14 



mense, and has been said to equal that of tobacco by Western peoples. 

 It is prepared for chewing by inclosing in the leaves a slice of the areca 

 nut, and a small portion of lime. It is thought to act as a stimulant to the 

 digestive organs, but causes giddiness and other unpleasant symptoms to 

 those not accustomed to its use. 



111. CHIOCOCCA RACEMOSA. This plant is found in many warm countries, such as 



in southern Florida. It is called cahinca in Brazil, where a preparation 

 of the bark of the root is employed as a remedy for snake bites. Almost 

 every locality where snakes exist has its local remedies for poisonous bites, 

 but they rarely prove to be efficient when truthfully and fairly tested. 



112. CHLORANTHUS OFFICINALIS. The roots of this plant are an aromatic stimu- 



lant, much used as medicine in the Island of Java; also, when mixed with 

 anise, it has proved valuable hi malignant smallpox. 



113. CHLOROXYLON SWIETENIA. The satinwood tree of tropical countries. It is 



principally used for making the backs of clothes and hair brushes, and for 

 articles of turnery- ware; the finest mottled pieces are cut into veneers and 

 used for cabinet-making. 



114. CHRYSOBALANUS ICACO. The cocoa plum of the West Indies. The fruits 



are about the size of a plum, and are of various colors, white, yellow, red, 

 or purple. The pulp is sweet, a little austere, but not disagreeable. The 

 fruits are preserved and exported from Cuba and other West India Islands. 

 The kernels yield a fixed oil, and an emulsion made with them is used 

 medicinally. 



115. CHRYSOPHYLLUM CAINITO. The fruit of this plant is known in the West 



Indies as the star apple, the interior of which, when cut across, shows ten 

 cells, and as many seeds disposed regularly round the center, giving a star- 

 like appearance, as stars are generally represented in the most reliable 

 almanacs. It receives its botanic name from the golden silky color on the 

 under side of the leaves. 



116. CICCA DISTICHA. This Indian plant is cultivated in many parts under the 



name of Otaheite gooseberry. The fruits resemble those of a green goose- 

 berry. They have an acid flavor; are used for preserving or pickling, and 

 eaten either in a raw state or cooked in various ways. 



117. CINCHONA CALISAYA. The yellow bark of Bolivia. This is one of the so-called 



Peruvian Bark trees. The discovery of the medicinal value of this bark is a 

 matter of fable and conjecture. The name cinchona is derived from that of 

 the wife of a viceroy of Peru, who is said to have taken the drug from South 

 America to Europe in 1639. Afterwards the Jesuits used it; hence it is 

 sometimes called Jesuit's bark. It was brought most particularly into 

 notice when Louis XIV of France purchased of Sir R. Talbor, an English- 

 man, his heretofore secret remedy for intermittent fever, and made it public. 

 There are various barks in commerce classified under the head of Peru- 

 vian barks. Their great value depends upon the presence of certain alka- 

 loid substances called quinine, cinchonine, and quinidine, which exist in 

 the bark in combination with tannic and other acids. Quinine is the 

 most useful of these alkaloids, and this is found in greatest quantities 

 in Calisaya bark. The gray bark of Huanuco is derived from Cinchona 

 micrantha, which is characterized by its yield of cinchonine, and the Loxa 

 or Loja barks are furnished in part by Cinchona officinalis, and are espe- 

 cially rich in quinidine. There is some uncertainty about the trees that 

 produce the various kinds of bark. These trees grow in the forests of 

 Bolivia and Peru, at various elevations on the mountains, but chiefly in 

 sheltered mountain valleys, and all of them at a considerable distance below 

 the frost or snow line. They are destroyed by the slightest frost. Plants of 

 various species have been distributed from time to time, in localities which 

 seemed most favorable to their growth, but all reports from these distri- 

 butions have, so far, been discouraging. 



1 18. CINNAMOMUM CASSIA. This f urnishes cassia bark, which is much like cinna- 



mon, but thicker, coarser, stronger, less delicate in flavor, and cheaper; 

 hence it is often used to adulterate cinnamon. The unexpanded flower 

 buds are sold as cassia buds, possessing properties similar to those of the 

 bark. It is grown in southern China, Java, and tropical countries gen- 

 erally. 



119. CINNAMOMUM ZEYLANICUM. A tree belonging to Lauracese, which furnishes 



the best cinnamon. It is prepared by stripping the bark from the branches, 

 when it rolls up into quills, the smaller of which are introduced into the 



