[ 868 ] 
In order to know what Dr. Kasmpfer has faid of 
this matter, whofe words Mr. Miller feems to de- 
pend on, I carefully tranflated his defcription both 
of the (a) trueVarnilh tree, and the (3) fpurious one' 
and find, that his defcription of the true varnifh tree, 
or Sitz, does not agree with this Toxicodendron, 
which Mr. Miller fuppofes to be the fame ; for the 
leaf-ftalk or midrib of this, that lupports the pinnae 
or lobe leaves, as well as the under part of the leaves, 
are quite fmooth ; which is one fpecific character, 
that every botanifi: and gardener knows is neceflary 
to be obferved in the proper clafiing the various 
fpecies of this genus of plants ; many of them being 
fmooth, and many of them downy : whereas Dn. 
Kaempfer, lpeaking of the midrib of his trueVarnifh 
tree, calls it, “ leviter lanuginofo,” which may be 
tranilated, fomewhat downy : and when he defcribes 
the under part of the leaves, he fays, “ dorfo incano 
“ et molliter lanuginofo,” that is, the under part 
hoary and covered with a foft down. 
How far the bottom or lower part of each lobe 
or fmall leaf anfwers to the drawing he has given of 
it, I fihall leave to the curious botanifi: ; for he fays 
it is, “ baft inequaliter rotunda,” that is, having fome 
inequality in the roundnefs of its bafe : whereas the 
lobe leaves of our American pinnated Toxicodendron 
come to a point at their footfialks, nearly equal to 
that at top ; as may be feen in Plukenet’s figure (4), 
which I have copied exactly. I have likewife copied 
minutely, for your infpedtion. Dr. Kaempfer’s figure 
(2) See Fig. 2. Tab. 24. 
(4) See Fig. 1. Tab. 24. 
(3) Sec Fig. 4. Tab. 25. 
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