OF SUNDRY HERBS 57 



taste is that of coltsfoot, but more mucilaginous and without 

 its bitterness. The infusion should be made like coltsfoot, 

 and once boiled. Drink it with an equal quantity of milk. 

 Asses milk has ten times the effect if this be taken with it." 

 Daisy roots are still eaten by the Italian and Spanish peasants, 

 and formerly the young leaves were an ordinary ingredient 

 in our salads. Many herbalists refer to the curious old 

 belief that if daisy roots are boiled in milk and given to 

 puppies it will stunt their growth ; and there is the old fairy 

 story of the wicked fairy Milkah who fed her royal foster- 

 child on this food to make him a pigmy. One herbalist 

 says that to put daisy roots under your pillow is to ensure 

 pleasant dreams of those you love most. 



DANDELION 



" The French country people eat the roots, and 'twas 

 with this homely sallet the good wife Hecate entertained 

 Theseus." John Evelyn, Acetaria, 1699. 



Dandelion was formerly used not only as a pot-herb in 

 broths, but also much more than they are now in salads. 

 Folkard gives a curious account of a Donegal simpler who 

 treated her patient with " heart fever " thus. " She measures 

 the sufferer three times round the waist with a ribbon, to 

 the outer edge of which is fastened a green thread. If the 

 patient be mistaken in supposing herself affected with heart 

 fever, this green thread will remain in its place, but should 

 he really have the disorder, it is found that the green thread 

 has left the edge of the ribbon and lies curled up in the 

 centre. At the third measuring the simpler prays for a 

 blessing. She next hands the patient nine leaves of heart- 

 fever grass, or dandelion, gathered by herself, directing him 

 to cut three leaves on three successive mornings." 



DANDELION TEA. One pint of boiling water on two 

 handfuls of the pips and left till lukewarm. 



DANDELION WINE To make nine gallons of wine. Boil 

 twenty-seven quarts of pips in nine gallons of water for an 

 hour. Strain and boil again with 13^ Ibs. best Demerara 



