116 FAMILY HERBAt, 



Dodder. Cuscuta. 



A VERY strange and singular plant, but not 

 uncommon with us. It consists of only stalks and 

 flowers, for there are no leaves, nor the least 

 resemblance of any. The stalks are a foot or two 

 in length, and they fasten themselves to other 

 plants ; they are of a purplish colour, as thick as 

 a small pack-thread, and considerably tough and 

 firm. These wind themselves about the branches 

 of the plants, and entangle themselves also with 

 one another in such a manner, that there is no end 

 of the perplexity of tracing and unfolding them. 

 The flowers grow in little heads, and are Bmall and 

 reddish, four little seeds succeed to each of them. 



Dodder is best fresh gathered ; it is to be boiled 

 in water with a little ginger and allspice, and 

 the decoction works by stool briskly ; it also opens 

 obstructions of the liver, and is good in the jaun- 

 dice, and many other disorders arising from the like 

 cause. 



The dodder which grows upon the garden thyme, 

 lias been used to be preferred to the others, and 

 ha? been supposed to possess peculiar virtues, from 

 the plant on which it grows ; but this is imagi- 

 nary : experience shews it to be only a purge as 

 the other, and weaker. The common dodder is 

 preferable to it with us, because we can gather it 

 fresh, the other is imported, and we only have it 

 dry ; and it often loses a great deal of its virtue in 

 the hands of the druggist. 



Dog Mercury. Cynocrambc. 



A COM iYION and poisonous plant named here, 

 aot as a medicine but that people who gather herbs, 

 for whatever use, may guard against it. It is 



