316 BE VIEWS. 



Heliantlius anmius, L. — the history of which was almost 

 equally confused, and which we had identified with a wide- 

 spread species of the western United States — is omitted by 

 De CandoUe, yet might claim a place ; for Decaisne, who has 

 treated it at length in the paper above cited, informs us that 

 a form of it (called " Russian Sunflower ") is cultivated in 

 Russia for the oil of its large seeds, and, if we mistake not, for 

 fattening poultry. Our Indians also cultivated it for the oil 

 of the seeds, which they used for greasing their hair, also for 

 eating and other purposes. Champlaiu noted this (in 1610?), 

 and Sagard about a dozen years later.^ The latter says (His- 

 toire du Canada, 1736, page 785) : " lis font estat du tourne- 

 sol, qu'ils sement en quantite, en plusieurs endroits a cause de 

 I'huyle qu'ils tirent de la graine," etc., piously adding : " Mais 

 comment est-ce que ce peuple sauvage a pu trouver I'invention 

 de tirer d'une huyle que nous ignorons, sinon a I'ayde de la 

 divine Providence." The wild original of this Sunflower must 



^ Champlain's earher record of the cultivation and use of the Sunflower 

 is essentially like that of Sagard, and both relate to the same stations, 

 namely, the Huron towns near the southeastern point of Georgian Bay. 

 This Champlain reached by way of the Ottawa (R. des Prairies) and Lake 

 Nipissing. The lamented Decaisne has here introduced some confusion 

 into the history, which we hasten to rectify. In his article in the "Flore 

 des Serres" (xxiii. p. 108, p. 2 of the pamphlet), he says, "Je trouve 

 dans Champlain Fobseryation suivante (Voyage Nouv. France, rdimpress. 

 1830, tom. i. p. 110) : " 



" En remontant le St. Laurent et avant I'arriver an Lac Ontario, je 

 visitai cinq des principaux villages ferm^s de palisades de bois, jusqu'k 

 Cahiagu^," etc., and so on to the mention of the " grande quantity de bled 

 I'Inde (Mais) qui y vient tr^s beau, comme aussi des citrouilles. Herbe des 

 soleil, dont ils font de I'huile, de la graine de laquelle ils se frottent la 

 tete." 



This, the latitude of 44.50° being stated, would refer Cahiagud and the 

 Sunflower cultivation to the neighborhood of Ogdensburgh and Prescott, 

 far away from the actual place (the Indian town mentioned being the 

 Huron name of the mission station of San Jean Baptiste, in what is now 

 Simcoe Co.), and it introduces a palpable anachronism, Ontario having 

 been an unknown name in Champlain's time. In fact, there is nothing 

 answering to the early part of this pretended quotation, either in the orig- 

 inal of Champlain or in the edition here cited by name and page. The 

 excellent Decaisne could never have tampered with the quotation himself. 

 He must have taken it at second hand and neglected to verify it. 



