VEGETABLES 



285 



ever been made by them with the fresh root, to 

 ascertain its effects on the human body. TTbe Jesuit 

 Jartoux, who resided a long time in China, and 

 whose authority is respectable, speaks decidedly in 

 favour of its virtues ; and Mr* Pennant says, " he 

 never can believe that a root so unanimously esteem- 

 ed in that empire for ages, can be destitute of vir- 

 tues/' 



This plant is the only native production of the 

 United Sates, which answers to export to China in 

 order to procure the luxuries of that country. It is 

 not niuch esteemed in China, unless clarified, except 

 in times of great scarcity of the plant. When, how- 

 ever, well clarified, it has brought the extravagant 

 price of 100 dolls, per lb. and great wealth was ac- 

 quired by some early adventurers from Philadelphia. 

 The process of clarifying, though hitherto kept a 

 profound secret, consists in the careful application of 

 steam of water to the fresh roots after they are 

 scraped and cleaned. It is observed that not more 

 than one root in twelve will clarify. This plant 

 grows abundantly near Philadelphia. 



Geranium, maculatum^ or crane's bill. 



This plant is also known by the English name of 

 crowfoot. The same name has long since been ap- 

 propriated to the different species of the genus ra- 

 imnculus; the name of crowfoot is also bestowed, in 

 some parts of Pennsylvania, upon a species oi geum, 

 or hennet^ the geum rivale^ or red water avens. 

 This confusion shews the importance of calling plants 

 by their botanical, instead of their trivial names. 



The geranium maculatum^ is a common plant 

 near Philadelphia, and flowers in the spring; it 



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