RULES FOR GATHERING AND PRESERVING HERBS, &c. 



39 



tome trees, the barks ; some, the woods ; and only the ex- 

 crescences of others : while some vegetables are to be used 

 entire, whether fresh gathered, or dried and preserved. 

 Of all these, instances will be given in great number in the 

 following sheets, and the matter will be specified under 

 each article, as the part of the plant to be used will always 

 be named ; and it will be added whether it be best fresh, or 

 best or necessarily dried or otherwise preserved ; but it will 

 be proper in this place to enter into the full examination of 

 this matter, to save unnecessary repetitions under the several 

 particular articles. 



The whole of most plants native of our country, dies off 

 in winter, except the root ; and in many, that perishes also, 

 leaving the species to be renewed from the fallen seeds. 

 When the whole plant dies, the root is seldom of any vir- 

 tue ; but when the root remains many years, and sends up 

 new shoots in the spring, it commonly has great virtue. 

 This may be a general rule : for there is very little to be 

 expected in the roots of annual plants ; their seeds, for the 

 most part, contain their greatest virtues. 



In others, the root lives through the winter, and there arise 

 from it large leaves in the spring, before the stalk appears. 

 These are to be distinguished from those which afterwards 

 grow on the stalk, for they .ire more juicy, and for many 

 purposes much better. In the same manner, some plants, 

 from their seeds dropped in autumn, produce a root and leaves 

 which stand all the winter, and the stalk does not rise till the 

 succeeding spring. These are of the nature of those leaves 

 which rise from the root of other plants before the stalks in 

 spring ; and are in the same manner to be distinguished from 

 those which grow upon the stalks ; theyhavethe full nourish- 

 ment from the root, whereas the others are starved by the 

 growth of the stalk and its branches, and the preparations 

 made by nature for the flowers and seeds ; which are the 

 great purpose of nature, as they are to continue the plant. 



For this reason, when the leaves of any plant are said to 

 be the part fittest for use, they are not to be taken from the 

 stalk, but these large ones growing from the root are to be 

 chosen ; and these where there is no stalk, if that can be ; 

 for then only they are fullest of juice, and have their com- 

 plete virtue ; the stalk running away with the nourishment 

 from them. This is so much done in some plants, that al- 

 though the leaves growing from the root were very vigor- 

 ous before the stalk grew up, they die and wither as it rises. 

 When the juice of the leaves of any plant is required, these 

 are the leaves from which it is to be pressed : when they are 

 ordered in decoction, notice is always taken in this work, 

 whether they be best fresh or dried ; if fresh, they should be 

 just gathered for the occasion ; they should be cut up close 

 from the root, and only shook clean, not washed; for in 

 many, that carries off a part of the virtue : they are to be cut 

 into the pot. If they are to be dried, the same caution is to 

 be used ; and they are best dried by spreading them upon 

 the floor of the room, with the windows open, often turning 

 them. When thoroughly dried, they should be put up in a 

 drawer, pressing them close down, and covered with paper. 

 When the entire plant is to be used except the root, care is 

 to be taken that it be gathered at a proper season. Nature, 

 in the whole growth of plants, tends to the production of 

 their flowers and seeds, but when they are ripe, the rest begins 

 to decay, having done its duty ; so that the time when the 

 entire plant is in its most full perfection, is when it is in the 

 bud ; when the heads are formed for flowering, but not a 

 ingle flower has yet disclosed itself : this is the exact time. 



When herbs are to be used fresh, it is best not to take them 

 entire, but only to cut off the tops ; three or four inches long, 



if for infusion, and if for other purposes, less : if they are 

 to be beaten up with sugar, they should be only an inch, 

 or less : just as far as they are fresh and tender. The tops 

 of the plant thus gathered, are always preferable to the 

 whole plant for immediate use. 



When the entire herb is to be dried, the season for gather- 

 ing is to be as just described, when the flowers are budding ; 

 and the time of the day must be when the morning dew is 

 dried away. This Is a very material circumstance, for if 

 they be cut wet with the dew, herbs will not dry well, and 

 if they be cut at noon-day, when the sun has made the 

 leaves flag, they will not have their full power. Care must 

 also be taken to cut them in a dry day ; for the wet of rain 

 will do as much harm as that of dew. 



When the herbs are thus gathered, they are to be looked 

 over, the decayed leaves to be picked off, and the dead ends 

 of the stalks cut away : they are then to be tied up in small 

 bunches, (the smaller the better,) and hung upon lines 

 drawn across a room, where the windows and doors are to 

 be kept open in good weather ; the bunches are to be half 

 a foot asunder, and they are to hang till perfectly dry. 

 They are then to be taken softly down, without shaking off 

 the buds of the flowers, and laid evenly in a drawer, press- 

 ing them down, and covering them with paper. They are 

 thus ready for infusions and decoctions, and are better for 

 distillation than when fresh. 



The flowers of plants are principally used fresh, though 

 several particular kinds retain their virtue very well dried ; 

 they are on these different occasions to be treated differently. 



Lavender flowers, and those of Stoechas, (Graphalium 

 Stoechas) keep very well ; they are therefore to be preserved 

 dry. The Lavender flowers are to be stripped off the stalks, 

 and spread upon the floor of a room to dry. The Stoechas 

 flowers are to be preserved in the whole head ; this is to be 

 cut off from the top of the stalk, and dried in the same 

 manner : when dry, they are to be kept as the herbs. 



When Rosemary flowers are dried, they are generally 

 taken with some of the leaves about them ; and this is very 

 right, for the leaves retain more virtue than the flowers. 

 Some dry Borage, Bugloss, and Cowslips, but they retain 

 very little virtue in that condition. Rose-buds are to be 

 dried, and to this purpose, their white heads are to be cut 

 off; and the full-blown flowers may be preserved in the 

 same manner. The Red Rose is always meant, when we 

 speak of the dried flowers. 



For the rest of the flowers used in medicine, they are best 

 fresh ; but as they remain only a small part of the year in 

 that state, the method is to preserve them in the form of 

 syrups and conserves. Such as the syrup of Cloves and 

 Poppies, the Conserves of Cowslips, and the like. Of these, 

 a short general account shall be subjoined, that nothing 

 may be wanting to make this work as useful for families as 

 the nature of it will admit. 



Among the fruits of plants, several are to be used fresh, 

 as the hip for conserve, and the Quince, Mulberry, and Black 

 Currant ; from the juices of which, syrups are made. As 

 to those which are to be dried, as the Juniper berries, the 

 Bay berries, and the like, they are only to be gathered when 

 just ripening, not when quite mellow, and spread upon a 

 table or floor, often turning them till they are dry. But of 

 these we use very few of our own growth ; most of the 

 fruits used in medicine are brought from abroad, and must 

 be purchased of the druggist or apothecary. 



With respect to the seeds and plants, it is otherwise ; many 

 of them are of our own growth, and nothing is so easy as to 

 preserve them. These are all to be used dry ; but nature 



