BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. 847 



f ecially in the lowlands, where it is moft common. The flowers 

 are white, grow in great numbers at the extremity of the branches, 

 are very odoriferous, and continue upon the tree till the fruit falls 

 off. The coopers fometimes make hoops for fugar hogfheads with 

 the young ones. It is certainly an excellent wood for cabinet-ware. 

 An oil is extraded from it, not inferior to rodium, having the fiime 

 Icent, ufe, and virtues. 

 248. Water-oats, or Tare-grass. — Zizania pannlcula 



effuja. L. Sp. PI. 



This plant is common in all the lagoons. It is alfo found in the 

 fwampy groimds of North-America; where the Indians eat the 



gram 



inflead of rice. 



249. Water Arrow-head, or Great American Arrow- 

 head. — Sn git tan a, foliis max /'mis, ^c. Browne, p. 345. 



This plant is very common about moft of the ftagnating waters in 

 the ifland, and particularly thofe near the Ferry. It is alfo, like the 

 Zizania, found in North- America, where the Indians drefs and eat 

 the roots. 



250. Chaw-stick. — Rhamnus farmcniofus foliis ovatis. 



Browne, p. 172. 



The bark of this plant is of a pleafant, bitter tafte, and raifes a 

 great fermentation in the y^//Av/, or any rich liquor with which it 

 is agitated. It gives a flavour to the frnall diluting drinks in com- 

 mon ufe here; and is an excellent dentifrice, whitening and pre- 

 .ferving the teeth better than moft others, and anfwering the pur- 

 pofes as well of a brufti, as a tooth-powder upon this occafion. It is 

 likewile fuppofed a good antileptic, from the quantity of fixed air 

 contained in it. 



I have now complcated a fummary of thofe trees and plants 

 which, 1 think, appear in general to be the moft ufeful in refped to 

 commerce, and the accommodation of fettlers, not omitting; thofe 

 medicinal properties for which they have been chiefly diftinguiflied. 

 It would be far too great a talk for me to attempt a compleat mate- 

 ria medica, including all the fanative planis in the iiland. I muft 



beg 



