TREES AXD SHRUBS FURXTSHTXG MEDICINAL BARK: 



21 



inch in thickness, the outer bark having been removed in accordance with the 

 requirements of the Pharmacopoeia, but sometimes patches of it are still found 

 adhering. They are tough, and break 

 with a fibrous fracture. The inner sur- 

 face is yellowish brown and marked 

 with fine furrows. Slippery elm has 

 a faint, peculiar odor, and a mucilagi- 

 nous but insipid taste. 



Collection, prices, and uses. — The 

 outer bark is rossed or shaved off 

 before removing the inner bark from 

 the tree, which alone is recognized as 

 official in the United States Pharma- 

 copoeia. It is taken from the tree 

 in long strips, and generally dried 

 under pressure so that it will remain 

 flat 



The price paid for slippery elm bark 

 is from 3 to 10 rents a pound, depend- 

 ing upon quality, the small, irregular 

 pieces having less value than the 

 large, flat pic 



The mucilaginous character of slip- 

 pery elm bark renders it useful in re- 

 lieving coughs, and it is also employed 

 in treating diarrheal complaints. It 



is soothing and allays inflammation, and is also somewhat nutritious. In 

 certain sections of the country poultices are made from the bark and applied 



to abscesses. 



14. — Slippery elm 

 leaves, flowers. 



i Ulmus pubescens), 

 and fruits. 



MAGNOLIA. 



(1) Magnolia acuminata L. : 

 nolia tripetala L. ; (3) 

 glauca L. 



(2) Mag- 

 Magnolia 



Fig. 15. 



-Cucumber-tree (Magnolia acumi- 

 nata), leaves. 



Synonyms. — (2) Mar/ noli a umbrella 

 Lam.: (3) Magnolia virginiana L. 



Other common nam's. — (1) Cucum- 

 ber-tree, mountain-magnolia, blue mag- 

 nolia : (2) cucumber-tree, umbrella- 

 tree, elkwood : I 3 I sweet bay. white bay. 

 sweet magnolia, beaver-tree, swamp- 

 sassafras, swamp-laurel. 



Habitat and range. — (1) Magnolia 

 acuminata occurs in the mountainous 

 regions from New York to Georgia, but 

 is most abundant in the Southern 

 States: 1 2) Magnolia tripetala grows 

 in rather moist, rich soil; it is nowhere 

 very common, but is widely distributed 



in the Appalachian Mountain region; (3) Magnolia glauca is found in swamps 

 and swampy woods from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico. 

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