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DARIEN liil? G AZETTE. DARIEN, (GEORGIA,) <£qua!anU <£ract 3jU$t!CC. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1324. Vol VI. Darien <tf*ascttc edited and published BY CHA’9. F. GHANDISON. (on the bay) yt %5 per annum, fiayablc in advance. AMERICAN VEGETABLES. From the Massachusetts fßoston) Agricultural Repository, for June , 1824. Notice respecting several vegetables, used as esculents , (or food,) in North America , in a letter to Rich urd Anthony Salisbury, Esq E. R. S. See By M. Joseph Correa de Serra , F. R. S 1821. This article which has never appear ed, so far as we know, in any American Woik, was published in the London Horticultural Transactions. There aie various and powerful reasons, why we should do ourselves honor, and ren der a just tribute to the enlightened author by republishing it. M. Correa de Serra selected this country as an asylum during the convulsion to which his native country, Portugal, was ex posed. He finally enjoyed the honor of representing Portugal at the Ame rican court, as its Minister. His vari ous and extensive knowledge, particu larly his profound a< quaimance with natural history, is known to every man of reading in our country. He enjoy ed the friendship and confidence of most ot the distinguished characters in this country, and it would not be extravagant so say, that no foreigner ever visited our shores; who possessed a mind more enlarged, or better culti vated. He devoted much of his time to the study of the plants and natural productions of the United Stales and it would not be more than just praise to say, tnat he cont ibu'ed as much as any man to the encouragement of a taste tor natural histo'y now assuming something like its due share ofimpor tanre iuour country. We owe it, there fore, to his me moiy, to put upon our primed records this memorial of one of the most accomplished scholars, whom we have had the happiness to welcome in our country. Although the subject is an Ameri can one, arid therefore it might be sup posed familiar to us, yet our country is so vast in extent, that it is probable ma ny of the facts will be as new to a great portion o; our population as they were to the Europeans. Trie paper hereinafier published was read to the London Horticultural So ciety, July 17,1821 It was addressed to one ol the Trustees of that Board. “Dear Sir: It is impossible to for see the lull extent of happy consequen ces which may result from the labors of the Horticultural Society. It is the first attempt, that I konw of, towatds a t onfederalion of science and practice directed to taise Horticulture above the slate of an Empiric ait, such as it lias been heretofore. Now the increas ing capita! of botanical knowledge will furnish new objects, on which to try the proceedings of cultivation; and the daily progress of vegetable physiology will no doubt direct these proceedings by clearer and safer principles, exten ding their application to almost every plant which nature has made fit for the food of man. “I wish this cxamble fiist given by your glorious Island. [lt mist be known, that M. Coirea de Serra was not British in his feelings, but highly republican.] may be followed by all other civilized nations, and propagate the taste for such enlightened pursuits, Which add to the comforts and pleas ures of mankind, unaccompanied with , any counterbalancing evil. If in future 1 enjoy sufficient leisure, I will try to concur, myself, in an undertaking so analogous to my way of thinking and feeling. “ Eor the present, I venture to offer you the enumeration of a few plants, not yet cultivated in Europe, which my long residence in North Ameiica’sug gests to my recollection. You may present it to the Society, if you think it in any wise deserving of that honor. f “Ist. The young shoots of the Phy tolacca decandra, (see Botanical mag azine, p ge 931,) which the Americans call ‘poke’ are brought in quantities to the Philadelphia market, eurly in the season. They ai e eaten as a substi tute for asparagus, which they resem ble in taste. The plant requires no cultivation, and if it were treated as you treat the Crambe maritima (Sea Kale) the taste of the sprouts would scarcely be distinguished from the real Asparagus. [This information is entirely new to us, though we live only three days ride from Philadelphia. The Phytolacca decancira is very common by our road sides in the interior, though rather rare near Boston. Dr. Bigelow gives to it, beside the popular name of Poke, that of‘Cocum.’ It might easily be intro duced into our grounds. Medicinal properties are ascribed to its root, but this should be no objection to its cul ture, at the same is true of the Rhu bard, now in so general use. It is at least well to know, that our heighbors in Pennsylvania use this plant in large quantities, as an Esculent.[ “2d. The Americans, settled on the VVashita river, and in the Arkan saw Territory, as well as the travellers who have visited those countries,speak in terms of commendation of a species of Wild Cabbage, which grows wild in those countries, and which bears red flowers. Muhlenberg, the famous Arr.e"ican botanist, in his catalogue of American plants, (page 61) has given to it the name of Brassica Whashitana. I wish the Society would attempt the introduction and civilization of this plant. From the effects produded by cultivation in other parts of this family, we may expect, in a short period, a number of varieties, and some of them probablv very valuable. [Shall we suffer the Europeans (as they often done,) to precede us in the cultivation of our own native plants, and to send them back to us in a high ly improved state, and sometimes even as novelties ? It does not seem to us to comport with the high stand which we are aiming to take in all the ar;s.