FAMILY HERBAL, 103 



appearance. There are many species of it. But 

 that used in medicine is the kiiid called the middle 

 cudweed^ a herb impious. It has this last name 

 from the whimsical observatiou of the young flow- 

 ers rising above the old ones, which is called the 

 ion's growini^ above the father. This cudweed, 

 i« a little low plants it seldom rises to a foot high. 

 The stalks are tough^ firm^ whife^ slender^ and 



ght 



th leaves, which 



and 



seldom lie very even. The flowers are a kind of 

 brown or yellowish heads, standing at the tops, and 

 in the divisions of the stalks. 



The herb ^ftruised, and applied to a fresh wound. 



stops the bleeding ; it may be also dried and given i 

 decoction^ in which form it is good against th 

 whiles^ and will often stop violent purgings. 



Cu3iMiN. Cuminum. 



A PLANT of the umbelliferous kind, cultivated 

 in every part of the East^ for the value of the seed. 

 It grows a loot and a half high. The stalk 15 

 rounds striated^ green, and hollow. The leaves are 

 large, and very finely divided in the manner of 

 those of fennel. The flowers stand m large clus- 

 ters, at the tops of the branches, and they are small 

 and white, with a blush of red. The seeds are long 

 *nd striated. 



The seeds are used. Our druggists keep them. 

 They are of a very disagreeable flavour, but of 

 excellent virtues; tbey are good against the colic 

 and wind in the stomach, and, applied outwardly, 

 they will often remove pains in the side. They must 

 be bryised^ apd a large quantity laid on. 



