xh*. mXRODUCTION. 



piallo\y, and above all other roots the squil]> 

 and in some degree many others of that kind : 

 these must be cut into thin slices cross-wise, and 

 they will dry best if laid upon a hair cloth stretch^ 

 ed across a frame. They must be frequently turn- 

 ed ; and be very thoroughly dry, before they are 

 put up, else they will bepome mouldy : but, right* 



iy pr«:pared, they keep very well. 



Other roots have juices, that evaporate more 

 easily. These have the virtue either throughout 

 the whole substance, or only in the outer part, and 

 they are to be prepared accordingly. When roots 

 ^re of one uniform substance, they generally 

 have the virtue equal, or nearly so, in all parts.' 

 These should be split open length- wise, first cut- 

 ting off the head, and the little end ; or if con-r 



siderably thick, they may be quartered; when 

 this is done, they are to be strung upon a line, 

 by drawing a needle threaded with a small twine 

 through their thickest part, and they are then to 

 be hung up to dry in the manner of the herbs ; 

 the line being stretched across a room, the doors 



and windows of which are io be kept open in 



good weather. 



When roots consist of a sort of thick rind, or 

 fleshy substance within the rinii, and a hard sticky 

 part in the middle, this fleshy substance under 

 it possesses all the virtues, the hard inner substance 

 having none ; in this case, the root is to be 

 split long-wise as before, and the hard woody 

 |)art is to be taken out and thrown awav ; the rest 

 19 to be strung as before described, and dried in 

 the same manner. 



When roots consist of fibres, these are gene- 

 rally connected to a head, if it be ever so small, 

 $nd the best way is to split this in two, and then 

 string up the separate parts for drying. 



It is needless to enumerate the examples of the 



