PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 217 



The Rhus Typhina is a tree, and attains to a height of fifteen or twenty 

 feet, and the clusters of seeds are not half the size of the preceding. It is 

 never found in the highways like the preceding, but is found on the borders 

 of woods and along neglected hedgerows bordering our fields. The three 

 I have named are the most common in this section of our State, and of 

 these the CopaUinum is the only one of great importance for its tanning 

 quality. The course of propagation should be by seeds, which are produced 

 in considerable quantities. 



I noticed some confusion as to the poisonous species of Sumach, in the 

 remarks made here at the November meeting. There are five species which 

 are venomous. One of them is a tree of much size, with large and beauti- 

 ful foliage, greatly resembling an ash tree. This is the Hhus venetata, of 

 Torry & Gray — the Bhus vernix, of Pursh & Michaux. It is usually called 

 poison Sumach or poison Ash — the foliage takes a beautiful red hue in the 

 autumn. The height is from eight to fifteen feet. The leaves and sap are 

 exceedingly poisonous. It is this tree which Mr. Fuller confusedly describes 

 as Bhus toxicodendron, and of which he said a tea made of the berries is 

 often taken for diseases of the throat ; a person who drank this tea would never 

 be able to use his throat again. Its leaves, if even pressed in the hands, im- 

 parts a most venomous poison. This tree is a precise counterpart of the 

 fabled Buon Upas of Java, the Bhus javanicum, whose juice has been used 

 in that island to poison their arrows, and in regard to which we have such 

 fabled tales touching the treatment of their prisoners of war. The Bhus 

 toxicodendron is not the poison Sumach tree as Mr. Fuller told you, or is it 

 rare as he stated. 



The Bhus toxicodendron is a climber or vine, and is the poison Ivy of our 

 swamps, woods and hedges, and found everywhere. The Bhus pumila is 

 another poisonous species, a native of the Southern States. It is a dimin- 

 utive shrub. The Bhus diversiloba is another poisonous dwarf vine, which 

 grows plentifully under the Live oaks of California, and is also found in 

 Oregon. The Bhus aromatica is a pleasant, fragrant leaved shrub, found 

 in Maryland, and South to Georgia. We have, besides, the Bhus laurina, 

 of California, and the Bhus trilohaia, of the Rocky Mountains, and a species 

 in Arkansas that greatly resembles the Rhus cotina, of Venice, which latter 

 is our common Purple Fringe tree, grown in our yards and gardens. 



On motion of Professor Mapes the remarks of Mr. Prince on the Sumach 

 were ordered to be entered on the minutes of the Club. 



On motion the committee to report upon the leaves of the Sumach, as a 

 substitute for tea, was discharged from any further consideration of the 

 subject. 



Cultivation of Licorice Urged. 



Mr. Wm. R. Prince urged the cultivation of licorice, and described it as 

 follows : 



" Licorice" — Glycirrhiza Glabra — Diadelphia — Decandria. — The licorice 

 is one of the most important of the plants that are destined to be added to 

 American agriculture, and it merits at our hands an early adoption, on ac- 

 count of the facility of its culture, its great usefulness for various pur- 

 poses, and the large profits it yields to the cultivator. When the high- 



