M 



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M 



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thirty years, in which time I have not obferved 

 them to change from one to another -, feveral of thefe 

 I have propagated by feeds, and have found them 

 Jccep to the kind from which the feeds were faved. 

 The firft fort is what the gardeners cultivate to fup- 

 ply the markets, and is ufed both as a culinary herb, 

 and for medicine -, it is generally called Spear Mint, 

 and by fome Hart Mint ; Parkinfon and Gerard title 

 it Roman Mint-, this is a plant fo well known, as to 

 need no defcription. There are two varieties of this, 

 one with a curled leaf, and the other has variegated 

 leaves, but both thefe I have had run from the com- 

 mon fort i thefe are by fome preferved in their gar- 

 dens for the fake of variety, therefore I have mention- 

 ed them here. 



This herb is greatly efteemed for all diforders of the 

 fl-omach, lofs of appetite, and vomiting •, there is a 

 iimple water, a fpirit, and compound fyrup, and a 

 diftilled oil of it prepared in the (hops. 

 The Jecond fort hath fmoother leaves than the firft, 

 and they are rather narrower, in other refpedts it 

 agrees with that, fo that it Is frequently cultivated in 

 the gardens for ufe, without diftindiqn. , ■...:.<.',: 

 The third fort grows naturally in England • the 

 leaves of this are fnorter, and broader in the middle 

 than either of the former, the ferratures on their 

 edges are more acute, and their under fides are wool- 

 ly, and ver)^ white. The ftalks divide more toward 

 the top, fo are terminated by a greater number of 

 fpikes, the lower part of which are interrupted. 

 The fcent of this fort is very like that of the Gar- 

 den Mint. _ -■ ;^:^ v : ^ 





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The fourth fort hath longer and broader leaves than 



cither of the former, which are woolly and white. 



The ferratures on their edges are farther afunder, and 

 . are very fharp pointed ; they fit clofe to the ftalks, 

 .which are hairy. ^.The fpikes of flowers are flender, 

 •; feveral of them growing together at the top of the 

 " ftalk, which are hairy. This is the Mentaftrum, or 



•wild Mint of the ftiops, and is an ingredient in the 



Trochifci de Myrrha. 



The fifth fort grows naturally in moift places in feveral 

 . parts of England, it is titled Spiked Horfe Mint, or 

 .. iWater Mint. The ftalks of this are ftiorter than 



-^fe of either of the former, and are hairy, as are 



alfo the leaves, which are oval, fpear-ftiaped, fawed 



on their edges, and of a pale colour. : The flowers 

 , ,;grow in Ihort thick fpikes at the top of the ffalks, 

 . . their ftamina being fhorter than the petal. , -.. ^^^ 

 Z The fixth fort is found growing naturally in fome 

 ^. parts of England; I have found it by the fide of the 

 ^ river between Mitcham and Croydon, in Surry ', this 



rhath fmooth purple ftalks ; the leaves are fmaller [ - iih heads on the top of the ftalks, they are purple, 



" : ind their ftamina are longet than the petal. This fort 



■ ■: has a warm biting tafte^, but not quite fo hot as the 



Pepper Mint before ^efcribed, but is often ufed for 



it. v/There is' a varie'ty of this which fnieHs like Pen- 



England ; this rifes with a ftrong, four-cornered, hairy 

 ftalk, about the fame height as the common Mint, 

 branching out toward the top, and garnifiied with 

 oval rough leaves fitting clole^to the ftalks ; tliey are 

 of a dark green, andcrcnated on their edges. The 

 fpikes of flowers grow in cluflers at the top cf the 

 ftalks, which are ftiort and dole ; the flowers are of 

 an herbaceous whitr: colour, and their ftamina are 

 ' ftretched out beyond the petal. 

 The ninth fort is commonly called Orange Minr^ 

 from its fcent, 'which is fomewhat like that of the 

 rind of Orange. This rifes with an upright fmooth 

 ftalk about the fame height with the common Mint^ 

 but does not branch out like that; the leaves arc 

 much broader than thofe of the common fort ; the in- 

 dentures on their edges are deep, and they end in 

 acute points. The fpikes of flowers grow in clufters 

 on the top of the ftalks, which are interrupted ; they 

 are of a pale colour, and their ftamina are mo'rter than 

 the petal. It is commonly cultivated in gardens for 

 its pleafant fcent. 



The tenth fort grows naturally at Aleppo^ but is 

 hardy enough to thrive in the open air in England. 

