324 FAMILY HERBAL. 



by stool and vomit, and is good in the rheumatism 

 and dropsy ; but it is not every constitution that can 

 bear the use of such remedies. 



Lesser Spurge. Esula minor. 



A lesser plant than the former, but sufficiently 

 robust ; it is a native of the same part of the world, 

 but is common in our gardens. It is a foot high. 

 The leaves are longish and very narrow, but 

 rounded at the end : the stalks are thick, round, and 

 red ; the flowers are small and yellow ; and the seed- 

 vessels large and three cornered. The whole plant 

 is full of a sharp milky juice, but most of all the 

 root. 



The bark of the root is used. It works by vomit 

 and stool as the former ; but though with less violence, 

 yet too rough for most constitutions. It is good iu 

 the rheumatism. 



Squill. Scilla. 



A very common plant by the sea side in Italy 

 and other parts of Europe, but not native of 

 this country. It grows a yard high, and when 

 in flower, is very beautiful ; the stalk is thick, 

 round, fleshy, and green, or else reddish. The 

 flowers are white ; they are small but they have 

 their beauty. They stand in a long spike down 

 a third part of the stalk ; the leaves are very large 

 and long ; they arc of a deep green colour, and 

 grow immediately from the root ; the root is 

 round, and of a pound weight ; it is' composed 

 like an onion of many coats one over another, 

 and is full of an acrid slimy juice. The colour 

 is white or red, and they call it the white or ret', 

 squill. 



