PLANTS USEFUL AND POISONOUS. 79 



carata), and Agave are made excellent ropes ; and I have no 

 doubt very useful textile fibres would be procured from various 

 Apocynaceae and Asclepiadacese, among others, from the Asclepias 

 Curassavica, and also from the Balais, or Broom-plant (Sida), and 

 the Mallow (Malachra) ; they should be thickly sown in a good 

 soil, so as to prevent their growth into branches. 



Many of our plants are of a poisonous nature, whilst others 

 furnish useful medicinal matters : of those belonging to these 

 two latter classes I have but a limited knowledge. 



Poisonous Plants. — The Brinvilliers, or Pink-root (Shigella 

 anthelmia), is a small plant, very common, and generally growing 

 in newly-cleared lands : it is fatal to animals as well as man ; 

 and yet it is a powerful vermifuge, when administered with 

 caution : the Yongue, or Stramony, and several other Daturas, 

 are strong narcotics. The seeds of several Euphorbiacece, viz., of 

 the Croton, Sand-box tree, and the Medicinier or Physic-nut 

 (Iatropha Curcas) are violent emeto-cathartics : the fruit of the 

 Manchoneel and the roots of the Manioc {Iatropha Manihot) are 

 acrid and stupef active poisons. A species of Seguine (Caladium 

 Seguinum, vulg., the Devil seguine, which grows in damp places; 

 is strongly caustic, and, wherever applied, causes a violent 

 inflammation, and even ulcers difficult of cure. Several Apocyna, 

 Asclepias, and Bryonies are poisonous emeto-cathartics ; the 

 Ha?ne Ha, 'as well as the bulbs of a few Amaryllides,are also poisons. 



The catalogue of useful medicinal plants is, nevertheless, 

 much larger than the above. Among emollients may be 

 numbered the following : Herbe-grasse, Prickly-pear (Tuna), 

 and the mucilaginous part of the common Aloe; the buds, 

 flowers, and young fruits of the Ochro (Hibiscus esculentus) , 

 the leaves of the Gigiree (Sesamum Orientate), the liber, or inner 

 bark of the Bois d'Orme (Guazuma ulmifolia), the Balais-doux 

 (Scoparia dulcis), the flowers and roots of our Mallow, the 

 young pods of the Cacao : as external applications, the Aloe, 

 Prickly-pear, and Ochro, the young leaves of the Medicinier, 

 Coco-nut oil, and Cacao-fat, Manioc, Corn-meal, and Rice, in 

 the preparation of emollient poultices. 



Lime and sour Orange juices, as also the fruits and young 

 leaves of the Tamarind, serve to prepare very agreeable lemon- 

 ades; the liquor of the Coco-nut is likewise a pleasant and 

 refreshing drink. 



