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Bergius, the latcft author on the Materia Me- 

 dica that is come to my hands, tells us, that the 

 Chineje get up their rhubarb roots in winter. He 

 himfelf advifes the taking them up in autumn, and 

 fays they require to be eleven or twelve years old. 



But I have learned that Dr. Hope thinks them 

 fufficiently good at the end of four or five years; 

 and the author above-mentioned tells us, that the 

 young roots are more purgative, and that the older 

 ones are more ailringent. 



Experiments only can determine what feafbn of 

 the year is preferable to take up the roots in. I 

 cannot fpeak from any knowledge on this fubject ; 

 but fhould incline to give it in favour of the fpring, 

 or the time before the plant begins to pufh its 

 leaves; though I am fenfible that this will not 

 hold in thefe bulbous or tuberous kinds, which 

 form a new root annually, as foon as the plant is 

 perfected. 



lam, very refpcclfully, 



Your humble fervant, 



March 2, 1783. R. PULTENEY. 



,Artic** 



