The Sassafras. 



492. The farmers, in many places, boil the young shoots 

 in water, to which they add some treacle, and which, when 

 it has stood some time to ferment, they call " &eer," and 

 drink it as such (alternately with their grog) during the 

 whole of the summer. Michaux says, that the dried leaves 

 and the young branches of the Sassafras contain a muci- 

 laginous principle ; and that, " in Louisiana, the leaves are 

 " used by the inhabitants to thicken and to give a high 

 " relish to their pottage/' 



493. Such are the medical, the culinary, and domestic 

 uses of this tree ; but, in this country, it will scarcely ever 

 be planted with a view to profit, except for the sake of its 

 bark, though its wood is not an inferior one by any means. 

 A proof of its being pretty good is, that it is frequently 

 used for the making of posts in farm fences ; sometimes 

 for joists and rafters ; more frequently still for bedsteads, 

 which, on account of its odour, perhaps, are known to be 

 never infected with "insects," as Michaux, having con- 

 tracted the habit of American delicacy, calls fleas, bugs, 

 and lice. But here would arise a difficulty, namely, what 

 are to become of the "insects'* if the body happen to take 

 them into the bed. An excellent cleanser of the body the 

 bedstead might be ; but then the " insects " must be abso- 

 lutely compelled to beat a march, and would then distribute 

 themselves all over the house. 



494. The bark is the thing for which we must look at 

 this tree as an article of profit. Very large quantities of 

 it are brought into all the countries of Europe, and to this 

 country amongst the rest. Sometimes it is imported in the 

 shape of oil or extract ; and there are manufactories in 

 America for the purpose of obtaining these from the bark. 



