210 



11)6 Ufeful Family Herha 



Wild Lettice. 



LACTUCA SYLVESTRIS MAJOR. 



A Common Plant in our Hedges, and having 



feme Refemblance to the Garden Let- 

 tice in its Flowers, though not in its Man- 

 ner of Growth. It is fix or feven Feet high. The 

 Stalk is thick, round, vCxy upright, branched, and 

 of a pale yellowifh green Colour. The Leaves at 

 the Bottom are very large, a Foot long, and five 

 Inches broad, and of a pale green Colour i thofe 

 hio-her up the Stalks are fmaller, they are deeply 

 indented at the Edges, and either thefe, the Stalk, 

 or any other Part of tlie Plant being wounded, 

 there flows out a milky Juice, which has the Smell 

 of Opium, and its hot bitter Tafte: The Branches 

 are very numerous, and the Flowers are alfo very 

 numerous, but they are fmall and of a pale Yel- 

 low. 



This is a Plant not introduced into the common 

 Pra6lice, but very worthy of that Notice. I have 

 known it ufed in private Families, with great 

 Succefs. A Syrup made from a ftrong Infufion 

 of it, is an excellent Anodyne ; it eafes the moft 

 violent Pain in Cholics, and other Diforders, and 

 gently difpofes the Perfon to fleep. It has the 

 good Effe(5l of a gentle Opiate, and none of tlic 

 bad ones of that violent Medicine. 



The White L i l v. 



LILIUM ALBUM. 



A Tall, fragrant, and beautiful Garden Plant. It 

 grows four or five Feet high ; the Stalk is 

 round, green, thick, firm, and very upright; 

 a great many Leaves furround it at the Bottom, 

 and, a great many grow upon it all the Way : 

 Thefc are of the fame Shape, long narrow, and 



2 fmooth, 



