Penfyhania, Philadelphia. 205 



or on wet meadows. Dr. Linnceus calls it 

 Magnolia glauca ; both the Swedes and En- 

 glifh call it Beaver tree, becaufe the root of 

 this tree is the dainty of beavers, which are 

 caught by its means, however the Swedes 

 fometimes gave it a different name, and the 

 Englijh as improperly called it Swamp Sajj'a- 

 fras, and White Laurel. The trees of this 

 kind dropt their leaves early in autumn, 

 though fome of the young trees kept them all 

 the winter. I have feldom found the bea- 

 ver tree to the north of Penjylvania, where 

 it begins to flower about the end of May. 

 The fcent of its blcfibms is excellent, for 

 by it you can difcover within three quarters 

 of an Englifo mile, whether thele little 

 trees ftand in the neighbourhood, provided 

 the wind be not againft it. For the whole 

 air is filled with this fweet and pleafant 

 fcent. It is beyond defcription agreeable 

 to travel in the woods about that time, ef- 

 pecially towards night. They retain their 

 flowers for three weeks and even longer, 

 according to the quality of the foil on 

 which the trees ftand ; and during the 

 whole time of their being in blofTom, they 

 fpread their odoriferous exhalations. The 

 berries likewife look very fine when they 

 are ripe, for they have a rich red colour, 

 and hang in bunches on (lender ftalks. The 



cough, 



