FAMILY HERBAL. 217 



but kept for the sake of its virtues and use. It is 

 a foot high. The stalks are firm, upright, and a 

 little hairy. The leaves are broad, short, and some- 

 what hairy, of a pale green colour, and not indented 

 at the edges, and of a fine smell. At the tops of the 

 branches, stand a kind of soft scaly heads, three 

 quarters of an iuch long,' and from these grow the 

 flowers, which are small and white. The sec(k are 

 very small ; and the root is fibrous. The whole plant 

 has a fine smell. 



The whole plant is to be used fresh ; and it is 

 best taken by way of infusion. It is good against the 

 head ach, and dizziness, and all the inferior order of 

 nervous complaints ; but they talk idly who call it a 

 remedy for apoplexies. It gently promotes the menses, 

 and opens all obstructions. The dried herb may be 

 given for the same purpose in powder, but it does not 

 succeed so well. 



Wild Marjoram. Origanum. 



A wild plant, frequent about way-sides, in 

 marry places, but superior to the other in beauty 

 and in virtues. It very well deserves a place, on 

 both accounts, in our gardens. It grows a foot 

 and a half high. The stalk is firm, very upright, 

 a little hairy, and of a purplish brown colour, ex- 

 tremely regular in its growth. The leaves are broad 

 and short, of the bigness of one's thumb-nail, and of 

 a dark green colour ; two stand at every joint, and 

 they have long foot stalks. The flowers grow on 

 the tops of the branches : there stand on these long 

 scaly heads, of a beautiful form, and purple colour ; 

 from different parts of those, arise the flowers, 

 which are little, but of a beautiful red colour. The 

 whole plant has a fragrant smell, and an aromatic taste. 



The fresh tops of the herb are to be used. They 



