29 



The Actaea Spicata, marked as peculiar to Britain iij 

 Bonn's Catalogue, is found at the base of Schooley's moun- 

 tain, and in many other places. The Actasa Racemosa and 

 Alba are frequently met with. The berries of the Actaea 

 Spicata are poisonous. Toads are said to resort to this 

 plant, owing to some congenial effluvia they exhale from it. 

 The vulgar antipathy to these animals may have arisen from 

 this circumstance. The root of Actaea is the medicine.* 



This short list of medicinal plants might be greatly en- 

 larged ; but neither the limits nor the design of this address 

 permit me farther to expatiate. I understand that Mr. 

 Frederick Pursh, the botanist, who made one of the expedi- 

 tion up the Missouri under the command of the unfortunate 

 Lewis, is about publishing in London, under a liberal pat- 

 ronage, a full account of the valuable and extensive addi- 

 tions which were then made to the Materia Mcdica. Anoth- 

 er work, comprising the discoveries since that period, is 

 contemplated in this country. These, with Dr. Barton's 

 Collections, will furnish us with a tolerable view of the sub- 

 ject. 



Respecting ornamental flowers, the properties of which 

 have not yet been developed, I shall only say, that the florist 

 tvould find, in many of our wild plants, colours richer and 

 more numerous, and fragrance more delightful, than in many 

 which have already been introduced into the hot house and 

 garden. 



I conclude with recommending the employment of a 

 skilful botanist to explore the unfrequented parts of our 

 state, and particularly those portions of it considered un- 

 healthy ; as a greater number of plants, and those of the 

 most useful kind, are found in such places, than elsewhere. 

 Tours of this nature are by no means unfrequent, and while 

 Americans have neglected the botanical examination of their 

 country, foreigners have immortalised themselves by doing 

 it. From England we have had Raleigh and Catesby, Fra- 



* Dorm's Ilortus Cantabrigiensis, p. 100. 



