THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



47 



the leaves without injury; and the honey which the bees dis- 

 till from its greenish-white flowers is said to be excellent." 

 She also states, ''any of the following plants may be made into 

 a tea and used as a wash", in case one is poisoned: Grindelia, 

 one of the gum plants, which exudes a resinous secretion ; 

 Arctostaphylos or manzanita, several species of which are 

 found in California; wild peony (Paeonia Brouniii), which is 

 quite similar in general appearance to the ''Christmas rose" of 

 the garden, and is often found flowering near snow banks in 

 the mountains ; California holly, Christmas berry or toyon 

 (Heteromeles arbiitifolia) , a beautiful shrub of the rose family 

 with large clusters of red berries among the thick evergreen 

 leaves; the coffee berry or California coffee {Rhamnus Pur- 

 shiana or R. calif ornica) , known also as Cascara sagrada or 

 "the sacred bark." Spanish-Calif ornians and the Indians of 

 the south considered that the root of the peony had a medicinal 

 value, but "in the north its leaves are reputed to be poisonous 

 to the touch." Miss Parsons further states, "Hot solutions of 

 soda, Epsom salts, or saltpeter are helpful to many, and the bulb 

 of the soap-root (Chlorogaluin pomeridianum) pounded to a 

 paste and used as a salve, allowing it to dry upon the surface 

 and remain for some hours at least, is considered excellent. In 

 fact, any pure toilet soap may be used in the same manner." 



An old "forty-niner" in 1856, under the nom-de-plume of 

 "Gold Spring", in discussing the possible remedies for the nox- 

 ious effects of the poison oak, relates the following incident : 

 "From the effects of this poison, a gentleman with whom we 

 are very well acquainted, was entirely blind for six weeks, his 

 head having swollen to an enormous size, and, in addition to 

 his distressingly painful condition, he was much afraid that it 

 would be fatal in its consequences. Many of the usual reme- 

 dies, superintended by a skilful physician, were useless and un- 

 availing, until a friend, while visiting him, suggested the use 

 of the soap root, so common throughout California. This was 



