From fo circumftantial an account, it would appear that there was little doubt of the noxious quality of this 
plant to the human fpecies ; yet it is remarkable, that this fhould be the only inftance of fuch effe&s mentioned by 
authors, when the plant has by many been recommended as a pot herb : fuch violent effects do not appear to have 
been known to the antients, by fome of whom it is recommended as a laxative medicine. 
It appears to be well worth afcertaining whether it really poffefles thole poifonous qualities ; whether it be nox- 
ious early in the lpring, or later in the fummer ; and whether it loofes them in boiling. 
Linnjeus, in his Flora Suecica , mentions it as being hurtful to Sheep. Thefe ufeful animals are fometimes 
found to all appearance poifoned by eating fome particular plant, which the farmer would do well to difcover. 
As many poifonous plants, tinder proper management, prove highly beneficial to mankind, fo it is not impro- 
bable but this plant alfo might make ample amends. 
It has been obferved by many, that thofe plants which change blue in drying, will generally dye blue : this is re- 
markably the cafe with this plant, nearly as much fo as with the Polygonum TinSlorium, lent’ to England from 
China by the late ingenious and indefatigable Mr. Blake, whofe untimely death every fincere friend to this 
country mull deplore : and was it to undergo a proper management, it is prpbable that it would produce an In- 
digo fomewhat fimilar. 
The Dogs Mercury grows plentifully in mod woods and under hedges, flowering from the end of March to the 
middle of May. It has a ftrong creeping perennial root like Couch-grafs , whereby it may be readily diftinguiftied 
from the annual French Mercury. 
The antients have taken notice that this plant was of two fexes ; but they miftook the female for the 
male. The cultivation of the Date-bearing Palm furnifhed the Egyptians with the firft obfervations on the 
fexes of plants. The fruit of the female was of the utmoft importance, as it fupplied many of them with 
the principal part of their food. The inhabitants of countries where Palms grew naturally, might eat the 
fruit regardlefs of their manner of fructification ; but when other countries, that were deftitute of this ample 
provifion of nature, attempted to tranlplant and cultivate Palms, they muft necefl'arily have been obliged to 
attend to the two kinds, the male and the female, as the firft bore no fruit, and the latter would prove 
barren if it was removed too far from the male. 
It does not appear that the Jews were acquainted with the fexes of Palms, although they are often men- 
tioned in the Bible as growing in Judea : but it was well known to Theophrastus, who defcribes the method 
of impregnating the female bloom with the farina of the male, in the fame manner as modern travellers have 
feen it performed.* But although it is now two thoufand years fince this author wrote, yet no progrefs was 
made in demonftrating the lexual lyftem of plants until this prefent century ; before which time, all the writers 
on botany, inftead of afcertaining what plants were of different fexes, mention male and female oaks, and 
other kinds of trees, that have both male and female bloom, on the fame plants. 
The utility of this kind of knowledge appears in the management of the Date-bearing Palm ; for want 
of attending to it, the cultivators of hemp frequently meet with confiderable difappointments : and it is pro- 
bable that the planters of hops, by their cuftom of deftroying the male plants, may alfo be fufferers. 
We do not remember that any of the early poets have mentioned the different fexes or mutual love of 
trees. Claudian, w'ho was well acquainted with Egypt, has very happily introduced it in his defeription 
pf the beautiful retreat of Venus in the If and of Cyprus. 
“ Vivunt in Venerem frondes , omnifque viciffim 
“ Fcelix arbor amat, nutant ad mutua palmee 
“ Feeder a, populeo fujpirat populus idtu 
“ Et platana platanis, alno ajfbilat alms 
“ Branches on branches twin'd compofe the grove, 
c - And Jhoot, and fpread, and blojfoiti into love: 
“ ’The trembling palms their mutual vows repeat, 
“ And bending poplars bending poplars meet: 
“ The d if ant platanes feem to prefs more nigh. 
And to th.e Jighing alders alders fgh." 
Eusden. 
The reader will determine how far this tranflation deferves the ceirfure that it lies tinder, and whether 
the following paffage that accompanies it is worthy of its author: “ As fibers, which are the lowe/l ofveze- 
tabks, are the moji gaudy and do many times grow in great plenty at the bottom of fends and ditches 1 ' Art 
pf finking in Poetry, publifhed by Pope. r 
®'Yid. Hasselquist. 
