The leaves of most trees were yet quite green, such as those of oaks, chesnut trees, black walnut trees, hiccory, tulip trees, and sassafras. The two latter species are found in plenty on the sides of the little woods, on hills, on the fallow fields, near hedges, and on the road. The persimon likewise had still its leaves; however some trees of this kind had dropt them. The leaves of the American bramble were at present almost entirely red, though some of these bushes yet retained a lively green in the leaves. The Cornelian cherry likewise had already a mixture of brown and pale leaves. The leaves of the red maple were also red.
I continued my journey to Chichester, a borough upon the Delaware, where travellers pass the river in a ferry. They build here every year a number of small ships for sale. From an iron work which [[161]]lies higher in the country, they carry iron bars to this place, and ship them.
Canoes are boats made of one piece of wood, and are much in use with the farmers, and other people upon the Delaware, and some little rivers. For that purpose a very thick trunk of a tree is hollowed out; the red juniper or red cedar tree, the white cedar, the chesnut tree, the white oak, and the tulip tree are commonly made use of for this purpose. The canoes made of red and white cedar are reckoned the best, because they swim very light upon the water, and last twenty years together. But of these, the red cedar canoes are most preferable. Those made of chesnut trees will likewise last for a good while. But those of white oak are hardly serviceable above six years, and also swim deep, because they are so heavy. The Liquidambar tree, or Liquidambar styraciflua, Linn. is big enough but unfit making canoes, because it imbibes the water. The canoes which are made of the tulip tree, scarce last as long as those of white oak. The size of the canoes is different, according to the purposes they are destined for. They can carry six persons; who however, must by no means be unruly, but sit at the bottom of the canoe in the quietest manner [[162]]possible, lest the boat overset. The Swedes in Pensylvania and New Jersey near the rivers, have no other boats to go to Philadelphia in, which they commonly do twice a week on the market days, though they be several miles distant from the town, and meet sometimes with severe storms; yet misfortunes from the oversetting, &c; of these canoes are seldom heard of, though they might well be expected on account of the small size of this kind of boats. However a great deal of attention and care is necessary in managing the canoes, when the wind is somewhat violent; for they are narrow, round below, have no keel, and therefore may easily be overset. Accordingly when the wind is more brisk than ordinary, the people make for the land.
The common garden cresses grow in several places on the roads about Chichester, and undoubtedly come from the seeds, which were by chance carried out of the many gardens about that town.
The American brambles are here in great plenty. When a field is left uncultivated, they are the first plants that appear on it; and I frequently observed them in such fields as are annually ploughed, and have corn sown on them. For when these bushes are once rooted, they are not easily extirpated. [[163]]Such a bush runs out tendrils sometimes four fathoms off its root, and then throws a new root, so that on pulling it up, you meet with roots on both ends. On some old grounds, which had long been uncultivated, there were so many bushes of this kind, that it was very troublesome and dangerous walking in them. A wine is made of the berries, as I have already mentioned. The berries are likewise eaten when they are ripe, and taste well. No other use is made of them.
October the 6th. The Chenopodium anthelminticum is very plentiful on the road, and on the banks of the river, but chiefly in dry places in a loose sandy soil. The English who are settled here, call it Wormseed and Jerusalem Oak. It has a disagreeable scent. In Pensylvania and New Jersey its seeds are given to children, against the worms, and for that purpose they are excellent. The plant itself is spontaneous in both provinces.
The environs of Chichester, contain many gardens, which are full of apple trees, sinking under the weight of innumerable apples. Most of them are winter fruit, and therefore were yet quite sour. Each farm has a garden, and so has each house of the better sort. The extent of these gardens is [[164]]likewise not inconsiderable, and therefore affords, the possessor all the year long, great supplies in his house-keeping, both for eating and drinking. I frequently was surprized at the prudence of the inhabitants of this country. As soon as one has bought a piece of ground, which is neither built upon nor sown, his first care is to get young apple trees, and to make a garden. He next proceeds to build his house, and lastly prepares the uncultivated ground to receive corn. For it is well known that the trees require many years before they arrive to perfection, and this makes it necessary to plant them first. I now perceived near the farms, mills, wheels, and other instruments which are made use of in crushing the apples, in order to prepare cyder from them afterwards.
From Chichester I went on towards Philadelphia. The oaks were the most plentiful trees in the wood. But there were several species of them, all different from the European ones. The swine now went about in great herds in the oak woods, where they fed upon the acorns which fell in great abundance from the trees. Each hog had a wooden triangular yoke about its neck, by which it was hindered from penetrating through the holes in the enclosures; and [[165]]for this reason, the enclosures are made very slender, and easy to put up, and do not require much wood. No other enclosures are in use, but those which are so like sheep hurdles. A number of squirrels were in the oak woods, partly running on the ground, and partly leaping from one branch to another; and at this time they chiefly fed upon acorns.
I seldom saw beach trees; but I found them quite the same with the European ones. Their wood is reckoned very good for making joiner’s planes of.
I do not remember seeing any other than the black Ants, or Formica nigra in Pensylvania. They are as black as a coal, and of two sorts, some very little, like the least of our ants, and others of the size of our common reddish ants. I have not yet observed any hills of theirs, but only seen some running about singly. In other parts of America, I have likewise found other species of ants, as I intend to remark in the sequel.