^0 FAMILY HERBAL. 



is disagreeable. It strengthens the stomachy and 

 promotes the menses. It is in this latter riespect 

 a very yaluablc medicine, but the use of it must 

 be continued some time. 



The Myrtle. Myrtus 



i 



A LITTLE shrub;, \erv beautiful in its manner 

 of growth^ a native of Italv^ but common in our 

 gardens The trunk is covered with a rough 

 brown bark. The branches are numerous, slen- 

 der, toughs and reddish. The leaves are very 

 beautiful ; they are small^ shorty of a line green, 

 pointed at the ends, not serrated at the edges, and 

 they stand in great numbers, and in a j^beautiful 

 order upon the branches. The flowers stand on 

 short foot stalks ; they are large, white,- and full 

 of threads : the fruit is a round black berry, as 

 large as the biggest pea, and has a orov/n at the 

 top- The leaves when bruised, have an extremely 

 fragrant smell. The shrub will bear our climate 

 better than is imagined ; there are, in some places, 

 hedges of it five or six feet high, that stand the 

 winters without the least hurt. 



The leaves and berries of the myrtle are used : 

 they are cordial and astringent. A strong infu- 

 sion of tl^e fresh leaves is good against a slight 

 purging, strengthening the stomach at the same 

 time that it removes the complaint. The dried 

 leaves powdered, are excellent against the whites. 

 The berries are good against bloody fluxes, over- 

 flowings of the menses, and in spitting of blood, 



MiSLETOE. flsCUS, 



A SINGULAR plant., nati?eof our own country 

 but growing, not on the earth as oilier herbs^ bii 



