Penfyfoania, Philadelphia. 115 



enough for the Saffafras to grow in, and I even fear 

 they would be too rich. I here faw it both in the 

 woods amidft other trees, and more frequently 

 by itfelf along the enclofures. In both it looks 

 equally frefh. I have never feen it on wet or 

 low places. The people here gather its flowers, 

 and ufe them inftead of tea. But the wood itfelf 

 is of no ufe in ceconomy ; for when it is fet on 

 fire, it caufes a continual crackling, without mak- 

 ing any good fire. The tree fpreads its roots 

 very much, and new moots come up from them 

 in fome places ; but thefe moots are not good for 

 tranfplanting, becaufe they have fo few fibres, 

 befides the root which connects them to the 

 main flem, that they cannot well ftrikeMnto the 

 ground. If therefore any one would plant Saf- 

 Jhfras trees, he muft endeavour to get their ber- 

 ries, which however is difficult, fince the birds 

 eat them before they are half ripe. The cows 

 are very greedy after the tender new moots, and 

 look for them every where. 



THE bark of this tree is ufed by the women 

 here in dying worfted a fine lifting orange colour, 

 which does not fade in the fun. They ufe urine 

 inftead of alum in dying, and boil the dye in a 

 brafs boiler, becaufe in an iron veflel it does not 

 yield fo fine a colour. A woman in Virginia has 

 fuccefsfully employed the berries of the Sailafras 

 againft a great pain in one of her feet, Which, for 

 three years together, me had to fuch a degree, 

 that it almoft hindered her from walking. She 

 was advifed to broil the berries of Saflafras, and 

 to rub the painful parts of her foot with the oil, 

 which by this means would be got from the ber- 



I 2 ries. 



