ON  THE  MEDICINAL  PLANTS  OF  CHEROKEE  GEORGIA.  68 
cast  iron  pots  upon  which  are  luted  tin  or  sheet  iron  caps,  and 
the  vapor  is  condensed  in  the  ordinary  copper  worm.  No  water 
is  introduced  with  the  turpentine.  The  heat  is  badly  applied, 
so  that  a  portion  of  the  rosin  is  often  decomposed,  and  the  spirits 
somewhat  contaminated  with  rosin-oil.  When  brought  to  us 
fresh  from  the  still,  the  oil  of  turpentine  is  almost  wholly  free  from 
the  odor  and  taste  termed  tsrebinthinate,  which  it  acquires  by 
exposure.  The  flavor  of  pine  bark  freshly  stripped  from  the 
tree,  is  scarcely,  more  acceptable  than  the  recently  distilled  oil. 
Podophyllum  peltatum  is  very  abundant  in  low,  moist  woods. 
In  many  spots  the  roots  may  be  obtained  almost  as  rapidly  as 
potatoes  from  the  cultivated  field,  so  thickly  do  they  grow.  It 
is  much  used  in  domestic  and  steam  practice. 
Prunus  Virginiana  is  very  abundant,  and  much  used,  both  the 
bark  and  berries. 
Sanguinaria  is  found  abundantly  scattered  all  through  our 
forests.    Much  used  under  the  name  puccoon  root. 
Menispermum  Canadensis  is  very  abundant  in  low  grounds 
along  our  rivers  and  small  streams ;  much  used  as  a  tonic  and  altera- 
tive.   It  almost  entirely  replaces  the  Smilax  officinalis  with  us. 
Sassafras  overruns  our  waste  lands,  and  is  usually  considered 
a  never  failing  indication  of  the  poverty  of  the  soil  upon  which 
it  grows.  Sassafras  tea  is  a  panacea  with  many;  the  pith  is  also 
much  used. 
Senega  is  found  easily  for  domestic  use.  Whether  it  could 
be  obtained  in  quantities  sufficiently  large  to  make  it  an  article 
of  regular  export,  I  am  unable  to  say. 
Serpentaria  is  much  more  abundant,  and  could  I  think  be  made 
profitable.  This  is  also  much  used.  Two  varieties  are  found 
and  used  indiscriminately.  The  distinctions  between  the  two 
I  have  not  examined  with  any  care;  they  are  probably  contained 
in  the  books. 
Spigelia  is  very  abundant.  It  is  occasionally  offered  in  small 
lots  for  sale.    It  has  gone  much  out  of  use  with  us. 
Stillingia  is  indigenous,  and  used  to  some  extent.  I  have  not 
found  it  very  abundant. 
Stramonium  is  our  "jimson"  weed — a  great  pest. 
Taraxacum  is  never  found  indigenous  in  our  soil, 
