r leaves to protect
them from the depredations of their voracious enemies. One of the
essential oils, that of turpentine, is recommended, by M. de Thosse,
for the purpose of destroying insects which infect both vegetables and
animals. Having observed that the trees were attacked by multitudes of
small insects of different colours (pucins ou pucerons), which injured
their young branches, he destroyed them all intirely in the following
manner: he put into a bowl a few handfuls of earth, on which he poured a
small quantity of oil of turpentine; he then beat the whole together with
a spatula, pouring on it water till it became of the consistence of soup;
with this mixture he moistened the ends of the branches, and both the
insects and their eggs were destroyed, and other insects kept aloof by
the scent of the turpentine. He adds, that he destroyed the fleas of
his puppies by once bathing them in warm water impregnated with oil of
turpentine. Mem. d'Agriculture, An. 1787, Trimest. Printemp. p. 109. I
sprinkled some oil of turpentine, by means of a brush, on some branches
of a nectarine-tree, which was covered with the aphis; but it killed both
the insect and the branches: a solution of arsenic much diluted did
the same. The shops of medicine are supplied with resins, balsams, and
essential oils; and the tar and pitch, for mechanical purposes, arc
produced from these vegetable secretions.]

185 In sulphurous eddies round the weird dame
Plays the light gas, or kindles into flame.
If rests the traveller his weary head,
Grim MANCINELLA haunts the mossy bed,
Brews her black hebenon, and, stealing near,
190 Pours the curst venom in his tortured ear.--
Wide o'er the mad'ning throng URTICA flings
Her barbed shafts, and darts her poison'd stings.

[_Mancinella_, I. 188. Hyppomane. With the milky juice of this tree the
Indians poison their arrows; the dew-drops, which fall from it, are so
caustic as to blister the skin, and produce dangerous ulcers; whence many
have found their death by sleeping under its shade. Variety of noxious
plants abound in all countries; in our own the deadly nightshade,
henbane, hounds-tongue, and many others, are seen in almost every high
road untouched by animals. Some have asked, what is the use of such
abundance of poisons? The nauseous or pungent juices of some vegetables,
like the thorns of others, are given them for their defence from the
depreda