New-York daily tribune., 1854-09-01
New:Uork Daily @ibn,,e
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
sUMAC.

tn fl> Editor Of Them Y Tr6sne
Sn. The Scilian Sumac is rather tender
shrub for any latitude north Of New-fork. 1t
would succeed in New-Jersey and to the south oil
IL. With regard to our native suinac we have
fcur. and perhaps FIVE, species that possess sui
srlenry Of tapnn TO render them valuable for
Aamestc use aud for commerce. III VIII be
rsop;s;te 10 test them all in order 20 select the
prefersble species for extensive culture Inc
rr.scies foupd I'D common in neglected fields aud
.ionc the rosdsides is the Rss gtabrum, producing
crimson berries in large clusters, and IT Is THIS
,wbich has been already made use OF 10 some ex-
tent more especially IN Connecnent ana othcr
eastern States. Its usual hight is about 4! feet.
taller growing species s also quite common,
and il the Rhms fvphinsm. 1t usually attalns the
HIGHT of Toto " feet or more, with small clusters
oS J;nov red berries third species Is Rhus
ro,oL,Trm. which is quite common in dry woods
ana fields, more especially where the soil is sandy.
This soecies has more resemblance to the Sicilian
,umac' than any other American species in It's
foliage and its gray bark and growth II attains
n hieht of "a to S feet, and produces dull, red
ish berries in small clusters. should incline to
the belief that this is the preferable native species
for tanning and fortunately it is disseminated far
10 the south and west though seldom found north
of New.York. The Indians of the Mississippi
and Missouri make use Of the leaves Of this species
"A tobacco fourth species is Rhus aromaticum,
which il not found in this State or TO the north OF
east Of it. Its most northern limit is Pennsylvs
mia thence extending 10 Carolina and to Ken
tucky. This is q shrub Of about four feet in hight,
with !ritoiate leaves, which distinguish 1t from all
the other species. 1t grows naturally In moist
localities. The leaves when rubbed emit very
strong Odor. The four species have described
do all possess tannin TO greater or less extent.
Aff,ll species, in regard to which have doubts,
is the Klps rsrnir, or poison sumac tree. This
is fOuad usually in low grounds, and attaiDs a
hight of eight to ten feet. The leaves are pinnate
and resemble those of the ash SO much that it is
often called poison ash. Its berries are white.
Every part OF this small tree is poisonous, not
only IN it's growing state, but, as ! am assured
ky those who have suffered from it, even when
vegetation has ceased and no sap is flowing
Having now reviewed all the species which may
be applied to the object desired, will refer to
Chinese species, Rhus succedaRxm, from which the
red lac is made and which might be introduced
and cultivated here. 1t is singular that so many
useful ED SO many poisonous shrubs should be
comprised in one genus. In addition to the poi
scnous species already described, we have in
plenty around us, Rhus torieodendron or poison
IVY vine which runs over so many fences, and
climbs so many trees, and in Pennsyl sylvana and Vir-
ginia Khas rsid!aOrum, also very poisonous, and
there is also khns pumiiam dwarf shrub found
most plentifplly in Vermont and Lower Canada,
and also said to gov in Upper Carolina, which
is deemed the most pOinsonous of all. In Cali
fornia they have the yedra or Rhas ciride which
abounds in the mining districts, growing under
the OAK trees and is the only plant there that
looks green AMI AOurisbiDg during the torrid
heat of summer. Most woefully have
the miners suffered from this poisOnou,
plant. In the Island of Java there is poi-Onou,
species, Rhus Jdranieu, so celebrated for its dele.
tesiQus properties that it has been sometimes con.
fused with the bohon upas tree of fabulous notO-
riety There is another species found a: Macoa,
and one in Barbary, and above dozen species are
natives of the region about the Cape Of Good Hope,
but OF these the peculiar properties are unknown.
Yours, very respectfully. w. II. PRINCE.