MANDRAKE. 



Atropa Mandrafjora. {Officinalis.} 



mandrake, which in European countries has a white 

 flower, bears a purple flower in Palestine. The root is 

 y &amp;gt; like a parsnip in color and shape, and when old is 

 forked, and runs into the ground to the depth of about 

 four feet. Just above the root is a tuft of leaves, from 

 the midst of which spring the flowers. The fruit of the man 

 drake in Palestine, like the flower, differs from the product of 

 the plant in other countries, being as large as a small apple. 

 and of a fragrant smell and ruddy color. Many very super 

 stitious notions were connected with the singular form of the 

 mandrake-root, and sorcerers were supposed to be able to ex 

 tract poison from it. The belief was, that when the plant was 

 drawn from the earth it uttered such an awful shriek that he 

 who drew it forth could not live after hearing the cry. Hence 

 a dog was fastened to the plant in the evening; and, struggling 

 to get free, he tore up the root and perished at the horrible cry 

 which it uttered. In the morning the dead dog and the root 

 were found fastened together. The root was then subjected to 

 the witches art and the poison extracted. To this superstition 

 Shakspeare alludes in the Second Part of Henry VI., wherein 

 he makes Suffolk say, 



&quot; Would curses kill, as doth the mandrake s groan.&quot; 



15 1U 



