200 The Ufeful Family Herbal, 
pale Colour, very firm and ftrong, upright, and 
divided into Branches. The Leaves are long, 
and of the fame Breadth :. Thofe which grow im- 
mediately from the Root, are but little jagged or 
cut at the Edges: Thofe which ftand upon the 
_ Stalk, are more fo. ‘The Flowers are large; they 
ftand in fcaly Heads, one of which is placed at 
the Top of every Branch; and at a Diftance, they 
have fomething of the Appearance of the Flowers 
of Thiftles, but when examined nearer, they are 
more like thofe of the Blue Bottle. The Flowers 
themfelves, are of a bright red and large. * 
_ The young Plantis ufed frefh: A Decoétionofit 
is good againft the Bleeding of the Piles, againft 
_ Loofenefies with bloody Stools, and all other Bleed- 
oom Infufion is recommended againft fore 
= to be ufed by way of Gargle. There 
are fo many of thefe gently aftringent Plants, 
common in our Fields,’as Yarrow and the like, _ 
that lefs Refpect is to be paid to one’ of leS 
Power in the fame Way. Knapweed may be ve- 
ry properly added to Decoétions of the others, 
but it would not be fo well to truft to its Effects 
— 
* 
KnorT-Gras 8. 
| POLYGONUM, 
A Moft common wild Plant in our Fields, Path- 
_ Ways, and Hedges: There are two or three 
Kinds of it, but they pretty much refemble oneé 
another in Form, and in Virtues; The largeft is 
the beft. The Stalks of this are ten Inches long) 
round, jointed, and of a duiky Green. Fe fa 
Leaves are of an oval Form, of a bluifh green 
Colour, and not indented at ‘the Edges. The A 
Stalks lie upon the Ground, and one of thefe only 
‘Brows at cach Joint. The Flowers are fmall and — 7 
