34 



The Pride of China or China tree (Melia Azoederach) is said to be 

 a native of Persia, but is now naturalized in our climate. It grows 

 in great luxuriance, and its dark green and profuse foliage renders it 

 very valuable as a shade tree. It is, however, objected to by some 

 persons, on account of its berries which it throws oft' continually, 

 from the time they attain maturity to the period it begins to bloom 

 again in the spring. Its wood is considered strong and durable, and 

 has been employed in the manufacture of pulleys. The fleshy part 

 of the berry yields a fixed oil, which has anthelmintic, narcotic and 

 stimulant properties. The leaves are universally used in India for 

 poultices, and both the flowers and seeds are stimulants. The ber- 

 ries have been pronounced as poisonous by Arabian physicians, but 

 in this country they are eaten by children without injurious effects. 

 The bark of the root, when geeen, has a bitter nauseous taste, yield- 

 ing its active principle to boiling water, and may be employed as an 

 emetic, and is considered an efficient vermifuge. In Persia an oint- 

 ment is made for the cure of some cutaneous eruptions by mixing 

 the leaves with lard. The nuts are often bored by monks and strung 

 into beads. Hence its name " bead tree." " Pater nostri di San 

 Domenico." 



The Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum Carolinianum) grows from twelve 

 to fifteen feet high, and is found on the banks of small water courses. 

 It branches out with a regular bushy head, at some distance from 

 the ground; and when in bloom is crowned with a cluster of yellow- 

 ish green flowers. The tree, when young, is armed with powerful 

 prickles, which are angular and sharp at the point. The bark and 

 capsule are of a hot and acrid taste, and when taken internally, act 

 as a powerful stimulant. They are sometimes used to relieve the 

 toothache, hence its name " toothache tree." They are also employed 

 for curing intermittent fevers and rheumatism. The American 

 Indians were acquainted with the medicinal properties of this tree. 

 They extracted from the berries a salivating substance, and used the 

 decoction of the plant to produce perspiration. 



The Three-leaved Ptelea (Ptelea irifolia) is found in most shady 

 places and on the borders of woods. 1 have met with it in this 

 State in East Baton Rouge. It is of no particular use, but is worth 

 cultivating as an ornamental shrub, both on account of its leaves, 

 which are arranged in whorls of threes; and on account of the beauty 

 of its fruit, which appears in clusters of greenish yellow flat winged 



