* 
_— List of the Plants of Chile. 
center are seen some black bands, the undulating veins of which 
produce a beautiful effect. The leaves, the flowers and the bark 
are aromatic. It is employed as a remedy for headache proceeding 
from cold. . From the inside of the bark are made some very effi- 
cacious sternutatory powders. A decoction of its leaves employed 
as a warm lotion or in drink is reputed to be antisiphylitic. Admin- 
istered in the form of baths it strengthens the nerves and is thus 
employed in paralytic affections. Fumigations from this — are 
used in convulsions and spasmodic diseases. 
Laurus Peumo. Miers. The peumo does not belong to the gars 
Peumus of Persoon, as we shall see. Molina has confounded in his 
Peumus, trees which are entirely different, the bolda and peumo: 
the first is the P. fragrans, Pers., but the P. rubra, alba and mam- 
mosa, Molina, are only varieties of the species of which we speak. 
This tree, frequent in the plains and on the hills, and of an elegant 
foliage; reaches the height of from sixteen to twenty yards, and two 
in thickness. ‘The wood is very durable in water: its bark is much 
used in tanning and gives to the skins an orange tint. The people 
of the country are very fond of its fruit and consume large quantities — 
of it. Its taste, ungrateful and terebinthinous at first, becomes agree- 
able by infusion in warm water. Anti-hydropic virtues are attribu- 
ted to it. The nut yields an oil which should be extracted, as it 
would be advantageously used. Another species of Laurus is that 
which is called lingue, line or litcht. Molina has called it L. caus- 
trea. ~ Sprengel places it in the genus Persea, Gaertin; Miers names 
it L. Linguy. We are of the opinion of the last, and we are per= 
suaded that the J. caustica differs from our species. ‘This tree 
grows in the woods on the mountains ; its trunk is usually from’ twen- 
ty four to thirty yards high, and two in in circumference. . The wood — 
is solid and spotted. It is employed in house-building and for axle- 
trees, basins, troughs, and even for the masts of small vessels. It is 
worked with facility and rots in water. Its bark is €xeellent’ for — 
currying and tinges red, leather and drumsticks or ramrods (baque- 
teat): The Sesli of the size of a vetch, and of a blackish color, is 
ul to. birds, but the flesh of those that eat it acquires a bitter 
taste. It i is injurious to small cattle and horses. Some persons aré 
fond of its infusion. ~ It is strange that-no one has attempted to intro- 
duce into the gardens of Chile, the sacred tree of poets, the laurel of — 
Europe. (L. nobilis. L.) Beside its merit as a sightly tree, it would 
serve to awaken the Muses of the Andes, to whom it: wands . its 
branches to weave civic crowns! 
