CASTOR-OIL 



toilet would be considered complete without the use of 

 henna. It is even said that men dye their beards with it. 



The white horse used in processions by the Shah of Persia 

 has its legs, tail, and body dyed with henna. 



The powdered leaves are used : they are made into a paste 

 with hot water, and then spread upon the place. It is grown 

 in Syria, Egypt, Algeria, China, Morocco, Nubia, Guinea, 

 and the East Indies. 



In China women dye their eyebrows with an extract of the 

 petals of Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis. 



One of the first plants to be utilized by man was the 

 Castor-oil {Ricinus communis). It was used by the Indians 

 from time immemorial ; it is mentioned by Herodotus (under 

 the name Kiki); seeds have been found in mummy-cases, 

 showing the careful preparations which were made for the 

 dead when starting on their travels in the other world ! 



It is one of the very commonest plants in the tropics and 

 in sub-tropical or warm, temperate countries. It is rather 

 handsome, and has large reddish-green leaves and handsome 

 spikes of flowers. It is said to be sometimes twelve feet 

 high, but is usually only six or seven feet. The seeds are 

 mottled or marbled, and have a distinct resemblance to a 

 beetle when seen from above. It has been suggested that 

 this protects them from birds, or enables the latter to 

 recognize the seed, which is strongly medicinal. That, how- 

 ever, is at least doubtful, and certainly pigeons are exceed- 

 ingly fond of the seeds and eat them in quantity. The oil 

 is used for lighting, in making soap, and also in painting. 



Another characteristic Egyptian plant was the Leek, which 

 with the onion and garlic seems to have been one of the 

 very first to be brought into cultivation. Herodotus says 

 that on the Great Pyramid there was an inscription saying 



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