. Studies of plant life in Canada, or, Gleanings from forest, lake and plain [microform]. Plants; Botany; Plantes; Botanique. IV/LO, OK NATIVE FLOWERS. 7» Strychnia is included, with others of evil reputation. There art Miany virtues as well as vices in our Milkweeds. The Apocynums have some worthy members in the family—sweets as well as bitters. In the " Hya-hya " of Demarara, we find the luscious Milktree, which with the Cream-fruit of Sierra Leone and some others redeem the charactei of this remarkable tribe of vegetables. Our own native Shrubby Milkweed has some marked peculiarit
. Studies of plant life in Canada, or, Gleanings from forest, lake and plain [microform]. Plants; Botany; Plantes; Botanique. IV/LO, OK NATIVE FLOWERS. 7» Strychnia is included, with others of evil reputation. There art Miany virtues as well as vices in our Milkweeds. The Apocynums have some worthy members in the family—sweets as well as bitters. In the " Hya-hya " of Demarara, we find the luscious Milktree, which with the Cream-fruit of Sierra Leone and some others redeem the charactei of this remarkable tribe of vegetables. Our own native Shrubby Milkweed has some marked peculiarities which deserve notice ; in common with all the Milkweeds it has a strong, fine, silky fibre in the bark, which can be drawn to a great degree of fineness ; and in one of the species, Apocynum cannabinunu Indian Hemp, is exceedingly tough and strong, and is said to have been used by the natives in lieu of thread. No doubt it can be put to such purpose. While many writers have dwelt upon the silk contained in the pods of the Milkweeds, suggesting the possible uses to which it might be applied, the ;nore valuable strong flaxen-tibre, which is superior in quality to hemp, seems in a large measure to have escaped public attention. The free growth of the common white-flowered Milkweed, which could be easily cultivated, growing readily, and attaining the height of three or four feet, would give a long thread easily divided into the finest strands, and might form a valuable addition in the manufacture of native Canadian fabrics. But I have already referred to this subject in another portion of my little work, so I will return again to my text. The ancient name Apocynum, is derived from two Greek words, signifying,—from a dog; to which this shrub was supposed to be injurious or baneful, whence its common name Dog-bane. Whether the plant deserves this reproach as regards dogs, I cannot say; but truth obliges me to confess that in its pretty treacherous bells many a poor incautiou
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade, booksubjectbotany, booksubjectplants
