184 THE STRAWBERRY IN NORTH AMERICA 

 TABLE II. PBOPORTION OP ACID TO SUGAR IN STRAWBERRIES 



Supposed medicinal value. The earliest books referring 

 to horticulture were the herbals, printed four and five 

 centuries ago. These catalogued and described plants for 

 their supposed medicinal properties. The strawberry 

 must have been more potent then than now, if we are to 

 accept the authority of the herbals. In his "Paradisus 

 Terrestris," published in 1629, John Parkinson discourses 

 freely upon The Vfe of Strawberries. 



"The leaves of Strawberries are alwaies vfed among 

 other herbs in cooling drinkes, as alfo hi lotions and gar- 

 gles for the mouth and throate : The rootes are fometimes 

 added to make it the more effectuall, and withall fomewhat 

 binding. The berries themfelves are often brought to the 

 Table as a reare ferince, whereunto claret wine, creame, 

 or milke, if added with fugar as everyone liketh ; af alfo 

 at other times, both with the better and meaner fort, and 

 are a good cooling and pleafant difh in the hot fvmmer 

 feafon : The water diftilled of the berries if good for the 

 paffions of the hearte, cauf ed by the perturbation of the 

 fpirits, being eyther drunke alone or hi wine, and maketh 

 the hearte merry." 



In folk medicine, or the doctrine of signatures, straw- 



