Word Study
bull brier
CIDE DICTIONARY
bull brier,
A species of Smilax (Smilax Pseudo-China ) growing from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico , which has very large tuberous and farinaceous rootstocks, formerly used by the Indians for a sort of bread, and by the negroes as an ingredient in making beer; -- called also bamboo brier and China brier . [1913 Webster]
For further exploring for "bull brier" in Webster Dictionary Online