VKGETABLE KINGDOM. 283 



is H. Jl ^ (Feng-wei-ts'ao), or "phoenix-tail." It is probable 

 that a number of species of Aspidhitn^ as well as of other ferns, 

 is included under these names. The root-stock is gathered 

 twice a year, in the second and the eighth moons, and dried 

 for use as medicine. Its virtues are considered to be anthel- 

 mintic and corrective. It is also used in wounds and hemor- 

 rhages, such as epistaxis, menorrhagia, and post-partum 

 hemorrhage. It is employed in the treatment of the diseases 

 of swine. Flowers are spoken of, which would indicate that 

 Osmunda is sometimes confounded with this. These so-called 

 flowers are employed in foul ulcers, and are said to be pur- 

 gative, 



NICOTIAN A TABACUM.— '^ % (Yen-ts'ao), fc -^ 

 (Jen-ts'ao), ^ ]^ (Yii [Yen]-ts'ao). This is one of the evil 

 gifts of the new world to the old. It seems to have been 

 introduced into China about the year 1620 A.D., and prob- 

 ably came by the way of Manila. The plant has no proper 

 name in Chinese, being known as j^ [^ (Yen-ts*ao), "smoke 

 weed," and j*^ £, ^ (Tan-pa-ku), which is variously writ- 

 ten, and which is probably a transliteration of the West 

 Indian tabacco. There is no evidence to show that the plant 

 was known in Mongolia, as claimed by some, although the 

 Mongolians are said to have smoked the leaves of Lobelia 

 injiata^ as did some tribes of North American Indians. The 

 plant seems to have been first introduced into Fukien, and 

 this province has maintained its preeminence in producing 

 the kinds which find the most favor with smokers. It is 

 now grown in almost every part of the empire, and almost as 

 many species and varieties are found in China as in America, 

 although the Chinese do not use the care in cultivating, curing, 

 preserving, and manufacturing the products as is the case in 

 America and other countries where it is grown. Various 

 qualities are indicated by such terms as ^ ^ (Kai-lu), g^ ^ 

 (T'ou-huang), H ^ (hrh-huang), and the like. These refer to 

 the time and effects of curing. Little care is taken by the 

 Chinese to preserve the leaf from dampness, as it is usually 

 shipped in open boats, only covered with matting, or thatched 

 over with straw. Consequently it loses much of its flavoj: and 



