62 
SOUTHEEN CULTIVATOE. 
ries are being made by the many who are the unfortunate 
victims of these painful diseases, and since it does not 
grow in these diggin’s, there are many who wish to be 
referred to some one where it does grow, who could show 
or send a specimen by mail. If I do so, and those to 
whom I refer should consider it assuming, or an intrusion, 
I beg pardon. It has been near fifteen years since I have 
seen ^ growing. I have travelled 300 miles N. E,, and 
near 600 S. W. from here, and have frequently looked for 
it, and never saw any, though it was in the winter sea- 
son, when I Would be the less likely to see it than in sum- 
mer. I never have heard of any being seen west ofWe- 
turapka, Ala. I presume it can be found almost any 
where east of the Coosa river. I know it grows abundant- 
ly on and near some streams in Randolph and Chambers 
counties, Ala., particularly on the Weadka Creek, which 
empties into the Chattahoochee river between Vernon and 
West Point. It also grows in Heard, Troup, Bibb, Mon- 
roe and Jones counties, in Georgia. Wm. C. Williamson, 
of Louino, Randolph county, Geo., or John McLain, of 
Fredania, Chambers county, Alabama, could show it 
to any person, or if requested, could next summer forward 
a specimen to the Cultivator Office, which could be ex- 
hibited engraved. Here I will inform one inquirer, who 
wished to have some sent to him — my experience is it 
must be applied fresh. I once brought some here in 
liquor from Alabama, a distance of 300 miles, when it be- 
came so much impaired it would not draw a blister at all. 
And to the sufferer who sues for relief in this way, let me 
say, you would do well to summon up all the fortitude 
you can rake and scrape, as it v/ill doubtless jDe taxed 
much beyond your anticipation. I knew a negro woman 
whose owners would or could not control her, who had 
it applied to both her feet; she became so inveterate she 
took it off and put her feet in cold water. Fortunately for 
her, the blisters came after awhile, and she was cured ; 
but I regarded that as almost accidental, as the directions 
were not complied with. I do not talk thus to deter any, 
but there are many v/ho are so chicken-hearted, and pos- 
sess such a peculiar temperament that it becomes necessa- 
ry for them to screw themselves up to the sticking point, 
in order to meet the crisis, Caesar-like. Tell it not in Gath. 
It is almost like standing on fire all the time it is drawing. 
It should stay on from six to twelve hours, and then take 
off, when it will be perhaps twelve hours more, or longer, 
before the blister will be ready to clip ; up to this time it 
will be painful. Then treat it as any other blister. 
This vine is not confined to low lands, but grows most 
abundant near streams, delighting to run along fences, 
sometimes perhaps several yards ; it will also run up 
bushes upwards of ten feet, and cluster and twdne about 
them similar to a grape vine. I never saw any run up a 
tree. A recent bloom shows a lively and beautiful ap- 
pearance, and when dry in the fall presents a fuzzy, 
brown appearance, near the shape and size of a pine burr, 
which contains the seed, similar to rhubarb seed. The 
leaves are broad, oblong, smooth on the surface and edge. 
Stem of an old, thrifty vine at the ground perhaps as 
large as your finger. The roots are fev/, white, running 
straight downward very deep, generally as large near the 
surface as a goose-quill, resembling nothing so much as 
the Sampson snake-root. 
Dire<^ns . — Take of the bruised root a small quaatity, 
and put it on a piece of leather or colewort leaf, about the 
size of a half dollar, and let it remain from six to twelve 
hours. Dampen it a little when it becomes dry, but not 
enough to make it run, as it will take all the skin ofl 
where it goes. It should invariably be put on the feet, no 
matter what part is affected. If only one side is attacked, 
apply only to one foot ; otherwise to both. I assert, 
from the history of my experience in the matter, it will 
sure both recent and cases of long standing, chronic and in- 
flammatory, where it is not the consequence of poisoning 
drugs. Were it not for protracting this article, to the ex- 
clusion of something more interesting to the many, I would 
give the outlines of a fev.'’ cases ; but propriety forbids. 
One may suffice. About the year 18*25, my father then 
living in Bibb co., Geo., had a valuable young negro man 
taken with rheumatic pains, which in a few months af- 
fected him so bad, and he was in so mucfi pain continual- 
ly, that he never pretended to leave his cabin. He from 
the first had the best medical attendance that could be 
procured. His sufferings became intensely severe, and 
he was almost reduced to despair. At length father heard 
of an old man going about, at that time operating in an 
adjacent county, who professed to cure such cases, and 
made no other pretensions. He cured for $25, and had 
nothing if he failed. He v/as sent for and engaged upon; 
those terms. He went out on father’s land and procured the 
roots, and made the application, and no less remarkable- 
than true, the boy was enabled to go to plowing before 
he could walk barefoot upon his blistered feet. He has 
ever remained healthy, and he is still in the family, and 
perfectly sound, so far as pains are concerned. The ap- 
plication should be moistened with vinegar. I apprehend 
cattle destroy this vine where they eat out the range. 
One enquirer informs me his is a complicated case of five 
years standing, of neuralgia and rheumatism, occasioned 
by taking mercury during a protracted spell of sickness. 
The voice of suffering humanity verging on despair is 
importunate, and very loth to “give up the ship” — hoping 
perchance there may be some “balm in Gilead.” I would 
recommend him to try this remedy, and repeat the appli- 
cation twice, or even thrice, il relief is not sooner obtained. 
A. T. P. 
Cadaretta P. O. January, 1855. 
Remarks. — Our journal is scarcely the proper medium 
for communications of this character — yet, as considera- 
ble interest has been manifested in the specific of our cor- 
respondent, and as we v/ould not willingly neglect an. 
opportunity of benefitting suffering humanity, we cheer- 
fully give it place. We were, however, obliged to omit 
the onslaught of our friend upon the mercurial remedies 
of “old school” physicians; for the obvious reason that it 
would, if published, give rise to an endless amount of 
discussion on a subject with which we, as agriculturists, 
have no concern. — Eds. 
EOTATIOH OF FOREST TRESS. 
There are millions of acres of pine forests which pre- 
sent an even surface for tillage, whose improvem.ent for 
continued and profitable cultivation, is a matter of great 
moment. If their virgin soils do not exhibit an acid re- 
action, they at least possess too little of alkaline ingredi- 
ents for high agricultural productiveness. We have been 
astonished at the benefits that accrued from theapplication 
of marl and shell lime to these virgin earths in which 
there was no lack of organic substances. V/here potash 
came from that existed in such large crops of wheat and 
corn, appeared a mystery. Lime seemed to bring it out 
from its before insoluble silicates. Indeed, wc can ac- 
count for the natural fertility in the Southern peninsula of 
Maryland and those districts of Virginia and Georgia 
where marl abounds, which we have visited, in no other 
way. In an acre of wheat or corn there is five times 
more potash than lime ; while the amount of soluble pot- 
ash in natural pine-bearing soils is exceedingly small. A 
pine tree when burnt yields but little ashes, and they are 
not rich in potash. Pine leaves, however, yield pound for 
pound, twelve times more ashes than pine wood ; and it 
is mainly the annual fall of leaves on the surface of the- 
ground, giving alkalies drawn from the deep subsoil,, 
as well as organized carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, that- 
