132 



From Springville I made my last day's journey to Grand Ecore, in 

 Natchitoches parish. The west banks of the Red river are caving 

 very much, like the banks of the Ouachita river, and many an acre 

 of the finest alluvial land is annually swept away by the undermining 

 force of the Red river waters. 



Grand Ecore, which is on the east side of the river, is situated on 

 a high bluff, similar to that of Port Hudson, and the layers of the 

 different shades of clay of which the banks are composed are readily 

 distinguished. Grand Ecore is a place of some commercial import- 

 ance. It is a shipping point for a large area of country, extending 

 as far as Texas, which sends here droves of cattle to be shipped in 

 boats to New Orleans. The town can boast of a good hotel, the 

 only one in North Louisiana that deserves to be recommended. 

 There are quite a number of stores here which seem to do a thriv- 

 ing business. 



From here I shipped on the Rapides, and arrived in Baton Rouge 

 on the 25th of August. 



ECONOMICAL, ARTISTIC AND MEDICINAL USE OF PLANTS 

 COLLECTED. 



Trees and Shrubs. 



The red maple (acer rubrum) is common in the swamps and low- 

 lands of Louisiana. It grows from forty to fifty feet high, and 

 blooms near New Orleans in the month of February. The blossoms, 

 which are of a deep red, appear about two weeks before the leaves. 

 The fruit, which is called a key or samara, is also of a purplish red, 

 like the flowers. 



The growth of the red maple is very rapid; its branches spread 

 out very gracefully, and the brilliant red tints of its autumnal leaves 

 render it one of the most beautiful shade trees. It can be propa- 

 gated from the seed, The cellular matter of the inner bark fur- 

 nishes, on boiling, a purplish dye, which is sometimes used by 

 country people as ink, for which it is, however, not very suitable, as 

 it does not dry well, and becomes glutinous in damp weather. The 

 wood has but little strength, and is liable to injury from insects, but 

 it acquires by polishing a glossy and silky surface. It is much em- 

 ployed in the manufacture of various articles of domestic use, such as 

 chairs, etc. It is also used for making saddle trees, shoe lasts and 



