The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-06-06

farm buildings there are plants both wild
and in cultivation, which are poisonous
to both man and beast. 1t may be OF
value to some to have them pointed out:
The may-apple, common-growing, IN
rich woods and adj jacent fence corners.
The fruit, when ripe, is eaten by boys,
but the roots and leaves are poisonous
The plant bears large white flower and
has two large shield shaped leaves,
which are sometimes gathered for greens
with fatal results. Other common names
for the plant is mandrake, wild lemon,
raccocn berry and hog apple. .
Poison vine called also poison ivy and
poison oak) is common climbing plant
found on old fences and on trees,
clinging to these by numerous wiry root
lets which the plant throws out, and into
the objects over which it climbs. This
plant somewhat resembles the. Virginia
creeper, but that may be known by a
fve-fold leaf, while the leaf of the poison
vine is three-fold. This plant poisons
many persons if they simply touch the
leaves, producing a distressing eruption
of the skin. The effects are worse in
the morning when the dew is on the
leaves.
The poison sumach (poison elder or
swamp dogwoodJ belongs to the same
family as the last. 1t is q small bush
slightly resembling the common elder
bush, having the compound leaves of
sumach. This plant is not so common as
the preceding, and grows in swampy
places or along rivulets. 1t is quite
poisonous to some persons, affecting the
skin as does the poison vine. ....
Wild parsnips of several kinds are
poisonous. It is we'll to avoid all wild
plants which in leaves or seed stalk look
like the garden parsnip, and to remove
them from the farm. The garden parsnip
sometimes runs wild, and then it too
becomes poisonous. These plants are
generally found in low grounds and along
rivulets, though sometimes on high
ground. The cow parsnip is a large,
coarse-l looking weed, four to eight feet
high, growing in rich. low ground. This
plant IS covered with woolly hairs, while
the wild parsnip, or cow-bane, is smaller
plant and free from woolly hairs. The
cow-bane grows in swamps, and is
considered very poisonous to horned
cattle. .
Fools parsley is small plant, one to
two feet hi gh, found in waste places in the
New England States, aud is quite poison
Gus. The water hemlock also belongs to
this family; it grows in swamps and along
creeks. This plant somewhat resembles
"sweet cicely," and the lives of children
are sometimes lost by seir eating the
roots, which are very poisonous. The
common hemlock of Europe is smaller
plant and is naturalized in some places;
it is also poisonous. The only safe rule is
to leaveall wild plants looking like wild
parsnips alone. :,
Indian tobacco (eye-bright), small
plant to some extent used in medicine, IS
poisonous, but generally men and animals
cannot eat enough of it to do them much
harm.
stagger. bush Qambkill, calfkill, etc.,,
is shrub two and three feet high, found
in many woods and on sandy plains
The plant bears somewhat leatherly
leaves and pretty white flowers. 1t Is
said to kill lambs and calves, and gives
to sheep the staggers when they eat the
leaves. Where this plant is abundant,
bees cannot be safely kept, because the
honey gathered from the flowers OF this
plant, poisons the whole product.
The mountain laurel, called also
rhododendron, and well-known from
its evergreen leaves, beautiful flowers,
and crooked woods, is one of our COM
mountain shrubs. The leaves
and flowers are poisonous, but are not
often eaten by our domestic animals.
There is smaller laurel, with narrow
leaves, which is said to be more poison
Gus than the larger variety.
Magistrates, or bitter-sweets. There
are two shades of these, one with black
and the other with red berries. The
plants being found about the houses,
and the berries of bright color, and thus
10 children, there is consider
able danger from these plants, and they
should be plucked up by the careful
farmer while the fruit is yet green.
Pokeweed poke. Pigeon berry and
garget) is plant we'll known for its
purple berries. The young shoots are
used in the early spring for greens or
as substitute for asparagus; but this is
not safe thing to do, as mistakes are
often made, and when too old the plant
is poisonous. Orleans Times Demo-
crdt.