The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-04
Poison in Plants.
Pretty Vines Which should be Avoided
Danger from Red Berries The atal JIM
son Weed.
PHILADELPHIA Times. I

and their elders can frollc among the flowers
to their hearts content and fear no evil con-
sequence; at the same time it is well 60
know what they should guard themselves
against.
The leading poisonous plant is commonly
known as the poison-vine, poison oak or poi
son ivy. 1t is a very graceful, abundant
climber, and sometimes festoons tree-trunks
and old fences. At a distance it strongly re-
sembles the beautiful Virginia creeper,
which is sometimes blamed for sins not its
own. But the two need never be confouud-
ed. The poison vine bears its leaves in clus-
tiers of threes- the Virginia creeper in clus-
tsrs of fives. With this simple rule in mind
one is always safe. But the poison vine,
dreaded as it universally is, is not equally
poisonous to everybody. Some persons
break out into rash if even the wind from
1t blows upon them; others can so among it,
and handle it with impunity. As rule, a
light person is instantly affected by it, while
dark one may escape unframed.
The poison-vine belongs to the same fami-
ly. Other members of this family are also
poisonous, the most virulent being the white
or lowland sumac, sometimes called poison
elder. This will scarcely be found in the
park or in the near neighborhood of Phila-
delphia, but when seen may be recognized
by its resemblance TO the well-known red SUI
mac, and by the circumstance of its growing
in marshes. The red sumac, however,
against which some hold strong prejudice
is not poisonous. Like the white, 1t is q
slow, spreading bush, with leaves remotely
resembling ferns and with singular, pyramid
shaped blossoms, the clusters of one, of
course, being red, the other white. Red SUI
mac generally inhabits dry, sandy hills. 1t
Is, perhaps, more easily recognized in the
autumn than earlier, on account of its beau
tiful red leaves, so effective in decoration.
Another very noxious swamp-plant is the
poison hemlock. This is large, coarse
plant. somewhat resembling parsnips or
wild carrots in bloom. 1t bears white um-
bells or umbrella-shaped blossoms. Some
plants are poisonous only when eaten, not
when merely touched; but ii is much safer
to let any suspected plant alone.
AS rule, any lily-like plant is safe But
there is one notable exception to this, in the
case of white hellebore. This may be found
in some low, damp, woody situations in the
Park. Its bright, green stems are rather tall
and spreading, its leaves are broad, long,
bright green, and deeply veined like those of
the beautiful white day lily of our gardens I;
and it bears spike of dark green blossoms
about the size of a cent, and these are in
form perfect lilies. The plant is sometimes
called Indian poke, and it does bear slight
resemblance to the better-known poke-weed,
in its leaves, at least.
Children are nsnaoiallv attrapfpd nv rod
berries. But unless they know exactly to
what plant the red berries belong they had
better not touch them, for though there are
many innocent ones, there are others that
are not so. The deadly nightshade bears
red berries which are easily mistaken for
currants. It might be well to remember that
these grow on coarse, scraggy plant. The
respectable berries, however, are easily iden-
titled. The partridge berry grows on a
dainty little round-leaved vine running over
the ground in high, rich woods. The tea
berry is borne on the summit of a tiny, CLOS
sy-leaved plant, whose leaves themselves are
very fragrant. These two are almost the on
ly eatable red berries, though if anybody
wanted to chew the scarlet fruit of-the rose,
dogwood, or asparagus, no great harm would
be done.
Eldeiberries, baackberries, raspberries and
the like are well known and safe. There are
any number Sof blueberries. The eatabe
ones are SS6e Luckleberries, whortleberHes,
or those growing on the various bushes Of
the Vaccinium tribe, which may be reeog-
nized as delicate-leaved plants, bearing in
June clusters of dainty white blossoms re-
sembling the bells of the lily of the valley.
Some species of dogwood and the greenbrier
bear blue berries, which are at least useless
but few will NEEDLE with them on ac-
count of the height of the trees and the
prickliness of the briars. Cranberries,
which are allied to the huckleber-
ries, are safe, if sour, though they
are red and are not found in
this immediate neighborhood. Sheepberries
are very pleasant. They are almost black,
grow in spreading clusters, and are the fruit
of the Vibernum, or wild SNOWFALL tree
Poke-berries are to be regarded with suspi-
cion, though there is no objection, except on
the score of cleanliness, to children staining
their faces with them, provided they do not
put them in their mouths.
Any plant bearing blossom which re-
sembles that of potato is to be avoided.
Strange to say, the same family includes the
valuable potato, tomato and egg plant and
the noxious night shade and belladonna. 1t
is well known that potato seeds, tomato
stems and egg plant juice are poisonous to
some. The blossoms of all these. plants are
very much alike, so that few but botanists
can tell which are innocent and which are
not. Nightshade is frequently found grow
ing where it is least expected.
People have been accustomed to regard
the buttercup as harmless-but it isn't.
Not that it is poisonous, but it is most terri
bly, acrid. Simply bite upon it and it will
burn the tongue like a mustard plaster.
Cows will not touch buttercups, but will eat
the fields bare around them. There are sew
eral species of buttercups, not so snowy as
the one best known, but much more fiery.
One variety appropriately bears the name Of
cursed crowfoot. These plants are frequent
ly seen beside creeks and in damp places.
There is another plant, every part Of
which seems to burn like coal of fire.
This is poisonous, all the more dangerous
from the fact that it is so Insignificant and
inconspicuous in appearance. 1t is the Lo-
bella lnfata. This is very abundant, grow
ing in almost every grassy or weedy place.
So much 30 that one can scarcely take a
country walk anywhere without finding It,
1t may be known by its short, branching
stem, small, pointed, downy leaves, tiny,
pale blue, irregular blossoms and proper
tionally large, neutrality-suspicious. or seed We :
sells.
One more poisonous plant will nearly ex-
haust the list. This is the jamestown or
'jimson" weed. 1t is a large, snowy plant
and seems to delight in waste places and old,
neglected gardens. 1t has stout stems,
large, rough leaves, and very pretty, though
strong-scented blossoms, tubular in shape,
and white, shading into pale purple or yell
low in color. The seed vessels are very
large and prickly Cultivated varieties Of
jamestown are very handsome, They may
be seen in ali their elegance in ornamental
grounds or at Georges Hill in the Park.
To the above might be added "sour grass"
or sorrel, as this contains oxalic acid, and as
children are fond of eating it. But this will
only prove hurtfIl when eaten in large
quantities, as the proportion of acid con
tanned in the leaves and stems separately is
very small Peach leaves are more to be
dreaded, as they contain prussic acid, and
In greater amount.
The safe plants are usually those resem-
bling, In general characteristics, roses, lilies,
daisies, mint, honeysuckles, huckleberries,
beans, pinks, morning glories, cabbage bios
SONS, EeVening primroses and violets.
Doubtful or injurious ones often resemble
buttercups, peoples, potatoes, fox-gloves and
parsnips, though some Of our most beautiful
and valuable plants belong to these same or
ders. But the principal exceptions have
been pointed out above.