Although the above account, which Mr. Wilmer has so minutely described, seems well attested, and corroborated by the above gentleman, yet I was informed by the late Mr. Adams, comptroller of the Customs at Pembroke, that the Oenanthe does not, that he could find, grow in that part of the country; but that what the above unfortunate French officers did actually eat was the wild Celery, which grows plentifully in all the wet places near that town.  I take the liberty of mentioning this circumstance; as it will serve to keep in mind the fact, that celery, when found wild, and growing in wet places, shold be used cautiously, it being in such situations of a pernicious tendency.  For such whose curiosity may lead them to become acquainted with the Oenanthe crocata, it grows in plenty near the Red House in Battersea fields on the Thames’ bank.  The water-courses on the marsh at Northfleet have great quantities of the Apium graveolens growing in them.

Plantae affines.

Cultivated celery differs from it when young, first in the shape and size of its roots.  The Oenanthe is perennial, and has a large root, which on being cut is observed to be full of juice, which exudes in form of globules.  The celery, on the contrary, has roots in general much smaller, particularly when in a wild state.

The leaves of celery have somewhat the same flavour, but are smaller; the nerves on the lobes of the leaves are also very prominent, and somewhat more pointed.

When the two plants are in bloom, a more conspicuous difference is apparent in the involucrum and seeds, the character of which should be consulted.

It may be mistaken for Parsley; but it is both much larger in foliage and higher in growth; it is also different from it in the shape of the roots.

These are the two plants most likely to be confounded with it.  But the student should also consult the difference existing between this plant and the following, which, although somewhat alike in appearance, may be confounded.

Angelica.

Chervil.

Alexanders.

Hemlock.

Skirret.

Cow Parsley.

Lovage.

Wild Parsnep.

Fool’s Parsley.

Hamburgh Parsley.

627.  Prunus Lauro-cerasus.  The COMON laurel.—­The leaves of the laurel have a bitter taste, with a flavour resembling that of the kernels of the peach or apricot; they communicate an agreeable flavour to aqueous and spirituous fluids, either by infusion or distillation.  The distilled water applied to the organs of smelling strongly impresses the mind with the same ideas as arise from the taste of peach blossoms or apricot kernels:  it is so extremely deleterious in its nature, and sometimes so sudden in its operation, as to occasion instantaneous death; but it more frequently happens that epileptic symptoms are first produced.  This poison was discovered by accident in Ireland in the year 1728:  before which, it was no uncommon practice there, to add a certain quantity of laurel water to brandy, or other spirituous liquors, to render them agreeable to the palate.  At that time three women drank some laurel-water; and one of them a short time afterwards became violently disordered, lost her speech, and died in about an hour.