Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-21

Pretty Vines Which Should be Avoid.
e0-DanXer from He'd Berries-The
Fatal Unison Weed-P0ints Where
the Poison Turks.
From the Philadelphia Times.

| lively dreaded. As Mrs. Browning saws nettles
are common, but good, green grass more COM
| mon STILL In general children and their elders
can froc among the flowers to their hearts
content and fear no evil consequence; at the
| same time. it is well to know what they should
! guard themselves against
The leading poisonous plant is that commonly
known as the pO;son-vne. poson-oak or poison
| Ivy. 1t is very graceful, abundant climber,
ana sometimes festoons tree-trunks and old
fences. At a distance 1t strongly resembles the
beautiful Virginia-creeper. which is sometimes
blamed for sins not its own. But the two need
| never be cOnfOunded The poison vine bears
its leaves in clusters of threes-the Virginia
| creeper in clusters of ives. With this simple
rule in mind one is \lways 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 it blows
upon them; others can go among it and handle
| it with impunity. AS rule, light person is
| instantly affected by it, while dark one may
escape unframed
THE POIsON-vINE.
The pOisOn-vlne Belongs to the sumac family
Other members of this family are also poison
| Gus, the most virulent being the white or low
land sumac, sometimes called poison-elder This
will scarcely be found in the park or in the near
neighborhOod of Philadelphia but when seen
may be recognized by its resemblance to the
Well-known red sumac, and by the circumstance
| OF its growing i'm marshes The red sumac how
/ ever, against which some hold a strong preju-
! dice, Is not poisonous Like the white it is a
! low, spreading bush, with leaves remotely re-
| sembliBg ferns, and with singular. pyramid
| shaped blossoms. the clusters of one. of course
being red. the other white. Red sumac gener-
ally inhabits dry. sandy hills. 1t is. perhaps
more easily recognized in the autumn than ear
lier, on account of it's beautiful 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 umbels or umbrella
shaped blossoms. Some plants are poisonous
only when eaten, not when merely touched;
out It 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
It's bright green stems are rather tall and
spreading. its leaves are broad, long. bright
green and deeply vened like those Of the beau
tful white day lily of our gardens: and it bears
spike of dark green blossoms about the size of
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.
DANGER FROM RED BERRIES
Children are especially attracted by red ber-
ries. But unless they know exactly to what
plant the red berries belong they had better not
touch them, for though there are many inno-
cent ones, there are others that are not So The
deadly ni9htshade bears red berries which are
easily mistaken for currants. 1t might be we'll
TO remember that these grow on q coarse
scraggy plant. The respectable berries how
ever. are easily identified. The partridge berry
grows on dainty little round leaved vine run
ming over the ground in high, rich woods. The
tea-berry is borne on the summit of q tiny,
gl0ssy-leaved plant. whose leaves themselves
are very fragrant These two are almost the
only eatable red berries. though if ANYBODY
wanted to chew the scarlet fruit of the rose,
dogWood or asparagus, no great harm would be
done.
EiderbeTrles. blackberries, raspberries and the
ike are We'll known and safe. There are any
number OF biueberrieS The eatable ones are
the huckleberries. whOrtleberries or those
growing on the various bushes Of the Vaccinium
tribe which may be recognized as delicately-
leaved plants, bearing in June clusters Of dainty
white blossoms resembling the bells of the lily
OF the valley. Some species of do@wOod and
the greenbrier bear blue berries which are at
least useiess-but few will NEEDLE with then on
account of the height of the trees and the prick
illness of the briars. Cranberries which are allied
| to the huckleberries are safe il sour though
they are red and are not found in this immediate
neighbOrhoOd. Sheepberries are very pleasant
They are almost black, grow in spreading cus-
tiers and are the fruit of the Viburnum, or wild
SNOWFALL tree. POkeberries are to be regarded
with suspicion. 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.
PLANTS TO BE AVOIDED.
Any plant bearing blossom which resembles
that of a potato is to be avoided. Strange to
say. the same family includes the valuable DO
tato tomato, and eggplant and the noxious
nightshade and beliadonna. It is we'll known
| that potato seeds, tomato stems and eggplant
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
growing where it is least expected.
PeOpe nave been accustomed to regard the
buttercup as harmless-but it isn't Not that it.
is poisonous, but it is most terribly acrid. Sim
ply bite upon it and 1t will burn the tongue like
mustard plaster. Cows will not touch butter
cups. but will eat the fields bare around them.
There are several species of buttercups not so
snowy as the one best known, but much more
iiery. One variety appropriately bears the name
OF cursed crOwfoOt. These plants are frequently
seen beside creeks and in damp places
There is another plant. every part of which
seems to burn like acoal of fire. This is poison
ous all the more dangerous from the fact that
it is so Insignificant and inconspicuous in ap-
pearance. 1t is the Lobelia infiata This is
very abundant, growing in almost every grassy
or weedy place. So much SO that one can
scarcely take country walk anywhere without
finding it. 1t may be known by its short. branch
ing stem, small. pointed, downy leaves, tiny,
pale-blne irregular blossoms and prOpOrtiOnaly
large, Inflated Pericarps or seed vessels.
TIRE FATAL ..JIMsON' WEED.
One more poisonous plant will nearly exhaust
the list. This is the jamestown or Crimson"
weed. 1t is large snowy plant, and seems to
delight in waste places aud old neglected gar
dens. 1t has stout stems, large rough leaves,
and very pretty, though strOng-scented bios
SONS, tubular in shape. and white, shading into
pale purple or yellow in color. The seed vessels
are very large and prickiy. Cultivated vare-
fles OF jamestown are very handsome. They
may be seen In all their elegance in ornamental
grounds or at Georges Hill in the Park.
To the above might be added s'sOur grass" or
sorrel, as this contains Oxaic acid. and as chill
dren are fond of eating it. But this will only
prove hurtful when eaten in large quantities, as
the proportion of acid contained in the leaves
and stems separately IL very small Peach
leaves are more to be dreaded, as they contain
prussic acid, and in greater amount.