From fo circumftantial an account, it would appear that there was little doubt of the noxious quality of this 

 plant to the human fpecies ; yet it is remarkable, that this mould be the only inftance of fuch effe&s mentioned by 

 authors, when the plant has by many been recommended as a pot herb : fuch violent effects do not appear to have 

 been known to the antients, by fome of whom it is recommended as a laxative medicine. 



It appears to be well worth afcertaining whether it really poffeffes thofe poifonous qualities ; whether it be nox- 

 ious early in the fpring, or later in the fummer ; and whether it lpofes them in boiling. 



LiNNiEUS, in his Flora Suecica, mentions it as being hurtful to Sheep. Thefe ufeful animals are ibmetimes 

 found to all appearance poifoned by eating fome particular plant, which the farmer would do well to difcover. 



As many poifonous plants, under proper management, prove highly beneficial to mankind, fo it is not impro- 

 bable but this plant alfo might make ample amends. 



It has been obferveo! by many, that thofe plants which change blue in drying, will generally dye blue : this is re- 

 markably the cafe with this plant, nearly as much fo as with the Polygonum TmUorium, lent to England from 

 China by the late ingenious and indefatigable Mr. Blake, whofe untimely death every fmcere friend to this 

 country muft deplore : and was it to undergo a proper management, it is probable that it would produce an In- 

 digo fomewhat fimilar,, 



The Dogs Mercury grows plentifully in moil: woods and under hedges, flowering from the end of March to the 

 middle of May. It has a ftrong creeping perennial root like Couch-grafs, whereby it may be readily diftinguifhed 

 from the annual French Mercury. 



The antients have taken notice that this plant was of two fexes ; but they miftook the female for the 

 male. The cultivation of the Date-bearing Palm furnifhed the Egyptians with the nrft obfervations on the 

 fexes of plants. The fruit of the female was of the utmoft importance, as it fupplied many of them with 

 the principal part of their food. The inhabitants of countries where Palms grew naturally, might eat the 

 fruit regardjefs of their manner of fructification ; but when other countries, that were deft itute of this ample 

 provifion of nature, attempted to tranfplant and cultivate Palms, they muft necefTarily have been obliged to 

 attend to the two kinds, the male and the female, as the nrft bore no - fruit, and the latter would prove 

 barren if it was removed top far from the male. 



It does not appear that the Jews were acquainted with the fexes of Palms, although they are often men- 

 tioned in the Bible as growing in Judea : but it was well known to Theophrastus, who defcribes the method 

 of impregnating the female bloom with the farina of the male, in the fame manner as modern travellers have 

 feen it performed.* But although it is now two thoufand years iince this author wrote, yet no progrels was 

 made in demonftrating the fexual fyftem of plants until this prefent century; before which time, all the writers 

 on botany, inftead of afcertaining what plants were of different fexes, mention male and female oaks, and 

 other kinds of trees, that have both male and female bloom, on the fame plants. 



The utility of this kind of knowledge appears in the management of the Date-bearing Palm : for want 

 of attending to it, the cultivators of hemp frequently meet with confiderable difappointments : and it is pro- 

 bable that the planters of hops, by their cuftom of deftroying the male plants, may alfo be fufferers. 



We do not remember that any of the early poets have mentioned the different fexes or mutual love of 

 trees. Claudian, who was well acquainted with Egypt, has very happily introduced it in his defcription 

 of the beautiful retreat of Venus in the I/land of Cyprus. 



" Vivunt in Venerem frondes, omnifque vicifjim 

 f* Fcelix arbor amat, nut ant ad mutua palmce 

 H Feeder a, populeo fufpirat populus iSlu 

 t" Et platana platanis, alno affibilat alnus." • 



" Branches on branches twirfd compofe the grove, 

 fi And Jhoot, and fpread, and blojfom into love: 

 " 'The trembling palms their mutual vows repeat, 

 *' And bending poplars bending poplars meet: 

 " The di/iant platanes feem to prefs more nigh, 

 l l And to the Jighing alders alders flgh." 



EuSDEN. 



The reader will determine how far this tranflation deferves the cenfure that it lies under, and whether 



the following paflage that accompanies it is worthy of its author: " As flowers, which are the lowejl of 'vege- 



" tables, are the mqji gaudy, and do many times grow in great plenty at the bottom of ponds and ditches" Art 

 of finking in Poetry, publifhed by Pope. 



*Vid. Hasselquist. 



