New Jerfey, Raccoon. 267 



quite worm-eaten through and through. The 

 Swedes related, that t\iz Indians, who formerly in- 

 habited thefe parts, made bowls of it. On cut- 

 ting fome part of the faffafras tree, or its fhoots, 

 and holding it to the nofe, it has a ftrong but 

 pleafant fmell. Some people peel the root, and 

 boil the peel with the beer which they are brew- 

 ing, becaufe they believe it wholefome. For the 

 fame reafon, the peel is put into brandy, 'ei- 

 ther whilft it is diftilling, or after it is made. 



AN old Swede remembered that his mother 

 cured many people of the dropfy, by a decodtion 

 of the root of faffafras in water, drank every 

 morning : but ilie ufed, at the fame time, to cup 

 the patient on the feet. The old man allured 

 me, he had often feen people cured by this means, 

 who had been brought to his mother wrapped up 

 in flieets. 



WHEN a part of a wood is deftined for culti- 

 vation, the faffafras trees are commonly left upon 

 it, becaufe they have a very thick foliage, and 

 afford a cool (hade to the cattle, during the great 

 heats. Several of the Swedes wafli and fcour 

 the veffels, in which they intend to keep cyder, 

 beer, or brandy, with water in which the faffafras 

 root or its peel has been boiled ; which they think 

 renders all thofe liquors more wholefome. Some 

 people get their bedpo'ts made of faffafras wood, 

 in order to expel the bugs ; for its ftrong fcent it 

 is faid prevents thofe vermin from fettling in 

 them For two or three years together this has 

 the defired effe-fl ; or about as long as the wood 

 keeps its ftrong aromatic fmell ; but after that 

 time it has been obferved to lofe its effedl. A 



joiner 