 This hath flender four-cornered ftalks, which are pur- 

 ple at bottom, but woolly upward, feldom branching j 

 they are garnifhed with oblong indented leaves, which 

 : are downy on both fides, fitting clofe to the ftalks* 

 ? The fpikes of flowers are fingle, and very flender ; 

 thefe do riot often appear in England, but when they 

 do it is late in thefummer.':-; It creeps much at th6 

 root. To the only way to obtain flowers, is to confine 

 their roots in pots. 



The eleventh fort grows Aaturally in ditches ift fiioft 

 parts of England, and is commonly known by the 

 name of Water Mint. - This hath hairy ftalks about 

 a foot high, which bratich toward the top, and "are 

 gamiflied "v^ith dval fawtd lekves, ftanding upon 

 pretty long foot-ftalks. The flowers grow in round- 

 ifli fpikes at the end of the branches ; they are 

 of a purple colour, and their ftamina are longer 

 than the petal. The whole plant has a very ftrong 

 fcent, fomewhat like that of Penny Royal' This 

 fort Is fometimes ufed in medicine, and is reckoned 

 hotter than the Garden Mint : it is carminative, ex- 

 pelling wind out of the ftomach, and helping the 

 cholick. '; . 



The twelfth fort grows naturally in ditches in feveral 

 '. parts of England ; the ftalks of this are purple, 



fmoothj and flior't^ branching out on every fide-, the 

 Heaves' are frnall, fpear-fliapedj of a, dark colour- 

 1 they arc but flightly fawed on their edges, and ftand 



upon ffiort foot-ftalks. ^ TKe flower^ grow in round- 





Mint 



r 



■ 1 



:. fawed on their edgSs, and of a darker green colour 

 ' than either of the former \ their midrib and veins are 

 -purple, and a little hairy on their under fide. '-The 

 ■ fpikes of flowers are fliortef and thicker* than thofe of 

 . the common Mint, and are Broken or interrupted at 

 \ the bottom ; they are of a dark purple colour, and 

 j;' their ftamina are longer than the petal. ,The whole 

 u. plant has a hot biting tafte like Pepper, and a plea- 

 fant fcent.' 'There is a diftilled water of this plant 

 kept in the fhops, which is by moft people preferred 



Mint 



*^v -'- »- > ■' 



hy Royal. '.' > ' . .>.•'. 

 The thirteenth fort grows naturally in arable land 

 in moft parts of England, and is rarely admitted in- 

 to gardens. This is the Water Calamlnt of the 

 - ftiops, but is noW feldonri ufed in medicine. \ :The 

 / ftalks of this fort rife about a foot high and are hairy, 

 : garniftied^with oval leaves ending in acute points, 



r, «. ^^ Lii^ ..uiiiijivyii x.**w., ^-w*^«,* .WW ^K^.^v..^. . and fawed on their edges. The flowers grow in 



:^ which that is ufually prefcribed," arid is efteemed an] . very thick whorls roulid die ftalks ; they are fmall, 

 .*. excellent r>*mpr1v^a;»mft f he ftone aridOTavel' 1'?I3 - lr-^rfa nulnle cdloun and their ftamina are Ihortcrthani 



excellent remedy againft the ftone and gravel.Vl'?! 



^i.Thefeventh fort was originally bilbtightfrdnl Den- j -. the petal. The plant has a ftrong fcent like Penny 

 ■ niark,' where it was thought to grow naturally, but -- ■ 

 Dr. Linnaeus fixes it as a native of Siberia. - 



. The^ 



ftalks of this fort are hairy, and rife about the fame 

 height with the common. The leaves ^re heart-' 

 ftiaped, deeply indented on their edges, waved hnd 

 curled, and fit clofe to the ftalk, they are of a light 

 green. The flowers are purple, growing in thick 

 interrupted fpikes at the top of the ftalks; their 

 impalements are cut almoft to the bottom, and the 

 ftyle of the flower is bifid, ftanding out beyond 

 .the petal. -.' S:^^ -%.v:i ^^A^u^isyi^r^ 



The eighth fort grows natur;;!!/ in many parts of 





'^ 'i-"'^:r : iU^i' 



Vv* -' 



Royal. 



v^ The fourteenth fort grows in watery places in many 

 parts' of England"; this hafh weak traihng ftalks a 



■ foot and a half long, garnifhed with fmall oval leaves 

 ■Which are indented on their edges, and ftand upon 

 pretty long foot-ftalks. ■ The flowers grow in thick 

 whorls round the ftalks, they are purple, and their 

 ftamina are longer than the petal, 



"- The fifteenth fort grows plentifully on the fide of the 

 road between BockinCT andGosfield in Eflex; the ftalks 

 of this are much fmaller, and not fo long as thofe of 

 the former; the leaves are fliorter and rounder, and 



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