GA:MOrETAL.E-^III 



147 



A few generations ago, Goosegrass was an ingredient 

 of all prescriptions for the preparation of cool beverages, 

 at a time when almost every household prepared its own 

 drinks; it was also used for making soothing poultices. 

 Goosegrass is nowadays 

 used for promoting the 

 action of the kidneys and 

 as an anti-scorbutic. It 

 is a plant of first-class 

 importance to the herba- 

 lists, who use it very ex- 

 tensively. 



Wo( )DRU FF (A sperida 



odorata). — This is another 

 old-fashioned favourite of 

 past generations. It can 

 be easily recognized by 

 the series of bright, shiny 

 whorls of leaves, one 

 above another, as shown 

 in fig. 93. The flowers 

 are minute, ivory -Avliite, 

 and funnel - shaped. The 

 whole plant has an agree- 

 able scent, and in conse- 

 quence it was used by 

 liousewives to impart a 



pleasant " country " odour ^^ Enlarged edge of leaf, showing hooka. 



to the clean linen in the 



press, the plant being placed between the folds when 



the linen was set aside. ^ 



Woodruff is especially plentiful in beech woods. It is 

 used by the hundredweight by herbalists, for whom it 

 is gathered in autumn, for it is then that it yields its 

 pleasant odour of new-mown hay. 



Fig. 9*2. — Goosegrnss or Clenrers 



{Galium Aparine) 



