Mr. Bartram was of opinion, that the apple tree was brought into America by the Europeans, and that it never was there before their arrival. But he looked upon peaches as an original American fruit, and as growing wild in the greatest part of America. Others again were of opinion, that they were first brought over by the Europeans. But all the French in Canada agreed, that on the banks of the river Missisippi and in the country thereabouts peaches were found growing wild in great quantity.[22]
September the 27th. The tree which the English here call Persimon, is the Diospyros Virginiana of Linnæus. It grows for the greatest part in wet places, round the water pits. I have already mentioned that the fruits of this tree are extremely bitter and sharp before they are quite ripe, and that being eaten in that state they quite [[128]]contract ones mouth, and have a very disagreeable taste. But as soon as they are ripe, which does not happen till they have been quite softened by the frost, they are a very agreeable fruit. They are here eaten raw, and seldom any other way. But in a great book, which contains a description of Virginia, you meet with different ways of preparing the Persimon, under the article of that name. Mr. Bartram, related that they were commonly put upon the table amongst the sweet-meats, and that some people made a tolerably good wine of them. Some of these Persimon fruits were dropped on the ground in his garden, and were almost quite ripe, having been exposed to a great degree of the heat of the sun. We picked up a few and tasted them, and I must own that those who praised this fruit as an agreeable one, have but done it justice. It really deserves a place among the most palatable fruit of this country, when the frost has thoroughly conquered its acrimony.
The Verbascum Thapsus, or great white Mullein, grows in great quantity on roads, in hedges, on dry fields, and high meadows of a ground mixed with sand. The Swedes here call it the tobacco of the savages, but owned, that they did not know whether [[129]]or no the Indians really used this plant instead of tobacco. The Swedes are used to tie the leaves round their feet and arms, when they have the ague. Some of them prepared a tea from the leaves, for the dysentery. A Swede likewise told me, that a decoction of the roots was injected into the wounds of the cattle which are full of worms, which killed these worms, and made them fall out.[23]
September the 28th. The meadows which are surrounded by wood, and were at present mown, have a fine lively verdure. On the contrary when they lie on hills, or in open fields, or in some elevated situation, especially so that the sun may be able to act upon them without any obstacles, their grass looks brown and dry. Several people from Virginia told me, that on account of the great heat and drought, the meadows and pastures almost always had a brown colour, and looked as if they were burnt. The inhabitants of those parts do not therefore enjoy the pleasure which a European [[130]]feels at the sight of our verdant, odoriferous meadows.
The American Nightshade, or the Phytolacca decandra, grows abundantly in the fields, and under the trees, on little hills. Its black berries are now ripe. We observed to day some little birds with a blue plumage, and of the size of our Hortulans and Yellow Hammers (Emberiza Citrinella and Emberiza Hortulanus) flying down from the trees, in order to settle upon the nightshade and eat its berries.
Towards night I went to Mr. Bartram’s country seat.
September the 29th. The Gnaphalium margaritaceum, grows in astonishing quantities upon all uncultivated fields, glades, hills, and the like. Its height is different according to its different soil and situation. Sometimes it is very ramose, and sometimes very little. It has a strong, but agreeable smell. The English call it Life everlasting; for its flowers, which consist chiefly of dry, shining, silvery leaves (Folia calycina) do not change when dried. This plant is now every where in full blossom. But some have already lost the flowers, and are beginning to drop the seeds. The English ladies were used to gather great quantities of this Life everlasting, and to pluck them [[131]]with the stalks. For they put them into pots with or without water, amongst other fine flowers which they had gathered both in the gardens and in the fields, and placed them as an ornament in the rooms. The English ladies in general are much inclined to have fine flowers all the summer long, in or upon the chimneys, sometimes upon a table, or before the windows, either on account of their fine appearance, or for the sake of their sweet scent. The Gnaphalium above-mentioned, was one of those, which they kept in their rooms during the winter, because its flowers never altered from what they were when they stood in the ground. Mr. Bartram told me another use of this plant. A decoction of the flowers and stalks is used to bathe any pained or bruised part, or it is rubbed with the plant itself tied up in a bag.
Instead of flax several people made use of a kind of Dog’s bane, or Linnæus’s Apocynum cannabinum. The people prepared the stalks of this plant, in the same manner as we prepare those of hemp or flax. It was spun and several kinds of stuffs were woven from it. The savages are said to have had the art of making bags, fishing-nets, and the like, for many centuries together, before the arrival of the Europeans. [[132]]
I asked Mr. Bartram, whether he had observed in his travels, that the water was fallen, and that the sea had formerly covered any places which were now land. He told me, that from what he had experienced, he was convinced that the greatest part of this country, even for several miles together, had formerly been under water. The reasons which led him to give credit to this opinion, were the following.
1. On digging in the blue mountains, which are above three hundred English miles distant from the sea, you find loose oyster and other sorts of shells, and they are also likewise to be met with in the vallies formed by these mountains.