1887. | BOTANICAL GAZETTE, 65 
maker prefers black ash which has been exposed to the wind and sun. 
The best ash for his purpose is obtained from a wood-lot which is open 
and dry. Next to this he prefers isolated trees near a forest. He does 
not use black ash of the “ black ash swamps,” for, he says, “the grains are 
too thin and the wood is not as tough 
The structure of the ash determines its mode of splitting under 
heavy blows. It divides at the lines of demarcation of the annual layers. 
Here are to be seen, upon microscopic examination, large dotted ducts, 
whose open mouths are quite evident to the naked eye, in cross section. 
The earliest mention of the ash and other trees in this section of 
Western New York, that I know of, may be found in a handbill issued 
by Joseph Ellicott, November 26th, 1800, (and quoted in Turner’s History 
of the Holland Purchase), viz: “Those who prefer land timbered with 
black and white oak, hickory, poplar, chestnut, wild cherry, butternut 
and dogwood, or the more luxuriant, timbered with basswood, sugar tree, 
white ash, wild cherry, cucumber tree—a species of magnolia~-and black 
walnut, may be suited.” 
Tam indebted to a a friend, "Miss L. A. Weld, for the draw- 
ings.--CHar.es E. Farm 
Astringent qualities : ie and Mitella.—It is well known that 
astringency is a common property in the Saxifrage family, and in the 
west, Heuchera hispida Pursh., H. cylindrica Dougl., and H. parvifolia 
Nutt., are well known by the hunters, prospectors and shen who lead a 
wandering life. These plants are all very astringent and are successfully 
employed i in cases of diarrhea of all degrees of severity. This complaint 
is very troublesome and all the more so on account of its liability to oc- 
curatany time. This is particularly the case in alkali regions where the 
water one has to drink is so bad as to bring on this sickness in a few 
hours. Of course no drug stores are at hand, but by a little search one 
can usually find one or another of the species mentioned, H. parvifolia 
being the commonest species in Northern Montana. Any one troubled 
with the complaint mentioned can, by chewing a small portion of the 
root and swallowing the juice, quickly relieve himself. Or where the 
dried root is used, some people carrying a supply wherever they go, a 
decoction is often made, but is very disagreeable to take. The great 
trouble with alum root is that if one takes only a little too much sudden 
constipation comes on and. has been known to last for days, often causing 
dangerous symptom 
We have tried sions native roots at different times while far away 
from human habitations and have found that the root of Mitella pentandra 
Hook. is far superior to alum root. It is milder and slower in its action 
and besides being mildly astringent possesses a bitter principle which 
acts as an appetizer, as we have demonstrated to our ject satisfaction 
2 
