2 6 The Ufeful Family HerhaL 



unfavourable Expofure. They called it from this 

 Circumftance, as well as from its Virtues, by a 

 Name, which exprefled being barren and fruit- 



lefs. . 



The People in the North give Milk in which 



the Roots have been boiled, to the Females of the 

 domeftic Animals when they are running after 

 the Males, and they fay it has the certain Effect 

 of flopping the natural Emotions. Plain Senfe 

 leads theie Sort of People to many Things. They 

 have from this been taught to give it to yoimg Wo- 

 men of fobuft tiabits lubjed. to violent hyfteric 

 Complaints^ and I am alTured with great Succefs ; 

 they give the Decoftion of the Root made ilrong 

 and fweetened. 'Twas a coarfe Allufion that led 

 them to the Praftice, but it fucceeds in Cafes that 

 foil all the* Parade of common Practice. It is faid 

 that, if they take it in too large Quantity, it ren- 

 ders them ftupid for fome Hours, but no ill Con- 

 fequence has attended this. 



The Bay-Tree. 



r 



LAURUS. 



TH E Bay is a Native of Spain and Itdy^ where 

 it grows to a large Tree ; we keep it m Gar- 

 dens, but it feldom rifes to more than the Figure 

 and Height of a Shrub with us. The Wood is 

 not ftrong but fpongy and friable v the Leaves re- 

 main green all Winter •, the Bark of the large 

 Branches is of a dufl<.y Brown, that of the Twigs 

 reddifh ; the Leaves are long andfomewhat broad, 

 pointed at the End and very fragrant : The Flow- 

 ers are very fmall and inconfiderable ; their Colour 

 is whitiJ(h, they appear in Mcy^ but are not re- 

 garded : The Berries are ripe in the latter End of 

 Autumn, and are large and black, confifting of 

 two Parts within the fame Skin. 



3 



The 



