15 FAMILY HERBAL. 



the seeds are what thty call ash-kejSj these ripen in 



September, 



The bark of the young branches is good in 

 chstructions of the liver 'and spleen^ and there- 

 fore is of great service in dropsies^ jaundice, 

 ;md otlier complaints of that origin : it works by 

 urine. The seeds have the same virtue, but in a less 



deg 



The Manna Ash. Fraxinus minore folio. 



THIS is a lower tree than the common ash. 

 End is not a native of our kingdom, but is fre- 

 quent in ItalVj where the manna is gathered from 

 its leaves and branches. 



The bark of this tree is paler than that of our 

 common ash, and the leaves are composed of 

 smaller and narrower parts^ but the flower and 

 fruit differ verv little, 



Thcv have also in Calabria another low ash- 



^ 



tree, which has the backs of the leaves small- 

 er than ours, and flatter and more rounded, and 

 from this also they collect manna for the use of 

 the apothecaries* The manna is a sweet qr hone 

 juice that naturally sweats out of the baj-k an 

 leaves in hot weather. The finest manna of al! 

 is that which oozes out of the leaves, this is in 

 all pieces. It flows out of the ribs of-iihe 



&m 



leaves in August, in the heat of the day, and soon 

 hardens into this form. They get the greatest 

 quantities of all, by cutting the bark of tKe trunk 

 and branches, and this is often large and flaky, 

 hut it is yellowish. That which is flaky, white, 

 and hollow, has issued out of itself and is much 

 better. 



r 



Manna is a most excellent purge, very gentle, 

 nnd without any after astringeacy. There is & 



