81 
the purposes just mentioned ; but there is a newly discov¬ 
ered species having much smaller leaves than the other, 
and growing nearly in the same plenty, which will be found 
to answer better.* * * § The silk or cotton taken from the pods 
of the Asclepias when ripe, has been manufactured into 
hats, and has also been spun into yarn of which cloth has 
been made, which vies with silk in lustre.f 
The advantages of introducing into this country the culti¬ 
vation of the Vine have been frequently and strikingly ex¬ 
hibited. I shall only mention that a colony of enterprising 
Swiss, who settled in the Indiana Territory, have plant¬ 
ed vineyards of the Bordeaux, Madeira and other grapes ; 
and they have sent from their wine presses last season large 
quantities of claret, not inferior to that imported from France. 
By an advertisement in a newspaper published at Cincinna¬ 
ti, in the state of Ohio, it appears that a merchant of that 
place has a large supply of this red wine for sale ; and that 
a quantity of Madeira is expected from the vineyards to 
which I have referred.:{: § 
Though not critically proper in a discussion on botany, I 
may be allowed the liberty of introducing in this place a 
few observations on some colouring vegetables. The late 
discovery of the Zanthorrhiza tinctoria in the United States 
promises to be extensively useful. This shrub is found on 
the Alleghany ridge from Virginia to Georgia, and it prob¬ 
ably may be found on most of the upland country. The ex¬ 
tract or even decoction of the whole plant, forms a fine yel¬ 
low dye, which may be varied by saturation or dilution, from 
the brightest straw colour to the deepest orange. In com¬ 
bination with indigo or most other blues, all the different 
shades of green may be produced. The stain which it 
makes on cloth is not apt to fade or wear off, and it may 
* This Asclepias has been sent to Dr. Muhlenberg for a name, 
fin France this cotton is known by the name of Virginia silk, and 
coverlets, stockings and gloves are made of it. 
t See Columbian, by Albany Register, July 18th, 1813. 
§ Anew species of cluster gooseberry grows on the Alleghany ridge, 
which yields a wine nearly equal to that from the grape. 
