FAMILY HERBAL 41 



spilling' of blood, and the overflowings of the men- 

 ses, it is also good against violent purgings and 

 against the whites. 



Bramble, llubus vulgaris. \ 



THE most common bush in our hedges. The 

 stalks are woody, angulated, and of a pur- 

 plish colour ; and they are armed with crooked 

 spines ; the leaves are rough, indented, and stand 

 either five or three on a stalk. The flowers are 

 white, with a very faint tinge of purplish, and 

 the fruit is composed of a number of small 

 grains. 



The most neglected things have their use. 

 The buds of the bramble-leaves boiled in spring 

 water, and the decoction sweetened with honey, 

 are excellent for a sore throat. A syrup made 

 of the juice of the unripe fruit, with very fine 

 sugar, is cooling and astringent. It is good in 

 immoderate fluxes of the menses, and even in 

 purgings. The berries are to be gathered for this 

 purpose, when they are red. 



Blue Bottle. Cyanus. 



A VERY common and a very pretty weed 

 among our corn ; the leaves are narrow, and of a 

 whitish green ; and the flowers of a very beauti- 

 ful blue and large. The plant is about a foot 

 high, and, when in flower, makes a conspicuous 

 and cl< gant appearance. The root is hard and 

 fibrous ; the stalk is very firm, and while angu- 

 lated, and branched. The leaves that grow from 

 the root have some notches on the edges ; those 

 on one the stalk have none, and tbey are narrow 

 Jike blades of glass; the flowers stand only on the 



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