FAMILY HERBAL. 59 



green, and stand upon long fool-stalks; they aae 

 broad at the base, and sharp at the point, and all 

 the way indented very sharply at the edges. They 

 are hairy and rough to tiie touch. The flowers 

 grow ten or a dozen tog-ether at the top of every 

 branch ; they are very large and of a beautiful 

 blue colour, hollow and divided into several parts 

 at the extremity. If the soil be poor, the flowers 

 will vary iu their colour to a pale blue, reddish, or 

 white, hut the plant is still the same. 



The fresh tops, with the buds of the flowers 

 upon them, contain most virtue,, but the dried 

 loaves may be used. An infusion of them sharp- 

 ened with a few drops of spirit of vitriol, and 

 sweetened with honey, is an excellent medicine 

 for sore throats., used by way of a gargle. The 

 p a:;t is so famous for this virtue, that one of its 

 c.> noon English names is throat-wort : if the 

 medicine be swallowed, there is no harm in it ; but, 

 in t* e u e of every thing in this v. ay, it is best to 

 ?p.f the liquor out together with (lie foulnesses 

 which it may have washed from the affected parts. 



The Caper Shrub. Capparis. 



A COMMON shrub in France and Italy, and 

 kept m our gardens. The pickles which we know 

 under the name of capers, are made of the buds of 

 the flowers, but the part to be used in medicine is 

 the bark of the roots. 



The shrub grows to no great height; the 

 branches are weak, and ill able to support them- 

 selves, they are tough and prickly : die leaves s ; a >d 

 irregularly, and are of an oval or roundhh ; ;: i, u ; 

 ti; thorns are hooked like those of the brand ! ; 

 the flowers, when full opened, arc purplish a: <. 

 very pretty : the fruit is roundish. 



