324 THE ELDER. 



remarkable. The Cornu-British words for it are scan and 

 scauan; and hence we have many villages 1 and two 

 ancient 2 families denominated. 3 It may at first seem to 

 be owing to the general scarcity of trees that even this 

 humble shrub was thought considerable enough to give 

 name to so many places ; but if we consider the great 

 virtue of this plant in all its several parts and stages, we 

 shall be convinced that few shrubs deserve a greater regard. 

 It is very hardy, enduring all weathers, suiting all soils, 

 easily propagated by seeds and cuttings ; the medicinal 

 use of its several parts is extraordinary ; its leaves, buds, 

 blossoms, berries, pith, wood, and bark have more virtues 

 than can possibly have room here without entering into 

 too minute detail : the following are most obvious and 

 most generally applied to for relief. The buds and 

 leaves, as soon as they appear, are gathered to make baths, 

 fomentations, and cataplasms for wounds, and are a remedy 

 for inflammations, &c. As soon as the flower-buds come on, 

 they serve to make a pickle of very good flavour : the 

 flowers at their opening, infused, communicate their taste 

 and smell to vinegar ; infused and let to stand in best 

 Florence oil, excellent to be laid over bruises and external 

 swellings ; and taken internally, very healing and cooling : 

 the flowers in their natural state are very sudorific, and 

 assuage pains ; distilled with simple water, make a sweet 

 cooling wash for the face in summer, which takes off 

 inflammations of the eyes (as a collyrium) ; is good for the 

 wind in children, and a very innocent vehicle in, fevers ; 

 distilled in spirits, it assuages cholical pains in adult 



1 Boscauan-ros and Boscauancen in St. Berian parish ; two 

 called by the name of Penscaiian in St. Enodor ; Enyscauan in St. 

 Denis ; Lescauan in Sheviock ; Fentonscauan, name of a water in 

 St. Ives ; Trescau, formerly the most considerable village in the 

 Scilly Isles ; Trescau in Breg, &c. 



2 That of the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Falmouth, called 

 Boscawen, and the Scawens of Molenik in St, Germans, and of 

 Carshalton in Surrey. 



3 The Elder is still called Skew-tree in Cornwall. 