— Let us shew what we can make of our own native productions, and not receive them improved by the culture and skill of others*] “3d. The Cap>ella bursa pastoris, ot common Shepherd’s pnrse (Thlas pi bursa pastoris, English botany, I 485) is an esculent plant in Philadelphia, brought to market in a large quantities in the early season. The taste, when boiled, approaches that of the cabbage but softer and milder. This plant va ries wonderfully in size and succulence of leaves according to the natute and state of the soil where it grows. Those from the gardens and highly cultivated spots near Philadelphia come to a size and succulence of leaf scarcely to be believed without seeing them. They may be easily bleached by the common methods, and certainly in that state would be a valuable addition to the list of delicate culinary vegetables. [Note. ’This plant is very abundant in all the gardens in the vicinity of Boston. If, instead of extirpating it eaily, (for it is ambng the earliest plants) we should cover it partially with earth and blanch it, it might af ford a valuable vegetable, coming in after the dandellion, and before the as paragus.] “4th. The Hydrophylleum Virgin icum is called by the Americans of the Western States, Indiari Sallad 1 or Sha wanese Sallad, because the Indians eat it as such while tender. Some of the first settlers do the same. From hav tasted it once in Kentucky, I am of opinion that this plant deserves a fair trial of cultivation [Few persons were better judegespf what is palatable then the Abbe de Correa.] “sth. The Apios tuberosa, (Gly cine Apious) which grows wild in ma ny parts cf the United States, produces on its roots a number of tuberosities, of a good size, and very good taste. “The Indian and American settles eat tbem greedily when they find them but never to my knowledge have at tempted to cultivate them, though in my opinion they deserves a place am ong our culinary vegetables. I have i not the least doubt of their suezeding well in England. [This plant under the name of ground nut; was familiar to our fore fathers in New England. It is rather singular that we have not attempted the cultivation of them. I have met but with one plant of them, and that I trasplated while it was in flower, and lost it. An ample compensation will be given to any person who shall bring to the subscriber either this autumn, or next spring, two or three dozen roots. I wish to see if cultivation and care will not enlarge the tubers and improve them. John Loweli., Rox bury.] “6 and 7th. The bulbs of the Qua mash (SciJla esculenta) which Nuttal makes a species of Phalangium, (Nut tal’s Genera of North American Plants page 219,) with the tubies ofthc Pso/- rlia*Esculenta (Pursii Florida Ameri cana Septentrionalis, vol. 11 page 475,) are the usual vegetable food of many Indian tribes, and were one of the supports of the people composing the American expedition through the continent to the Pacific ocean, under Captains Lewis and Clarke. Both these plants may probably prove valua able acquisitions; at all events , they are fit subjects for the inquiry of the Society. [we add, still more proper subjects for the inquiry of an American Agri cultural Society,] “Bth. The Indians about Colum bia river gather vas, quantities of large tubers of an aquatic plant, whic i according to the late Professor Bat ton of Philadelphia, who had seen dried specimens oi tt brought by Capt. Lewis, is a species of ofSagiuaiia.— These tubers are an impot tant part of the diet of these tribes “You may see, in Osbeck’s voyage to China, that similar tubers from a species of Sagisttat ia, grew in thevva tery places about Canton, and if I well remember,are at e purposely cul tivated, turning to profit tiiosc natural ly unproductive spots. “Weukl not this object be worthy of the Society? If, perchance, indica tions of this nature, directed chiefly to increase the number of useful oijects of cultivation, meet the indulgence of the Society, I shall feel encou aged to continue this kind of communication. I am, See. JOSEPH CORREA DE SERRA.” Note. Unhappily foi science, this great naturalist did not live to make any further communications. Would it not be practicable, and certainly it would be honorable to those who should do it, to bring home some toots of trie Esculent Sagittaria of Canton and of the Northwest ? All that would be required would be a very tight box.