FAMILY HERBAL. 207 



mediately from the root, and have thick foot-stalks ; 

 they are oblong-, broad, of a deep and often a 

 purplish colour, and are extremely hairy, the hairs 

 being- long-, white, and set so thick, that they give 

 it an aspect of woolliness. The stalk is round, 

 slender, tolerably firm, upright, of a purplish colour, 

 and also hairy : the leaves on it fire smaller than those 

 from the root, but like them in shape, and they are 

 in the same manner very hairy. The flowers are 

 not very large, but they are of a beautiful yellow, 

 and they have the more singular aspect, as the plant 

 has so much whiteness. The seeds are winged with 

 a white down. 



The young leaves rising from the root, are the 

 part used. They are of the same nature with those 

 of coltsfoot, but they possess their virtues in a much 

 greater degree. In many other parts of Europe, 

 where the plant is more common, it is a constant 

 medicine in diseases of the lungs, in coughs, asth- 

 mas, and the first stages of consumptions ; it is 

 best given in form of a strong infusion ; and I have 

 known it tried here with more success than could be 

 expected from so simple a remedy, in cases of such 

 consequence. It is scarce wild, but it is easily pro- 

 pagated in gardens. Let but one plant of it ripen 

 its seeds and leave them to the chance of the winds, 

 and the garden, the walls, and the neighbouring 

 places will never be without a sufficient supply of it, 

 for all purposes, 



M 



Mace. Maris. 



The spice we call mace, is the covering of the 

 stone or kernel pf a fruit, within which is the nut- 

 meg. The tree will therefore more naturally be 



