Family herbal. Ms 



Mezereon Shrub. Mezereum. 



A very pretty shrub, native of many parts of 

 Europe, and frequent in our gardens. It is four 

 feet high, and very much branched. The branches 

 stand irregularly, and they are very tough and firm. 

 The leaves are oblong' and narrow : they grow in 

 clusters from certain little swellings on the bark. 

 The (towers are small and red ; they are hollow, and 

 are succeeded by oblong berries, which are black 

 when ripe. The root is woody and creeping ; and 

 the plant is not easily destroyed, when once well 

 established. 



The bark of the root, or the Inner bark of the 

 branches is to be used ; but it is a violent medicine, 

 and must be given with great caution, in small 

 doses, and only to those who have strong constitu- 

 tions. It will cause vomiting, and bloody stools 

 to people that are tender, or to any, in a large dose ; 

 but to robust people, it only acts as a brisk purge. 

 It is excellent in dropsies, and other stubborn dis- 

 orders ; and the best way of giving it, is in a light 

 infusion. 



Millet. Milllum. 



A plant of the grass kind, large, upright, and 

 not without its beauty. It is four feet high. The 

 stalk is round, hollow, jointed, thick, and firm. The 

 leaves are long and broad, of a pale green, and hairy. 

 The flowers and seeds glow at the top of the stalk, 

 in a vast cluster, so heavv that the head usually hangs 

 down : they are altogether of the grass kind. The 

 flowers are inconsiderable, and the seeds small, hard, 

 and white. 



The seeds are used sometimes in the manner of 

 barley to make a drink, which is good in fWtr? 