— Although an aquatic plant, all the Sa gitt&rias will live and thrive without great moist uie. They might be brought to this country; and our na tional character requires, that we should not let Europe send this native plant to us, as she has done many others. [Ail the remarks, notes, kc. which precede, or interspered in the Letter of the late M. Correa de Ser ra, are by the Editor of the Journal fiom which it is copied.] MR. ADAMS AND MR. PICKER ING. We published, a few days ago, the strictures of Mr Secretary Adams on a part of Mr. Pickering’s Remarks on the Cunningham Correspondence. To these strictures Mr. Pickering has already replied, and in copying the Reply, we comply with his request. FROM THE BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER. BRIEF REMARKS. . On the Appendix, dated July 27, 124, of Mr. John Quinoy Adams, to the new edition of his Letter of march 31, 1818, to Mr. Harrison Gray Otis, on President Jefferson’s Em bargo. In my Review ot the extraordinary Correspondence between President Adams and his relative and friend, Mr. Cunningham, I'was obliged to re cur to Mr. Jefferson’s embargo of De cember, 1807, and the zealous agen cy of Mr. John Quincy Adams in im posing that pernicious measure; be cause the steps I had taken to exhi bit its real charactei to my fellow citizens, with the view of obtaining its repeal, had been made the ground of of his father’s wanton and bitter re proaches against me: otherwise, X should have been silent on the subject of the embargo, and of the son’s agency in effecting it. In that Review, I have given the history of the embargo by an exhibition of all the facts neces sary to enable every impartial reader to form a correct judgment of its mer its or demerits. Without a knowl edge of those facts, such a judg ment will not be attainable: cer tainly not from the account given of it by Mr. Adams in his appendix. I re gret the necessity of repealing any part of w hat is so fully detailed in the Review: but that being a large pamph let, will not be seen by great numbers who will read the Appendix: which, being comjlHscd in nvo columns of a newspaper, will probably appeal in newspaper all over the United states. Such Editors as publish mat appendix, and desire their readers should see at least what is briefly stated on the other side of the question, will also publish in justice to them and to me, the fol lowing Remarks: MrJ Q. Adams says that Ms. Jef ferson, in his confidential message of the 18th of December, 1807, t eroni mendingan immediate embargo, en closed two documents, one of w hich was a recent proclamation of the King of Great Britain, authorizing and com manding the impressment, by his na val officers of British seamen, from neutral merchant vessels and the other a correspondence between General Armstrong, then our minister in France, and the I’tench Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cnampagny. Mr. Ad ams calls the papers enclosed with the message, “two documents:” but there were four distinct papers One was theßtitish king’s proclamation, qHiring his “natuial bom subjects, sea fat ing men,” serving in foreign vessels to return, to defend their own country, then menaced and endangered by the arms us f ranee, and of the nations sub y-1 ‘-<'d to her power and at her dispo sal; and also requiring his naval of ficers to take, 1> om neutral merchant vessels, all such BtiiLh seamen —— The second document was an extract of a letter, da'ed September 18 1807, from the Fiench Minister of Justice Regniet, communicating to the advo cate geneial of the Council es prizes the emperor Napoleon’s decision, ihat hit Berlin decree ol Nov. 21, 1806, should without anv exception. That decree authorized “Fiench vessels of war to seize, on board neutral vessels eithe English property or even all merchandise proceeding horn Eng lish manufactories or territory”— whether belonging to enemies or neu trals. Ihe third document was a iet terdated September 24, 1807. Jn m General Armstrong, to French Minis ter Champagny, inquiring whether such was the Emperors decision rel ative to his Beilin decree. And the fourth document v/as Champagny’s answer of October 7, 1807, in these words: “His Majesty lias considered every neutral vessel going from Eng lish ports, with cargoes of English merchandise, or of English origin,” . [that is, of the manufacture or produce of the English dominions] “ as lawfully seized by Fiench aimed vessels.” Mr. Jefferson at the close of his message, says—“l ask a return of the letters of Messrs. Armstrong anil Champagny, which it would be im proper to make public.” But where in was this impropriety? The rea der sees that the two letters of the ministers of justice and of foreign af fairs, refer to one and the same de cision ol the Emperor, respecting the commerce of neutrals with tRe B.itish dominions. Yet, while Reg nier’s was allowed to be published, Champagny’s vwas to be returned to Mr. Jefferson j,o be kept secret, to gether with Armstrong’s letter to which it was an answer. In my re view, I have suggested one reason, which v/as, that to render Napoleon’s system for ruining the commerce of England effectual, it must as, Cham pagny said, be “complete;” all com merce of neutrals with the British dominions must cease; and the vast commerce of the United States with those dominions could be prevented only by an embargo. Hence in ference was obv iofls, that the embar go was a measure of co-operation with the Fiench Emperor, to distress Great Britain, and, as far as possiDle, to ruin her commerce, on which her revenues and means of defence essen tially depended. I have supposed theii might be another reason for con cealing from the public eye those two letters;for the people, believing in the Presidents’s patriotism and pater nal care, would be led to think that those two papers, exhibiting some things improper to be made public, contained the substantial grounds lot the embargo. It is true that they were subsequently, in the course of the same session, transmitted to Con gress and published; but it was with 4 mass of other documents, compo- ,Yo. 37.