154 FAMILY HERBAL/ 



Goat's Rue. Gcdcg-a. 



& 



A tall plant, native of Italy, but kept with 

 up in gardens. It grows a yard high. The stalks 

 are round, striated, hollow, not very firm, or strong, 

 and of a pale green colour : they are very much 

 branched, and not altogether upright. The leaves 

 are long and large, each is composed of several pairs 

 of smaller leaves, with an odd one at the end of the 

 rib ; these are oblong, narrow, and of a yellowish 

 green colour, thin, and not at all indented at the 

 edges. The flowers are small, and of a bluish and 

 whitish colour ; they stand a great many upon the 

 same pedicle, in a drooping posture. 



The whole plant is used. It is to be gathered 

 when just come to flower, and dried, and afterwards 

 given in infusion : this gently promotes sweat, 

 and is good in fevers ; so much is true of the 

 virtues of this plant, but much more has been said 

 of it. 



Golden Rod. I'irga aurca. 



A very pretty wild plant, with tufts of yellow 

 flowers, frequent on our heaths in autumn. It 

 is two feet high. The stalk is firm, erect, round, 

 and hairy. The leaves are long, broadest in the 

 middle, indented at the edges, rough on the surface, 

 hairy, and of a strong green colour. The flowers 

 are small, and of a bright yellow, but they grow 

 together in a sort of thick and short spikes, so 

 that they are very conspicuous. The root is long, 

 brown, and of an austere taste, as is also the whole 

 plant. 



The root, t.nken up in spring and dried, is an ex- 

 cellent medicine given in powder for purging*?, and 

 for overflowing of the menses, bloody stools, or any 



