[ 18a ] 



firings cxpofed to the air and wind, but are jfhel- 

 tered from the fun-beams. Thus in about two 

 months, the roots are completely dried, and arrive 

 at their full perfection. The lofs of weight in dry- 

 ing is very remarkable, feven loads of green roots 

 yielding only one fmall horfe-load of perfectly dry 

 Rhubarb ! Concerning the age at which the roots 

 are dug up, our author is filent i nor does this point 

 feem yet to be clearly afcertained. Some contend, 

 that it arrives at its higheft perfection in fix or 

 eight years i while others allure us, it ought to con- 

 tinue in the ground till the ioth, or even I2th year, 

 before it acquires its full maturity. '• 



Since the Rheum Palmatum has been cultivated 

 in England, we have not heard of any ufe having 

 been made of the recent plant. The Tartars, how- 

 ever, hold it in high eftimation. Mr. Thouin, 

 fuperintendant of the exotics at Verfailles, informs 

 us, that the recent ftem is converted into a marma- 

 lade, and is confidered as a mild and pleafant lax- 

 ative, and highly falubrious. They prepare it by 

 flripping off the bark, and boiling the pulp with an 

 equal quantity of honey or fugar. The leaves are 

 employed in their foups, to which they impart an 

 agreeable acidity, like that of forrel, which ranks in 

 the fame clafs with rhubarb. The feeds of the Eng- 

 lish plant contain the medicinal virtue of the root 



in 



