FAMILY HERBAL. 101 



The Cubed Plant. Cubeba. 



A CLAMBERING plant of the warm cli- 

 mates, but unknown in this part of the world, until 

 described by those who have been where it grows. 

 The stalks are weak, angulated, and reddish ; the 

 leaves are broad and short, and the flowers small ; 

 the fruit is of the bigness of a pepper corn, but a 

 little oblong, and grows on a long and very slender 

 foot stalk. 



This fruit is the "part used ; the druggists keep 

 it. It is a warm and pleasant spice good against 

 weaknesses of the stomach, in colics, and in palsies, 

 and all nervous disorders. But it is seldom used 

 alone. 



The Cucumber Plant. Cucumis hortensis. 



A CREEPING straggling plant sufficiently 

 known. The stalks are a yard or two long, thick, 

 but spread upon the ground, angulated and hairy. 

 The leaves are broad deeply indented, and very 

 rough, and of a bluish green colour ; the flowers 

 are large and yellow. The fruit is long and thick; 

 the ?eeds are used in medicine, and the fruit should 

 be suffered to stand till very ripe before they are 

 gathered. They arc cooling and diuretic, good 

 against stranguries, and all disorders of the urinary 

 passages; the best way of giving them is bea-t up 

 to an emulsion with barley water. 



The Wild Cucumber. Cucumis asininus. 



THIS, though called wild, is not a native of 

 England. It spreads upon the ground in the 

 manner of the other cucumber, and its branches 

 grow to a considerable length ; they are thick, 



