I 



FAMILY herbal: 111 



^e do not much regard it^ in hemp^ spinage, and 

 fuauj otbers. 



The fruit of the date is the only part used. It 

 is as thick as a man's thujrib and nearly as Jong, of 

 a sweet taste^ and composed of a juicy pulp, in a 

 tender skin, with a stone within it. They are 

 strengtiiening and somewhat astringent^ but we do 

 not much use them. 



J— 



Devil's Bit. Siiccisa.^ 



A WILD plant in our meadows^ with slender 

 stalks^ and globous flowers. It grows two feet 

 high. The stalks are rounds firni, and upright, 

 and divided into several branches : they have two 

 little leaves at each joint. The flowers are as big 

 as a small walnut^ and composed of many little ones; 

 their colour is very stroiig and beautiful. The 

 leaves which grow from the root are four inches 

 long, an inch broad, obtuse, of a dark green, and a 

 little hairy^ not at all divided, or so much as in- 

 dented at the edges. The roots are wtiite, and com- 

 posed of a thick head, which terminates abruptly 

 as if it had been bitten or broken off, and of a 

 multitude of fibres. The. Devil, as old women say, 

 bit itaway^ envying mankind its virtues. 



The leaves are to be gathered before the stalks 

 appear. They are good against coughs^ and the 

 disorders of the lungs, given in decoction. The 

 root dried and given in powder, promotes sweat, 

 and is a good medicine in fevers, but we neglect it. 



Dill. Afietlium^ 



An umbelliferous plant, kept in our gardenf, 

 principally for the use of the kitchen The stalk 



if round, striated, hollow, upright, three feet high. 



