916 



be found in our Materia Medicas, and a beautiful plate and descrip- 

 tion in Bigelow's Medical Botany. 



261. Kalmia angustifolia. Narrow-leaved laurel; low laurel. 

 The honey extracted from this, and the other species of laurel, by 

 bees, is poisonous. The medical properties of this species are some- 

 what similar to the above. When the tribe of Indians from Canada 

 were here in 1837, Louis Watso, their doctor, gave me an account of 

 the principal medical plants which they used in their practice. He 

 said that a plaster made by boiling this plant to a salve, applied to 

 the affected part, would cure the rheumatism. See my manuscript, 

 Medical Botany, page 71. 



262. Ledum. Three species; 10, 1, L. 



Ledum latifolium. Labrador tea; marsh tea. Sec. This plant 

 has been used as a substitute for China tea, but it is a good deal 

 stronger. The leaves are bitter, cephalic, pectoral, and exanthema- 

 tic. Good in cutaneous eruptions, leprosy, &c., in strong decoction. 

 It is said to kill lice, insects. &c. 



263. Rhododendron maximus. Rosebay; mountain laurel. This 

 beautiful plant is very scarce in Massachusetts. It is found at 

 Plainfield, Hampshire county. It is beautifully figured and described 

 by Bigelow. The bark and leaves are astringent. The bark is sti- 

 mulant; used in rheumatism and gout. The leaves are poisonous to 

 cattle. 



N. 0. FABACE^:. 



264. Poddlyria. Synonym, Baptisia soplwra. 17 species; 10, 

 1,L. 



Poddlyria tinctoria. Indigo weed. Sec. This plant is emetic 

 and cathartic. When formed into an ointment, it cleanses foul 

 ulcers, and is of service in inflammatory tumours, and irritable ul- 

 cers. The plant placed in the harness keeps flies from horses. 



265. Vaccinium. Forty-three species; 10, 1, L. Whortleber- 

 ries; huckleberries. These are pleasant fruits, blue, or black, 

 slightly astringent, cooling, and diuretic. They are used exten- 

 sively, either raw or cooked, as articles of food. They are employed 

 in diarrhoea, bilious fevers, dropsy, and scorbutic affections. The 



