15 FAMILY HERBAL. 



the seeds are what they call ash-keys, these ripen in 

 September. 



The bark of the young* branches is good in 

 obstructions of the liver and spleen, and there- 

 fore is of great service in dropsies, jaundice, 

 and other complaints of that origin : it works by 

 urine. The seeds have the same virtue, but in a less 

 degree. 



The Manna Ash. Fraxiyins minor e folio. 



This is a lower tree than the common ash, and is 

 not a native of our kingdom, but is frequent in 

 Italy , where the manna is gathered from its leaves 

 and branches. 



The bark of this tree is paler than that of our 

 common ash, and the leaves are composed of smaller 

 and narrower parts, but the flower and fruit differ 

 very little. 



They have also in Calabria another low ash- 

 tree, which has the backs of the leaves small- 

 er than ours, and flatter and more rounded, and 

 from this also they collect manna for the use of 

 the apothecaries. The manna is a sweet or honey 

 juiee that naturally sweats out of the bark and 

 leaves in hoi weather. The finest manna of all 

 is that which oozes out of the leaves ; this is in 

 small pieces. It flows out of the ribs of the 

 leares in August, in the heat of the day, and soon 

 hardens into this form. They get the greatest 

 quantities of all, by cutting the bark of the trunk 

 and branches, and this is often large and flaky, 

 but it is yellowish. That which is flaky, white, 

 and hollow, has issued out of itself, and is much 

 betier. 



Manna is a most excellent purge, very gentle, 

 and without any after astringency. Tliere is u 



