438 THE FARMER'S ANL 



liquors ; and the young leaves are sometimes used in 

 soups : formerly the roots were eaten as parsnips, and by 

 some are thought to be not inferior. 



CAMOMILE. 



This very useful, and generally used, aromatic bit- 

 ter, is cultivated on account of its flowers, an infusion of 

 which forms an excellent stomachic, known by the name 

 of camomile tea. Though the double sort is more raised 

 by gardeners, the single is the best and strongest as a 

 medicine. The flowers are kept dried in bags. The 

 active principle of camomile is a resinous substance call- 

 ed piperina, discovered by Dr. A. T. Thomson. 



WORMWOOD 



The intense bitter of this plant is so great as to render it 

 proverbial. Its odor is strong, and though fragrant, yet 

 to many persons it is disagreeable and nauseous. It grows 

 wild but is likewise cultivated for several purposes, though 

 less used than formely. It has tonic properties, and is 

 sometimes employed as a stomachic. The French beve- 

 rage or liquor, called eau d'abstnthe, thought to create an 

 appetite, is prepared from wormwood, by the addition of 

 alcohol and subsequent distillation. The active part seems 

 to be the extractive, for the essential oil which it con- 

 tains is not in the least bitter. Before the use of hops 

 was known, wormwood was much employed in the com- 

 position of beer or ale : for this purpose it was gathered 

 when in seed, and dried : some prefer its flavor to that of 

 the hop. 



BALM. 



Balm, formerly much employed in medicine, is still found 

 to make a very grateful and useful drink in fevers. The 

 herb, in its natural state, has a weak aromatic taste, and 



