FLOWERING SHRUBS 



opening and shewing the dark glossy seeds. The whole plant 

 is highly aromatic, especially the cases that enclose the seeds, 

 which, when rubbed between the fingers, emit a strong 

 pungent odor like the scent of orange-peel. 



The root, bark, leaves, and fruit are bitter, pungent and 

 aromatic. The root and bark are used in dyeing yellow; 

 they are also used medicinally in extract for agues and 

 intermittent fevers. 



Though its most usual locality is on the banks of streams 

 and in low wettish ground, it will also thrive and increase 

 rapidly on dry soil, and on account of its stout woody stem 

 it seems well suited for hedges. The Prickly Ash will grow 

 both from seed and by shoots sent up from the roots. The 

 fruit is ripe in August and September. The dry seed-pods 

 are in great request by smokers, who mix them with tobacco 

 and regard the fine spicy scent as a great luxury when they 

 can obtain the berries from the Indians. 



The following valuable remarks on the medicinal uses of 

 this interesting shrub were copied for me by my late, much 

 valued friend, Dr. Low, of Bowmanville, from an article in 

 the Journal of Materia Hedica, No. XII., December, 1859, 

 by Dr. Charles Lee, on the Medicinal Plants of I^orth 

 America : 



" The ' Prickly Ash ' is known also by the name of 

 ' Yellow wood.' The bark contains a fixed volatile oil, resin- 

 ous coloring matter, gum and a crystallizable substance. The 

 berries contain a large amount of oil, one pound yielding 

 four fluid ounces when treated with alcoholic ether. The 

 Prickly Ash is employed as a remedy for affections of the 

 spine, marrow, 1 and vascular system. The active properties 

 consist of an ethereal oil, like oil of turpentine; it is 

 decidedly stimulant in languid cases of the nervous system. 



" In Asiatic cholera, during the years 1848-50, it was used 



167 



