FAMILY HERBAL. IIS 



mattcT- The flowers are small and purple : they 

 grow ill oblong and slender scaly heads^, in the 

 manner of those of origanum ; and these heads are 

 themselves very beautiful^ being variegated with 

 green and purple. The whole plant has a fragrant 



smelL 



The leaves are used, our druggists keep them 

 dried. The old writers attribute miracles to it in 

 the cure of wounds ; at present it is seldom used 

 alone ; but it is good in nervous disorders, and 

 it promotes the menses, and strengthens the sto- 



mach 



White Dittaky. Fraxinella. 



A VERY beautiful plant, native of many of the 



warmer parts of Europe ; but with us kept on] 

 in gardens. It is three foot high, very muc 

 branched and very beautiful. The stalks are round, 

 thicks firm^ and of a green or purplish colour. The 

 leaves stand irregularly on them, and are like those 

 of the ash tree, only smaller* The flowers are 



large and elegant : they are oi a pale red, w hite^ or 

 striped; and tliey stand in a kind of spikes at the 

 top of the branches. The whole plant is covered 

 in the summer months with a kind of balsam. 

 w^hich is 2:luthious to the touch, and of a verv fra- 



grant smelL 



dl 



ght near any part of the plant, it takes fire 

 and goes ofl' in a flash all over the plant. This 

 does it no harm^ and may be repeated after three or 

 four daySj a new quantity of the balsam being pro- 

 duced in that time. Tlie roots of this plant are the 

 only part used, and they are kept dry by the drug- 

 gists. They are commended in fevers, and in 

 nervous and hysteric cases, but their virtues ur^ 

 not great. I have found an infusion of the to:^ of 



