322 The Ufeful Family Herbal. 
Pigeon’s Egg, and of a white Colour, with forme 
Fibres. : 
We ufe the Root, which we receive dry from 
Turkey. “They have a peculiar Method of curing 
it: They make it clean, and then foke it four and 
twenty Hours in Water; after this, they hang a 
= of it in a coarfe Cloth, over the Steam 
of a Pot in which Rice is boiling, this foftens it, 
but it gives it a fort of Tranfparence, and qua- 
lifies it for drying; thefe juicy Roots otherwife 
rowing mouldy. When they have thus far pre- 
dared it, they ftring it upon a Thread, and hang 
it in an airy Place to dry: It becomes tough as 
Horn, and tranfparent. This is a Prattice com- 
mon in the Eaft, with the Roots they dry for Ufe, 
and it would be well if we would praétife it here: 
The fine tranfparent Kind of Ginfeng, which we 
have from China, is dried in this Manner. It is 
highly probable, nay it is nearly a Certainty, that 
the Roots of our common Orchis have all the 
Qualities and Effects of this Salep, but we don’t 
know how to. dry them. — If we tried this Method, 
Pea, acne and in the fame Manner, our 
own Fields and Meadows might afford us many 
Medicines, which at prefent we purchafe at a 
great Price, from the fartheft Parts of the Earth. 
The dried Root is the Part ufed; and it is an 
excellent Reftorative, to be given to Perfons 
waited with long Hlnefles: The beft Way is to 
a a fmall Quantity of it in Powder, into a 
_ Baion of warm Water, which it inftantly turns 
into a Jelly, anda little Wine and Sugar are to 
be added. The Turks ufe it as a Provocative to 
Reet ce Shey take it diffolved in Water, with 
inger and Honey. ead 
~ 
Soo Ape 
