FAMILY IIEUBAL 229 



water distilled from them, and made sufficiently strong., 

 is by much the most efficacious. 



Peppermint. Mentha pipcrata. 



A plant kept in our gardens, but much more 

 resembling the wild mint last described, than the 

 spear mint, both in form and qualities. It grows 

 two feet and a half high. The stalk is square and 

 firm, upright, and of a pale green ; the leaves 

 stand two at each joint : they are broad, not very 

 long, of a dark green, and serrated deeply" at the 

 edges. The flowers grow in thick spikes, but 

 not very long ones, they are large, and of a pale 

 red. The whole plant has an agreeable quick 

 smell, and a hot taste like pepper, but not dis- 

 agreeable. 



The whole plant is used fresh or dried ; but the 

 best way is to give the distilled water. It cures the 

 colic, often almost instantaneously, and it is good 

 against the gravel. 



Long Leaved Wild Mint. Menthrastrum. 



A singular wild plant, of the mint kind, 

 but not without its beauty ; it is two feet high, 

 and grows with great regularity. The stalk is 

 square, firm, and of a pale green, very upright, 

 and at the top full of young shoots. The leaves 

 are long and narrow ; they arc of a whitish green, 

 deeply indented about the edges, i\m\ pointed at 

 the ends : the flowers stand in spikes, at the tops 

 of the young shoots ; they are pale, red, and large, 

 and very numerous. The whole plant has a strong 

 smell. 



The whole plant is used fresh or dried, and is 

 to be given in the way of tea, for the distilled water 



