VEGETABLES. 



267 



therrc. The female trees have fewer flowers pro- 

 duced upon much longer, simple, cylindrical foot- 

 stalks, thickened at the extremity, and supporting 

 generally three flowers, sitting close and having 

 a small involucrum. They are composed of five 

 small oval leaves, and in the center an awl-shaped, 

 incurved style, arising from the oblong germen, 

 which is beneath, and becomes an oval oblong berry, 

 of a dark purplish colour when ripe. The timber of 

 this tree is close grained and curled, so as not to be 

 split or parted ; and therefore much used for hubs 

 of wheels for waggons, carriages, &c. 



Persimmon tree. Diosfiyros Firginiana^ or Ame" 

 rican prune, data, or plum, a well known and valua- 

 ble native tree, growing in all the states of the union, 

 south of New York inclusive. 



The unripe plums are green and very astringent; 

 towards winter they become of a light brick dust co- 

 lour, and when acted on by the frost, are softened, 

 and have a sweet agreeable taste. 



A fine transparent gum, of a light brown colour, 

 . insipid to the taste, readily soluble in water, exudes 

 from the body of the tree. 



According to Dr. Woodhouse's experiments on 

 , this tree, detailed in his Inaugural Dissertation^ it 

 appears, that the juice of the unripe fruit, inspis- 

 sated in the sun, yields a large quantity of a brown, 

 semi-transparent, astringent, gummy substance, of 

 which common spirit dissolves a larger quantity than 

 spirit of wine, or the vegetable oils. The unripe 

 fruit divided, well dried in the sun, and reduced to 

 powder, may be u€ed as a valuable astringent re- 



