81 



the purposes just mentioned ; but there is a newly discov- 

 ered species having much smaller leaves than the other, 

 and growing nearly in the same plenty, which will be found 

 to answer better.* The silk or cotton taken from the pods 

 of the Asclepias when ripe, has been manufactured into 

 hats, and has also been spun into yarn of which cloth has 

 been made, which vies with silk in lustre. f 



The advantages of introducing into this country the culti- 

 vation of the Vine have been frequently and strikingly ex- 

 hibited. I shall only mention that a colony of enterprising 

 Swiss, who settled in the Indiana Territory, have plant- 

 ed vineyards of the Bordeaux, Madeira and other grapes ; 

 and they have sent from their wine presses last season large 

 quantities of claret, not inferior to that imported from France. 

 By an advertisement in a newspaper published at Cincinna- 

 ti, in the state of Ohio, it appears that a merchant of that 

 place has a large supply of this red wine for sale ; and that 

 a quantity of Madeira is expected from the vineyards to 

 which I have referred.:}: § 



Though not critically proper in a discussion on botany, I 

 may be allowed the liberty of introducing in this place a 

 few observations on some colouring vegetables. The late 

 discovery of the Zanthorrhiza tinctoria in the United States 

 promises to be extensively useful. This shrub is found on 

 the Alleghany ridge from Virginia to Georgia, and it prob- 

 ably may "be found on most of the upland country. The ex- 

 tract or even decoction of the whole plant, forms a fine yel- 

 low dye, which may be varied by saturation or dilution, from 

 the brightest straw colour to the deepest orange. In com- 

 bination with indigo or most other blues, all the different 

 shades of green may be produced. The stain which it 

 makes on cloth is not apt to fade or wear off, and it may 



♦This Asclepias has been sent to Dr. Muhlenberg for a name. 



•j- In France this cotton is known by the name of Virginia silk, and 

 coverlets, stockings and gloves are made of it. 



t See Columbian, by Albany Register, July 18th, 1813. 



§ Anew species of cluster gooseberry grows on the Alleghany ridge, 

 V/'hich yields a wine nearly equal to that from the grape. 



