266 The Ufeful Family Herbal. 
The SCARLET OaK | 
Be oe S . 
Ay Shr not much regarded on its own Account, 
but from the Infect called Kermeés, which is’ 
found upon it; and has at fometimes been fuppo- 
fed a Fruit of it: The.Shrub thence obtained its — 
Name of the Scarlet Oak. It grows only fix or 
eight Feet high. ‘Fhe Branches are tough, and 
covered with afmooth greyifh Bark. The Leaves 
are an Inch long, three Quarters of an Inch broad, 
of a Figure approaching to oval, ferrated about 
the Edges, nn in a little prickly. The Flowers 
are {mall and inconfiderable, the Fruit is an Acorn 
like that of the common Oak, but fmaller, ftanding 
in its Cup. TheKermes, or fcarlet Grain, is a fmall 
round Subftance of the Bignefs of a Pea, of a fine 
ged Colour within, and of a purplifh Blue with- 
out, covered with a fine hoary Duft, like a Bloom 
upon a Plum. It is an Infect at that Time full 
_ of young, When they intend to preferve it in its 
. own Form, they find Ways of deftroying the Prin- 
ciple of Life within, elfe the young come forth, 
and it is fpoiled: When they exprefs the Juice, 
they bruife the whole Grains, and fqueeze it 
through a Hair Cloth; they then add an equal 
Weight of fine Sugar to it, and fend it over to us 
under the Name of Juice of Kermes ; this is ufed 
in be much more than the Grain jee 
~ It is a Cordial, good againft Faintings, and to 
- drive out the 8 perce for: Woman in 
Childbed. It fupports the Spirits, and at the 
fame Time promotes the neceflary Difcharges. — 
Oak 
