Penfyhania, Philadelphia, 77 



t6^D, partly for gathering feeds, and partly 

 for gathering plants for my herbal, which 

 was our principal occupation i and in the 

 autumn of this year, we fent part of our 

 colledtion to England and Sweden,. 



A SPECIES of Rhus y which was frequent 

 in the marflies here was called the poifon 

 tree by both Englifh and Swedes.^ Some of 

 the former gave it the mmt^oi fwamp^ 

 fumach, and my country-men gave it the 

 fame name. Dr. Linnaus in his botanical 

 works calls it Rhus Vernix. Sp. pi. i. 

 380. Flora Virgin. 45. An incifion being 

 made into the tree, a whitifli yellow 

 juice, which has a naufeous fmell, comes 

 out between the bark and the wood. This 

 tree is not known for its good qualities, 

 but greatly fo for the effea: of its poifon, 

 which though it is noxious to fome people, 

 yet does not in the lead affed others. And 

 therefore one perfon can handle the tree 

 as he pleafes, cut it, peel off its bark, 

 rub it, or the wood upon his hands, fmell at 

 it, fpread the juice upon his fkin, and make 

 ttiore experiments, with no inconvenience 

 to himfelf 5 another perfon on the contrary 

 dares not meddle with the tree, while its 

 wood is frefh, nor can he venture to touch 

 a hand which has handled it, nor even to 

 ibxpofe himfelf to the fmoak of a fire which 

 is made with this wood, without foon 



feeling 



