152 THE SHRUBS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



6. Poison Oak. (R. Toxicodendron, Linn.) — A 

 small shrub, 1 to 2 feet high, well known by this name 

 from the. coast to the lower part of the Upper District. 

 It is less poisonous than No. 5, but is too mischievous 

 to be meddled with by persons who are sensitive to 

 this chiss of poisons. The juice is an indelible ink 

 upon linen. 



It has been stated very positively in some quarters 

 that the dreaded disease, known in our Mountains 

 and at the West by the name of Milk Sickness, is 

 caused by the cattle eating of this Poison Oak. But 

 our Lower and Middle Districts abound in this plant, 

 where this disease is not now heard of, while in those 

 portions of the Mountains where cattle are affected 

 with it, and which I have examined with special ref- 

 erence to ascertaining its origin, this plant is not 

 found, nor any other poisonous plant which is not 

 common elsewhere. Besides, it is well known that 

 cattle do not take the disease if kept from those 

 grounds till the dew has evaporated. Its cause is yet 

 a mystery, but I am satisfied it is telluric. 



The Mountain Tea or Wi^itergreen^ (Gaultheria 

 procumbens, Linn.) so well known in the Mountains, 

 rarely in the other Districts, for its aromatic spicy 

 leaves and berries, is an evergreen shrub, but so small 

 that it would not generally be considered such. 



The next two genera have a fleshy fruit, but too 

 large to come under the class of Berries. They are 

 well known by their names. 



1. Papaw. (Asimina triloba, Dunal.) — Not un- 



