Histarchers,

I recently came across this and thought it relevant to the discussion. 
The 'potato holes' (i.e., foundations) are mostly from between 1760 and 
1810. Surry is located on the coast of Hancock County, Maine, which was 
settled c. 1760. I plan to survey this summer and will keep an eye out 
for these plants.

"In close proximity to most of the "potato  holes" are a few 
moss-covered apple trees, and also a few culinary or medicinal herbs, 
the more common being tansy, wormwood, horsemint, catnip, and caraway. 
That persistent pest in the old fields, the wold rose, is an escape from 
the flower beds of the first settlers. Those noxious intruders, charlock 
and Roman wormwood, the seeds of which will remain in the ground a life 
time without losing their vitality, appear in the earlier clearings; but 
whether introduced as healing herbs is not known. Nightshade is found at 
Lord's Point about the Fly cellar."- from Samuel Wasson, A History of 
East Surry 1763-1885. Written c. 1885. Unpublished history.

Cheers,
Ben

On 3/28/2011 2:12 PM, Richard Wright wrote:
> In British Columbia's interior we look for lilac bushes as an indicator of old dwellings.
> A particular grass marked the site of Fort Chilcotin, a grass used for baskets, but I don't remember the name.
>
> Richard Wright
>
> On Mar 28, 2011, at 11:00 AM, Linda Derry wrote:
>
>> At Cahawba,Alabama,  there was a town ordinance that required residents to
>> plant china berries between the sidewalk and the street.  Circa 1820.
>> Needless to say, linear patterns of china berry descendants is a good
>> indicator of street locations (which is helpful since the original town plan
>> was not tied into the township/range system  and therefore impossible to tie
>> to a real spot on the ground.
>>
>> Linda Derry
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David
>> Parkhill
>> Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2011 12:01 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Vegetation and Historic Sites
>>
>> Some of my fellow investigators have informed me over the years to look for
>> Iris and Rose plants as well as China Berry trees. Pioneers brought all
>> three with them as they moved West for they are fast growing from small
>> plantings. So far the China Berry idea has been pretty accurate in locating
>> old homesteads.
>>
>>
>>
>> DP
>>
>>
>>
>> SOCIALISM FAILS WHEN IT RUNS OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY-Thatcher
>>
>> If we ever forget that we are one Nation under God, then we will be one
>> Nation gone under - R. Reagan
>>
>>