J36 USES OF PLANTS BY INDIANS |eth. ann. 33 



Lyi:oi>ksmia .iuxcea (Pursh) D. Don. Skeleton Weed. 



Tlie Omaha and Ponca made an infusion of the stems of Lygo- 

 iliKiiuii for sore eyes. Motliers having a scanty supply of milk also 

 drank this infusion in order to increase the flow. 



In the north where l>ilphium lacinkitum is not found Lygodesrma 

 was used for producing chewing gum. The stems were gathered 

 and cut into pieces to CiUise the juice to exude. When this hardened it 

 was collected and used for chewing. 



AXC'IKNT AND MODERN PHYTOCULTURE BY THE 

 TRIHES 



In former times the plants cultivated by the tribes inhabiting the 

 region which has become the State of Nebraska comprised maize, 

 beans, scjuashes, pumpkins, gourds, watermelons, and tobacco. I 

 have not found evidence of more than one variety esich of tobacco 

 and watermelons. By disturbance of their industries and institu- 

 tions incident t« the European incui'sion they have lost the seed of 

 the larger number of the crop plants they formerly gi'ew. By seafch 

 among several tribes I have been able to collect seed of many more 

 varieties than any one tribe could furnish at the present time of the 

 crops once grown by all these tribes. Of maize (Zea mays) they 

 cultivated all the general types, dent corn, flint corn, flour corn, 

 sweet corn, and pop corn, each of these in several varieties. Of beans 

 (Phnseohis vulgaris) they had 15 or more varieties, and at least 8 

 varieties of pumpkins and squashes {Pepo sp.). 



After diligent inquiry, the only cultivated crop plants of which I 

 am able to get evidence are corn, beans, squashes and pumpkins, 

 tobacco, and sunflowers. These are all of native origin in the South- 

 west, having come from Mexico by way of Texas. But a large num- 

 ber of plants growing wild, either indigenous or introduced by human 

 agency, designedly or mulesignedly, were utilized for many purposes. 

 No evidence ap])ears that any attempt was ever made looking to the 

 domestication of any of these plants. The reason for this is that the 

 necessary incentive was lacking, in tliat the natural product of each 

 useful native plant was always available. In their semiannual hunt- 

 ing trips to the outlying parts of their domains, the Indians could 

 gather the products belonging to each phytogeogi-aphic province. 

 The crop jdants which they cultivated, however, were exotics, and 

 hence sui)plemented their natural resources, thereby forcing a dis- 

 tinct adjunct to the supply of provision for their needs. 



But since the advent of Europeans the incentive is present to 

 domesticate certain native plants which were found useful. This 

 incentive arises from the fact that the influx of population has 

 greatly reduced or almost exterminated certain species, and, even if 



