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Enclosure: Plants of the Ouachita River Region, February 1805

Enclosure: Plants of the Ouachita River Region

List of Vegetables (perhaps non-descripts) from the River Washita

Racine à Chevreuil (Deer’s root) This root is a globular farinaceous body from the size of a hen’s egg to that of a Mellon; it is without stem, leaf or any part above ground, & there are scarsely any perceptible fibres in the form of roots connected with the principal body. It is covered by a fibrous thin husk of a blackish brown Colour. It is found 2 or 3 inches under the surface, growing in mellow ground. The Deer is fond of feeding upon it, by which it is discovered to the hunters, who make of it a nourishing food: they reduce it to a flour and mix it with indian meal & bake it in form of bread under the ashes, &c

Patate à Chevreuil. (Deer’s potatoe) This vegetable is found generally on or near the banks of the river, subject to accasional inundation; the root swells to the Size of the thumb or more from 1 to 4 or 5 inches in length, soft & pulpy, full of an agreeable Saccarine Juice; it shoots above ground into a small trailing plant or short vine bearing in the fall a species of peas in pods, of which a small sample is enclosed.

Bois d’Arc (Bow-wood) or yellow wood said to resemble fustic; it is extremely elastic, and used by the Indians for both Bows and arrows, from whence it derives its name. This is a very handsome ornamental tree; its foliage possesses the briliancy of that of the orange tree which it greatly resembles in Summer, but is not an evergreen. It grows to the size of a foot or more in diameter; its flowers are said to be white and are followed by a fruit which grows to the magnitude of an Ostrige’s egg and nearly of the Colour and briliancy of pale gold: the bark of the tree is also yellowish and scaley in the manner of the Dog-wood bark; its branches are numerous crossing each other and armed with short strong thorns; it would probably make beautiful strong and durable hedges. The fruit contains many seeds resembling, but larger than, those of the orange but without any pulp or juice: I have seen one of the trees six inches in diameter, from which I procured some Cions and cuttings with the view of propagating the tree. some imperfect attempts have been made to dye with it; it is expected that it may furnish a yellow; upon the whole this tree may be expected to be a great acquisition being highly ornamental, and perhaps may serve as a Stock, upon which to graft the orange, lemon &c

Dwarf Cabbage—This was found upon a high ridge near the hot-springs, growing in rich black mold amidst masses of flinty rock; it was not confined to a particular spot, but extended along the ridge at least half a league, it is not therefore probable that the seed of this plant was dropt there by any of the hunters; I conclude it to be indiginous. The Colour of the leaf inclines to the purple; altho’ the taste of the Cabbage is predominant yet there is a mixture of that of the raddish, which proves very agreeable & it might be eaten raw as a sallad; the root resembles the horse-raddish in form, colour and taste, but much milder—a few of the plants are thriving in my garden.

Bois à Cabane—(Cabin wood.) so named from its pliancy in the construction of the indian hut; there is nothing very particular in the appearance of this small tree or shrub, excepting one circumstance, which to me is a singularity. many trees form their buds or blossoms shut up in a Case or Covering in the fall of the year ready to burst open with the reanimating warmth of the Spring Season; but this vegetable actually flowers in the winter after the fall of the leaf; its blossoms consist of four short & four longer petals ⅜ and ¾ of an inch, the longer being narrow & Slender, of the order monogynia and Class Tetrandria; the flower is of a dull yellowish colour, hardy & not liable to be injured by Cold; it probably exists all winter; the tree is deciduous. a few of the plants have a place in my garden.

Osier. a Species of Willow or Osier found growing out of the gravel beaches in the upper parts of the Washita river, not found below, and subject to be entirely covered by freshes. a few plants were brought down.

Cantac—This is the indian name of the root of an evergreen beautiful vine: the hunters convert this root as well as that of the China briar into a nourishing & palatable meal or flour by pounding and washing. The root is bulbous or rather very bulky, extending itself much under ground.

Wild hemp. I have not seen this.

Wild goose berry—Bears a diminutive dark reddish fruit.

L’Herbe à Joseph—a very efficacious vulnerary.

L’Herbe au Crocodile. Idem.

Racine rouge.—Removes female obstructions—Dyes red with the China root.

Hickory—perhaps a new variety bearing an excellent oblong and flat nut.

Grape Vines—It is supposed some are new & of excellent quality, both black, (or rather purple) and yellow. Several plants have been brought away in order to ascertain their qualities.

MS (PPAmP); in Dunbar’s hand. Printed in John Francis McDermott, ed., “The Western Journals of Dr. George Hunter, 1796-1805,” APS description begins American Philosophical Society description ends , Transactions, new ser., 53, pt. 4 (1963), 121-2.

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