204 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD 



As already stated, however, on the principle that prevention 

 is better than cure, preference will be given to such methods as 

 do away with the laborious external application of insecticides, 

 and the accompanying throwing down of cattle. — Leeward 

 Islands' Agricultural Journal, October, 189-1. 



NOTES ON THE ECONOMIC USES OF THE 



COMPOSITE. 



Part I 



By E. D. Ewen. 



WHEN Mr. Broadway was writing his excellent paper on 

 the Composite in last volume, I promised to supplement it 

 by some notes on the economic uses of the plants of that order, 

 which I now have the pleasure to do. 



It is remarkable that so vast an order should yield so few 

 economic plants, and those, nearly all, medicinal drugs of a 

 bitter nature, with a few oik. It is very probable, however, that 

 many other of the plants mentioned have other local uses, and 

 that many plants of the order are put to use and their local 

 names and value known but to few. If any of our members can 

 help me by information on those points, I shall be glad some 

 day to give you a second chapter of these — at present too scanty 

 — notes. 



Many of these notes are translated from " El Medico 

 Botanico Criollo " by the late Dr. De Grosourdy, and the rest 

 gathered from various sources. 



Wormwood. Ambrosia art emesi folia. L. 



Artemisse (f.) Artemisa (sp.) 



Is stated to be of use against dropsy and gouty disorders, 

 and is also said to have been used with good results in diseases 

 resulting from gravel or calculi. A bitter aromatic infusion 

 made with A to 1 handful of the leaves and flowering tops to a 

 pint of boiling water may be given by the cupful, sweetened to 

 taste, as a daily drink in cases requiring it. Thus taken it is a 

 good tonic stimulant, very useful in indigestion. A medicinal 

 wine may be prepared by macerating 4 tablespoonfuls of the 

 dried leaves in a pint of wine for 3 to 4 days in a closely corked 

 bottle and then filtering for use. Dose 1 to 5 tablespoonfuls a 

 day. The leaves softened in a little water make very goo 1 

 resolutive poultices, or they may be used raw and bruised. The 



