, raises a froth, 

 and serves like soap to wash and clean linen. The 

 root is that of the amolli, a small plant, but very com- 

 mon in that country, for which Saponaria Americana 

 seems to be a more proper name, as it is not very dis- 

 similar to the Saponaria of the old continent : but the 

 amolli is more used to wash the body now, and more 

 particularly the head, than for clothes." The His- 

 tory of Mexico. Vol. 1. p. 440. 



Editor. 



