[ i86 ] 



middle of July (when it was at its greateft perfec- 

 tion) to the height of 1 1 feet 4 inches : when an 

 obfervation was made on its growth, it grew in one 

 day 3 inches, and in one night above 4 : many of 

 the leaves were above 5 feet long, the numerous 

 branches all covered with bloffom, and then with 

 feed; in the latter (late by much the moft beau- 

 tiful. In October the feed was quite ripe, and the 

 plant died down to the ground ; the root was then 

 taken up, and weighed 361b. when clean warned 

 and deprived of its fmall and ufelefs fibres. The 

 method I took to cure it was as follows : — I pared 

 off the outer rind, divided it with a fharp knife 

 into pieces of about an ounce weight, and then 

 bored them through, flrung them on packthread, 

 and hung them in the windows of an hot-houfe to 

 dry. Some few I dried quick in an oven mode- 

 rately heated, and did not find much difference; 

 thofe I attempted to dry in the made became 

 mouldy and ufelefs ; I fhould guefs the whole when 

 dried, reckoning the fuppofed weight of thofe 

 pieces I fpoiled by the laft method, would have 

 amounted to about 10 or 11 lbs. Of the refufe 

 pieces, fuch as fmall roots not thick enough to dry, 

 I made a ftrong infufion in white wine, which I 

 ufed with great fuccefs in the dyfenteries of cattle; 

 and fome given occafionally to poor people, when 

 I thought it proceeded from cold. ~ 



